KCIT-TV (Kansas City)

Last updated
KCIT-TV
KCITTV50Logo.jpg
Kansas City, Missouri
United States
Channels Analog: 50 (UHF)
Programming
Affiliations Independent
Ownership
OwnerAllied Broadcasting, Inc.
History
First air date
October 29, 1969 (1969-10-29)
Last air date
July 8, 1971 (1971-07-08)
(1 year, 252 days)
Technical information
ERP 740 kW [1]
HAAT 1,160 feet (350 m)
Transmitter coordinates 39°04′57″N94°28′46″W / 39.08250°N 94.47944°W / 39.08250; -94.47944

KCIT-TV, UHF analog channel 50, was an independent television station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri, United States. It was the first new commercial television station to operate in Kansas City in nearly 15 years. It broadcast from October 29, 1969, to July 8, 1971, failing due to financial difficulties. After the station ceased broadcasting, the equipment was acquired by Community Service Broadcasting of Mid-America, which had also purchased public television station KCSD-TV (channel 19); KCIT-TV's equipment and KCSD-TV's license were used to relaunch public television in Kansas City as KCPT in 1972.

Contents

The KCIT call letters are now used by the Fox affiliate in Amarillo, Texas.

History

On May 11, 1965, Allied Broadcasting, Inc., composed of 20 local businessmen led by James H. Ottman, [2] filed for a construction permit to build a new television station in Kansas City, to operate on channel 25. [3] The channel had been occupied by KCTY, a short-lived UHF outlet owned by the DuMont Television Network that lasted less than a year in 1953 and 1954. After Allied applied for a construction permit, however, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revised the UHF table of allocations twice in the span of a year. By the time Allied's application had been designated for hearing against a competing bid from Midway Broadcasting, it was for channel 36; [4] when the FCC granted Allied the construction permit that April, it was for channel 50. [2] The station remained unbuilt by late 1968. [5]

KCIT-TV signed on October 29, 1969. [6] The first new station to sign on in town in a decade, channel 50 filled an immediate void. [7] Kansas City had not had a commercial independent since KCTY's demise, and by the end of the decade, it was the only major U.S. city to lack one. The station was able to clear a significant volume of network programs that the three affiliated stations in town did not, including one night of movies from each of the networks. [8] It was also the first locally owned Kansas City station since WDAF-TV was sold in 1958. [9] Local programming included a children's show hosted by Torey Southwick, formerly of KMBC-TV; a young Walt Bodine served as the station's news director. [7]

As channel 50 was constructed, so too was a second UHF commercial station for Kansas City: KBMA-TV channel 41, which signed on in 1970. Prior to channel 50's going on air, the management of KBMA made two offers to KCIT stockholders to merge the two operations, one of which would have seen channel 41 donated to the University of Missouri; both were rebuffed by the stockholders. [10] The two stations were even managed by twin brothers. [10]

With a competitor, channel 50 suffered, particularly financially, and conditions came to a head in the summer of 1971. On June 23, the station cut back its broadcast day, signing on the air at 2:30 p.m. instead of 9 a.m., and replaced its general manager; owner Ottman declared, "KCIT-TV is here to stay". [11] At the start of July, Allied sought permission to take KCIT-TV silent and immediately cut its schedule to the minimum two hours a day while it waited for its request to be processed. [12] At 4:30 p.m. on July 8, the FCC approved Allied's request, and channel 50 signed off the air; that day, Jackson County sheriff's deputies served a writ of replevin on $495,000 worth of equipment the station had bought from RCA. [13] Ottman blamed the bad economy for the station's demise. [14] Allied Broadcasting would declare bankruptcy in September. [15]

Facility reuse

The fate of the channel 50 facility was placed into immediate question, and a suitor appeared: Community Service Broadcasting of Mid-America, Inc. (CSB), which was in the process of negotiating to buy KCSD-TV channel 19, the educational station owned by the Kansas City School District. [16] The possibility of acquiring the KCIT physical plant would allow CSB to avoid needing to rent the facilities of KCSD-TV, which broadcast at lower power and was not equipped for color telecasting; however, the station would need to telecast educational programs on channel 19, because television sets in schools had been equipped with tuning strips that could not receive other UHF channels. [17]

At a court-ordered auction on October 29, CSB purchased the KCIT facilities, except those owned by RCA, for $156,000, beating out a rival bid from Black radio station owner Andrew Carter, who wanted to start a minority-oriented television station. [18] Ultimately, instead of operating both stations as once proposed, CSB chose to focus on improving channel 19. [19] CSB renamed KCSD-TV KCPT on January 1, 1972. [20] A new channel 19 transmitter and antenna, using the tower purchased from RCA, [21] launched October 16, 1972. [22] [23] [24]

