KWWT

KWWT, virtual and UHF digital channel 30, is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station licensed to Odessa, Texas, United States and serving the Permian Basin area. The station is owned by Gray Television, as part of a de facto triopoly with CBS affiliate KOSA-TV (channel 7, also licensed to Odessa) and Big Spring-licensed CW+ affiliate KCWO-TV (channel 4); it is also sister to two low-power stations: Odessa-licensed Telemundo affiliate KTLE-LD (channel 7.5) and Midland-licensed Cozi TV affiliate KMDF-LD (channel 30.5). The five stations share studios inside the Music City Mall on East 42nd Street in Odessa, with a secondary studio and news bureau in downtown Midland; KWWT's transmitter is located on SH 158 near Gardendale, Texas.

KWWT
Odessa–Midland, Texas
United States
CityOdessa, Texas
ChannelsDigital: 30 (UHF)
Virtual: 30 (PSIP)
BrandingKWWT My30
Programming
Affiliations30.1: MyNetworkTV (2020–present)
30.2: MeTV
30.3: Decades
30.4: Movies!
Ownership
OwnerGray Television
(Gray Television Licensee, LLC)
KOSA-TV, KCWO-TV, KTLE-LD, KMDF-LD, KTXC
History
First air date
2001 (2001)
Former call signs
KPXK (2001–2006)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:
  • 30 (UHF, 2001–2009)
  • Digital:
  • 22 (UHF, 2009–2020)
Call sign meaning
The WB West Texas
(former affiliation)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID84410
ERP50 kW
HAAT147 m (482 ft)
Transmitter coordinates32°2′52.9″N 102°17′45.5″W
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS

History
The station's former logo as a WB affiliate.

KWWT signed on the air in 2001 as KPXK. It was a Pax TV affiliate until late 2005, when KWWT moved its cable-only The WB 100+ feed (which was established on September 21, 1998) to UHF channel 30.

On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and the Warner Bros. unit of Time Warner announced the shutdown of both UPN and The WB effective that fall. In place of these two networks, a new "fifth" network—"The CW Television Network" (its name representing the first initials of parent companies CBS and Warner Bros.), jointly owned by both companies, would launch, with a lineup primarily featuring the most popular programs from both networks. In March 2006 it was announced that KWWT would be a CW affiliate through The CW Plus.

In 2011, KWWT signed on to carry college football and basketball games from the Southland Conference Television Network.[1] The contract continues today. For the first 3 seasons the games usually aired on 30.2, though they will likely move to 30.1 for the 2014 season. Additionally, KWWT aired ACC Network basketball games during the 2011–12 basketball season.

KWWT remained a CW affiliate until December 29, 2013. On that date, KWES-TV (channel 9) took over CW rights and KWWT moved MeTV to 30.1 while adding Movies! on 30.2.

On July 24, 2020, it was announced that Gray Television (owner of CBS affiliate KOSA-TV and CW affiliate KCWO-TV) would purchase KWWT and sister low-power station KMDF-LD for $1.84 million, pending approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[2] Gray sought a failing station waiver as the Odessa–Midland market would not have at least eight independent voices after the transaction (KCWO-TV is licensed as a satellite of KOSA-TV despite airing different programming).[3] In addition, Gray also announced that after the sale, KWWT would move its operations to the shared KOSA/KCWO facility in Odessa. The FCC granted the waiver on September 14.[4] The sale was completed on September 30.[5][6]

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[7]
30.1720p16:9MNT/MNTVMain KWWT programming / MyNetworkTV
30.2ME TVMeTV
30.3480iDECADESDecades
30.4MOVIES!Movies!

Analog-to-digital conversion

KWWT shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 30, on June 12, 2009, and "flash-cut" its digital signal into operation on its analog-era UHF channel 30.[8][9] Because it was granted an original construction permit after the FCC finalized the digital television transition in the United States (DTV) allotment plan on April 21, 1997, the station did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station.

The move granted KWWT three additional channels with a Retro Television Network affiliate on 30.2, Tr3́s on 30.3, and This TV on 30.4. In August 2010, KWWT acquired the signal rights to station K22IZ and moved Tr3s to 22.1, began airing AYM Sports on 22.2, had nothing on 22.3, and aired Video Zona TV on 22.4 giving them a total of seven stations. K22IZ was later renamed KMDF. 30.3 and aired 24-hours of infomercials until January 1, 2011, when they became the affiliate for Antenna TV. In November 2010 they added Promiseland Television Network to 22.3, but they were an affiliate for only six months. 22.3 would become an affiliate for Mexicanal in 2011. In May 2011 KWWT lost the rights to Video Zona. 22.4 aired 24-hours of infomercials until January 1, 2012, when KWWT added MeTV to channel 22.4.[10] On Sunday, March 11 KWWT swapped the digital substations of RTV and MeTV. Sometime in summer 2012, KWWT's contract with Tr3s ended. KWWT dropped Tr3s and picked up TeLe-Romántica as a new substation. In January 2013, KWWT added MundoFox to 22.1 and moved TeLe-Romántica to 22.3, dropping Mexicanal in the process. They also stopped airing RTV programming, and turned 22.4 into a 24-hour infomercial station.

On December 29, 2013, KMDF ceased operations, and KWWT lost the broadcast rights to The CW. As a result, they moved MeTV to 30.1 and added Movies! on 30.2. They also ceased airing the KMDF stations.

See also

References
  1. "Southland Conference Television Network Announces Fall Affiliates". 2011-07-25.
  2. "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  3. Request for Failing Station Waiver
  4. "Letter", CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, 14 September 2020, Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  5. "Consummation Notice", CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, 1 October 2020, Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  6. "Consummation Notice" (KMDF-LD), CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, 1 October 2020, Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  7. RabbitEars TV Query for KWWT
  8. "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  10. TV Listings: Odessa, TX
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