KSCI

Last updated

KSCI
LA18 (KSCI-TV) logo.svg
City Long Beach, California
Channels
BrandingLA 18
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
June 30, 1977;46 years ago (1977-06-30)(in San Bernardino, California; license moved to Long Beach in 1998)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 18 (UHF, 1977–2009)
  • Digital: 61 (UHF, until 2009)
Call sign meaning
"Science of Creative Intelligence"
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 35608
ERP 1,000 kW
HAAT 892 m (2,927 ft)
Transmitter coordinates 34°13′25.78″N118°3′47.91″W / 34.2238278°N 118.0633083°W / 34.2238278; -118.0633083
Links
Public license information

KSCI (channel 18) is a television station licensed to Long Beach, California, United States, serving the Los Angeles area. Owned by WRNN-TV Associates, the station airs programming from Shop LC. KSCI's studios are located on South Bundy Drive in West Los Angeles, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson. KSCI served as a multicultural independent station until June 2021.

Contents

History

1970s

The channel 18 allocation in Los Angeles was previously occupied by KCHU-TV, which was licensed to San Bernardino and signed on the air on August 1, 1962, before it went off the air in June 1964. The station was owned by the San Bernardino Sun-Telegram . KSCI signed on the air on June 30, 1977, [3] operating from studios in West Los Angeles, although still licensed in San Bernardino. [4] It became a non-profit owned by the Transcendental Meditation movement (the call letters stood for Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's theoretical "Science of Creative Intelligence"). The station broadcast news stories, prerecorded lectures and variety shows with TM celebrities. [3] KSCI's goal was to report "only good news"; sister stations were planned for San Francisco and Washington, D.C. [5] [6] The station manager was Mark Fleischer, son of Hollywood director Richard Fleischer. [5]

1980s

In 1980, KSCI switched to a for-profit operation and earned $1 million on revenues of $8 million in 1985. [7] In November 1985, the station loaned $350,000 to Maharishi International University in Iowa. [8] By June 1986, the station's content began to consist of "a hodgepodge of programming" in 14 languages. [4] [9] They had dubbed themselves the "international station" and claimed to offer the most diverse ethnic television programming in the early 1980s. [10] Almost all Iranian American television programs in the early 1980s were on KSCI. [10]

In October 1986, the station was purchased by its general manager and an investor for $40.5 million. [11]

1990s

In 1990, the station was sold to Intercontinental Television Group Inc., with programming being produced by Wahid Boctor of Arab American Television. [12] [13] In 1998, KSCI transferred its city of license from San Bernardino to Long Beach. In 2000, a Korean newspaper, The Hankook Ilbo, took over the International Media Group (IMG), which operated KSCI. IMG was re-launched as the AsianMedia Group, Inc., who purchased the station. [14]

2000s

By 2005, the station was broadcasting seven English-language and three Spanish-language newscasts plus "local news programs in Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean" to 2.5 million Asian-American viewers in Southern California. [15] In early 2005, KSCI changed its on-air branding to "LA18." [ citation needed ]

In October 2008, KSCI broadcast the Presidential debate along with translation in Mandarin and offered political analysis by their news staff. The broadcast was one of several that covered election events in Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Filipino languages. [16]

2010s

On January 9, 2012, KSCI, Inc. filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. [17] On August 11, 2012, KSCI was purchased by NRJ TV LLC, a company which has acquired smaller television stations in various U.S. cities for the possibility of placing their spectrum for auction once the Federal Communications Commission rolls out a voluntary spectrum auction for use for non-broadcast purposes in 2014. [18]

On June 22, 2017, KSCI announced that they had canceled all of its programming in Chinese, Filipino, Spanish, and Armenian and replaced it with English-language infomercials beginning July 1. The subchannels of the station continued to air its programs in Chinese and Armenian, but as a result of the station's programming cutbacks, KSCI also announced they reduced its Korean programming from 8 to 11 p.m. and would cut its subchannels list from 12 to 5 the following year. [19]

On September 12, 2017, KSCI's parent company NRJ TV LLC announced that they would sell its Poway translator station, KUAN-LD, to the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations group (owners of KNBC/KVEA and KNSD), for $650,000; the sale was completed on December 21, 2017. [20]

Sale to RNN

On December 9, 2019, it was announced that WRNN-TV Associates, owner of New York City–based WRNN-TV, secured a deal to purchase seven full-power TV stations (including KSCI) and one Class A station from NRJ. [1] The sale was approved by the FCC on January 23, [21] and was completed on February 4, 2020. [22]

From February 1 until February 4, 2020, WRNN-TV Associates operated KSCI under a short-term local marketing agreement (LMA) while it awaited full consummation of its purchase. KSCI began airing WRNN-TV's independent network RNN on its primary channel. RNN's schedule consists primarily of infomercials, with occasional religious, E/I, and news/talk programs. [23]

On May 30, 2021, it was announced that KSCI (along with its sister stations owned by WRNN-TV Associates) would become an affiliate of the ShopHQ 24/7 channel on June 28, 2021. [24]

iMedia Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 28, 2023. [25] On July 10, 2023, iMedia announced that it would sell its assets, including ShopHQ, to RNN Media Group for $50 million;. [26] the deal was terminated in August in favor of a $55 million bid for ShopHQ by IV Brands, owned by Manoj Bhargava. [27] In October 2023, KSCI switched to Shop LC.