Future use of channel 50 in Kansas City

Channel 50 would remain silent in Kansas City for another seven years after KCIT-TV's closure. In 1976, Kansas City Youth for Christ, Inc., applied to build a station on channel 50. [25] KYFC-TV began broadcasting December 15, 1978. [26]

Related Research Articles

KMOS-TV PBS member station in Sedalia, Missouri

KMOS-TV, virtual channel 6, is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television station licensed to Sedalia, Missouri, United States. The station is owned by the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. KMOS-TV's studios are located in the Patton Broadcast Center on the UCM campus, and its transmitter is located in Syracuse, Missouri.

WXIX-TV Fox affiliate in Newport, Kentucky

WXIX-TV, virtual channel 19, is a Fox-affiliated television station serving Cincinnati, Ohio, United States that is licensed to Newport, Kentucky. The station is owned by Gray Television. WXIX-TV's studios are located at 19 Broadcast Plaza on Seventh Street just west of downtown Cincinnati, and its transmitter is located in the South Fairmount neighborhood on the city's northwest side.

KTWU, virtual and VHF digital channel 11, is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television station licensed to Topeka, Kansas, United States. The station is owned by Washburn University. KTWU's studios are located on the western edge of the Washburn University campus at 19th Street and Jewell Avenue in central Topeka, and its transmitter is located on Wanamaker Road on the city's northwest side.

KOFY-TV Independent TV station in San Francisco

KOFY-TV, virtual channel 20, is an independent television station licensed to San Francisco, California, United States and serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Owned by CNZ Communications, LLC, it is sister to Class A station KCNZ-CD and low-power station KQRM-LD. The three stations share transmitter facilities, along with non-commercial ethnic station KMTP-TV, atop San Bruno Mountain. KOFY-TV's studios were previously located on Marin Street in the Bayview–Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco until 2018; the station has since maintained space at KGO-TV's studios north of the city's Financial District. The station's signal is relayed on low-power digital translator station K27EE-D in Ukiah.

WVPX-TV, virtual channel 23, is an Ion-affiliated television station serving Cleveland, Ohio, United States that is licensed to Akron. Owned by Inyo Broadcast Holdings, the station is sister to Canton-licensed Court TV affiliate WDLI-TV, which transmits using WVPX-TV's full-power spectrum via a channel sharing agreement. The two stations share studios on Renaissance Parkway in Warrensville Heights and transmitter facilities on Ohio State Route 261 in Norton, Ohio.

South Dakota Public Broadcasting Public radio and TV network in South Dakota

South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) is a state network of non-commercial educational television and radio stations serving the U.S. state of South Dakota. The stations are operated by the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunication, an agency of the state government which holds the licenses for all of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) member stations licensed in South Dakota except KRSD in Sioux Falls, which is owned and run by Minnesota Public Radio, and KAUR in Sioux Falls, which is owned by Augustana University and operated by MPR. SDPB's studios and offices are located in the Al Neuharth Media Center at 500 N. Dakota Avenue on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion.

KSHB-TV NBC affiliate in Kansas City, Missouri

KSHB-TV, virtual channel 41, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri, United States and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. The station is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, as part of a duopoly with Lawrence, Kansas-licensed independent station KMCI-TV. The two stations share studios on Oak Street in southern Kansas City, Missouri; KSHB-TV's transmitter is located at the Blue River Greenway in the city's Hillcrest section. On cable, the station is available on Charter Spectrum, Consolidated Communications and Google Fiber channel 13, Comcast Xfinity channel 8, and AT&T U-verse channel 41.

KSMO-TV, virtual channel 62, is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri, United States and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. The station is owned by the Meredith Local Media subsidiary of Des Moines, Iowa-based Meredith Corporation, as part of a duopoly with CBS affiliate KCTV. The two stations share studios on Shawnee Mission Parkway in Fairway, Kansas; KSMO-TV's transmitter is located in Independence, Missouri. On cable, the station is available on Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Consolidated Communications and Google Fiber channel 10, and AT&T U-verse channel 62.

KPXE-TV, virtual channel 50, is an Ion-affiliated television station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri, United States and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. The station is owned by Inyo Broadcast Holdings. KPXE-TV's offices are located on Oak Street and Cleaver Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, and its transmitter is located in the city's Brown Estates section. The station also serves as the de facto Ion outlet for the St. Joseph market.

KCPT, virtual channel 19, branded on-air as Kansas City PBS or KC PBS, is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri, United States and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. Owned by Public Television 19, Inc., it is sister to adult album alternative radio station KTBG. The two stations share studios on East 31st Street in the Union Hill section of Kansas City, Missouri ; KCPT's transmitter is located near 23rd Street and Stark Avenue in the city's Blue Valley section. On cable, the station is available on Charter Spectrum and SureWest channel 11, Comcast Xfinity channel 4, and Google Fiber and AT&T U-verse channel 19, and in high definition on Spectrum digital channel 1221, Xfinity channel 804, SureWest channel 601 and U-verse channel 1019.

WEEK-TV NBC/ABC/CW affiliate in Peoria, Illinois

WEEK-TV, virtual and UHF digital channel 25, is an NBC/ABC/CW+-affiliated television station licensed to Peoria, Illinois, United States and serving the North-Central Illinois television market. The station is owned by Quincy Media. WEEK-TV's studios and transmitter are located on Springfield Road in East Peoria, a section of Groveland Township, Tazewell County.

KAMR-TV NBC affiliate in Amarillo, Texas

KAMR-TV, virtual channel 4, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Amarillo, Texas, United States. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also operates Fox affiliate KCIT and low-powered MyNetworkTV affiliate KCPN-LD under joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA) with owner Mission Broadcasting. The three stations share studios on Southeast 11th Avenue and South Fillmore Street in downtown Amarillo ; KAMR-TV's transmitter is located on Dumas Drive and Reclamation Plant Road in rural unincorporated Potter County.

KCIT Fox affiliate in Amarillo, Texas

KCIT, virtual channel 14, is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to Amarillo, Texas, United States. Owned by Mission Broadcasting, it is a sister station to low-powered MyNetworkTV affiliate KCPN-LD ; Nexstar Media Group, which owns NBC affiliate KAMR-TV, operates KCIT and KCPN-LD under joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA). The three stations share studios on Southeast 11th Avenue and South Fillmore Street in downtown Amarillo ; KCIT's transmitter is located on Dumas Drive and Reclamation Plant Road in rural unincorporated Potter County.

KJTL Fox affiliate in Wichita Falls, Texas

KJTL, virtual channel 18, is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and serving the western Texoma area encompassing Western North Texas and Southwestern Oklahoma. Owned by locally based Mission Broadcasting as its flagship station, it is sister to Wichita Falls-licensed low-powered MyNetworkTV affiliate KJBO-LD ; Nexstar Media Group, which owns Wichita Falls-licensed NBC affiliate KFDX-TV, operates KJTL and KJBO-LD under joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA). The three stations share studios near Seymour Highway and Turtle Creek Road in Wichita Falls; KJTL's transmitter is located near East 1940 and North 2380 Roads in rural southwestern Tillman County, Oklahoma. There is no separate website for KJTL; instead, it is integrated with that of sister station KFDX-TV.

KCPN-LD MyNetworkTV affiliate in Amarillo, Texas

KCPN-LD, virtual and UHF digital channel 33, is a low-powered MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station licensed to Amarillo, Texas, United States. Owned by Mission Broadcasting, it is a sister station to Fox affiliate KCIT ; Nexstar Media Group, which owns NBC affiliate KAMR-TV, operates KCPN-LD and KCIT under joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA). The three stations share studios on Southeast 11th Avenue and South Fillmore Street in downtown Amarillo ; KCPN-LD's transmitter is located on Dumas Drive and Reclamation Plant Road in rural unincorporated Potter County.

KQTV, virtual channel 2, is an ABC-affiliated television station licensed to St. Joseph, Missouri, United States. The station is owned by Heartland Media. KQTV's studios and transmitter facilities are located on Faraon Street in eastern St. Joseph. On cable, the station is available on Suddenlink Communications channel 10.

WNAO-TV, UHF analog channel 28, was a CBS-affiliated television station in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Owned by the Sir Walter Television Company, it was the first television station in the Raleigh–Durham area and the first UHF television station in North Carolina, broadcasting from July 12, 1953, to December 31, 1957. The station closed because of the establishment of higher-powered, more accessible VHF television stations in the region.

KMEC-TV Former TV station in Dallas, Texas

KMEC-TV, UHF analog channel 33, was a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States. The station broadcast in two stints, from 1967 to 1968 as KMEC-TV and in 1972 as KBFI-TV. The station struggled in both incarnations and was ultimately sold to the Christian Broadcasting Network in 1973. CBN relaunched the station as KXTX-TV that April, but KXTX-TV remained on channel 33 for just seven months; that November, after CBN bought the assets, programming inventory and license of KDTV, it moved KXTX to that channel.

KFWT-TV Former TV station in Fort Worth, Texas

KFWT-TV was a television station broadcasting on channel 21 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It was owned by the Trinity Broadcasting Company and served the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. KFWT-TV broadcast from 1967 to 1969.

KVDO-TV Former TV station in Salem, Oregon, United States

KVDO-TV was a television station broadcasting on channel 3 in Salem, Oregon, United States, that operated between 1970 and 1983. Originally intended as a local independent station serving the Willamette Valley, financial considerations resulted in a contested sale to Liberty Television, owner of KEZI in Eugene, Oregon, in 1972. However, for media concentration reasons, the Federal Communications Commission ordered KVDO-TV sold within three years. As a result, the Oregon Educational and Public Broadcasting Service (OEPBS) acquired KVDO-TV in 1976, resulting in a station that often—and controversially—duplicated OEPBS's transmitters at Portland and Corvallis.

References

  1. ↑ "KCIT-TV" (PDF). Television Factbook. 1970. p. 434-b (436). Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "O. K. New TV Station; FCC Grants License For U.H.F. Unit Here". Kansas City Star. April 19, 1966. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ "Notice". Kansas City Star. May 27, 1965. p. 42. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. ↑ "Notice". Kansas City Star. February 8, 1966. p. 26. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. ↑ Ellingsworth, Rosalind K. (October 24, 1968). "New Channels May Give TV Viewer Wider Choice". Kansas City Times. p. 5B. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  6. ↑ "Channel 50 Goes On The Air". Kansas City Star. October 29, 1969. p. 3A. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  7. 1 2 "New TV Station Here October 19". Kansas City Star. September 26, 1969. p. 4. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  8. ↑ "See what you've been missing on KCIT-TV Channel 50". November 2, 1969. p. 10G. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  9. ↑ Wagner, Joyce (October 20, 1974). "Television And Toothpaste Have Traversed Good And Bad Times". Kansas City Star. pp. 8G, 15G . Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. 1 2 Wagner, Joyce (August 13, 1970). "Sixth TV Station, KBMA Channel 41, On Air Here in Fall". Kansas City Star. pp. 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  11. ↑ "Manager, Time Change at KCIT-TV". Kansas City Star. June 23, 1971. p. 2E. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. ↑ "Final Sign-Off for KCIT-TV". Kansas City Times. July 3, 1971. p. 3. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  13. ↑ "KCIT-TV Operations At End". Kansas City Times. July 9, 1971. p. 40. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  14. ↑ Wagner, Joyce (July 18, 1971). "General Economic Condition Blamed For the Recent Demise of KCIT-TV". p. 4G. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  15. ↑ "Bankruptcy Plea Filed By KCIT". Kansas City Star. September 29, 1971. p. 1B. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  16. ↑ Butler, Robert W. (August 14, 1971). "Boon to Schools: KCIT-TV May Go To Nonprofit Group". Kansas City Times. p. 3. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  17. ↑ Underwood, Steve (August 29, 1971). "Hopes for Channel 19 and 50". pp. 1A, 4A . Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  18. ↑ Jones, Jr., Harry (October 30, 1971). "Surprise Bids At KCIT Auction". Kansas City Times. p. 1C. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  19. ↑ Butler, Robert W. (November 17, 1971). "Board to Improve KCSD, Channel 50 Start Delayed". Kansas City Star. p. 3B. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  20. ↑ "Monday Deadline Set For Channel 19 Bids". Kansas City Star. January 12, 1972. p. 7B. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  21. ↑ "Equipment Pacts For Channel 19". Kansas City Star. January 20, 1972. p. 4. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  22. ↑ Price, Jeff (August 17, 1972). "Many To Feel Impact Of Classroom Television". Kansas City Star. pp. 1E, 2E . Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  23. ↑ "Buzz to KCPT Countdown". Kansas City Star. August 17, 1972. p. 1E. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  24. ↑ "Off the Air". Kansas City Star. October 17, 1972. p. 2. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  25. ↑ "Youth for Christ Plans To Build Area TV Station". Kansas City Times. September 29, 1976. p. 3A. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  26. ↑ "The New Station". Kansas City Star. December 15, 1978. p. 46. Retrieved September 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.