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KSCI [28]
Channel Res. Aspect Short nameProgramming
18.1 720p 16:9 LA18 Shop LC
18.2 480i SBS SBS (Korean)
18.3MBCD MBC-D (Korean)
18.4YTV Yonhap News TV (Korean News)

Analog-to-digital conversion

KSCI shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 18, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television. [29] The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 61, which was among the high band UHF channels (52-69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to its former analog-era UHF channel 18.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIKU</span> Independent TV station in Honolulu, Hawaii

KIKU is an independent television station in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, which primarily airs Japanese and Filipino programming. It is owned by Allen Media Group alongside ABC affiliate KITV. The two stations share studios on South King Street in downtown Honolulu; KIKU's transmitter is located in Nānākuli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFWD</span> Independent TV station in Fort Worth, Texas

KFWD is a television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Owned by WRNN-TV Associates, it airs programming from ShopHQ. KFWD's offices are located in Coppell, and its transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ShopHQ</span> America home shopping television network

ShopHQ is an American cable, satellite and broadcast home shopping television network and multi-channel video retailer owned by iMedia Brands Inc., whose assets were acquired by IV Media on August 16, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTVE</span> SonLife affiliate in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

WTVE is a television station licensed to Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, United States, serving the Philadelphia area and primarily airing paid programming from OnTV4U. It is owned by WRNN-TV Associates alongside Princeton, New Jersey–licensed ShopHQ affiliate WMCN-TV and Trenton, New Jersey–licensed Class A station WPHY-CD. WTVE and WPHY-CD share studios on East State Street in Trenton; through a channel sharing agreement, the two stations transmit using WPHY-CD's spectrum from an antenna in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRNN-TV</span> Shop LC affiliate in New Rochelle, New York

WRNN-TV is a television station licensed to New Rochelle, New York, United States, serving the New York City area as an affiliate of Shop LC. It serves as the flagship station of Rye Brook–based WRNN-TV Associates; its headquarters and WRNN-TV's studios are co-located on Westchester Avenue in Rye Brook. Through a channel sharing agreement with WWOR-TV, the station transmits using WWOR-TV's spectrum from a tower atop One World Trade Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVEA</span> Telemundo TV station in Corona, California

KVEA is a television station licensed to Corona, California, United States, serving as the Los Angeles area outlet for the Spanish-language network Telemundo. It is owned and operated by NBCUniversal's Telemundo Station Group alongside KNBC. The two stations share studios at the Brokaw News Center in the northwest corner of the Universal Studios Hollywood lot off Lankershim Boulevard in Universal City; KVEA's transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.

KRCA is a television station licensed to Riverside, California, United States, broadcasting the Spanish-language Estrella TV network to the Los Angeles area. It is the flagship television property of Burbank-based Estrella Media. The station's studios are located on North Victory Drive in Burbank. Through a channel sharing agreement with KABC-TV, KRCA transmits using KABC-TV's spectrum from an antenna atop Mount Wilson. Despite Riverside being KRCA's city of license, the station maintains no physical presence there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOCE-TV</span> PBS member station in Huntington Beach, California

KOCE-TV is a PBS member television station licensed to Huntington Beach, California, United States, serving the Los Angeles area. It is owned by the Public Media Group of Southern California alongside the market's secondary PBS member, KCET. The two stations share studios at The Pointe in Burbank; KOCE-TV maintains a secondary studio at the South Coast Corporate Center in Costa Mesa and transmitter facilities atop Mount Harvard. Since 2011, the station has been branded as PBS SoCal.

KPXN-TV is a television station licensed to San Bernardino, California, United States, serving as the Ion Television outlet for the Los Angeles area. It is owned and operated by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company alongside Inglewood-licensed station KILM. Through a channel sharing agreement, the two stations transmit using KPXN-TV's spectrum from an antenna atop Mount Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KUBE-TV</span> Shop LC TV station in Baytown, Texas

KUBE-TV is a television station licensed to Baytown, Texas, United States, serving the Houston area and owned by WRNN-TV Associates. KUBE-TV's studios are located on Fountain View Drive and Burgoyne Road on Houston's southwest side, and its transmitter is located near Missouri City, in unincorporated northeastern Fort Bend County.

KFTR-DT is a television station licensed to Ontario, California, United States, serving the Los Angeles area as the western flagship station of the Spanish-language network UniMás. It is owned and operated by TelevisaUnivision alongside Univision station KMEX-DT. The two stations share studios on Center Drive in Westchester; KFTR-DT's transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson. KFTR does not air any local newscasts of its own; however, the station does cross-promote sister station KMEX's local news programs.

WWDP is a television station licensed to Norwell, Massachusetts, United States, serving the Boston area as an affiliate of ShopHQ. It is owned by WRNN-TV Associates alongside Foxborough-licensed WMFP. Through a channel sharing agreement, the two stations transmit using WWDP's spectrum from a tower off Pleasant Street in West Bridgewater. WWDP's studios are located on Bert Drive, also in West Bridgewater.

WMFP is a television station licensed to Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States, serving the Boston area and primarily airing paid programming from OnTV4U. It is owned by WRNN-TV Associates alongside Norwell-licensed ShopHQ affiliate WWDP. Through a channel sharing agreement, the two stations transmit using WWDP's spectrum from a tower off Pleasant Street in West Bridgewater. WMFP's studios are located on Lakeland Park Drive in Peabody.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KCNS</span> ShopLC affiliate in San Francisco

KCNS is a television station licensed to San Francisco, California, United States, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Owned by WRNN-TV Associates, the station airs programming from Shop LC. KCNS shares its digital channel with KMTP-TV, KTNC-TV, and KEMO-TV. Their transmitter is located atop Sutro Tower in San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZME</span> Story Television station in Bridgeport, Connecticut

WZME is a television station licensed to Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States, serving as the New York City market's outlet for the diginet Story Television. It is owned and operated by network parent Weigel Broadcasting alongside Middletown Township, New Jersey–licensed MeTV station WJLP, and New York-licensed WNWT-LD. WZME maintains a primary transmitter on Booth Hill Road in Trumbull, Connecticut, with a secondary transmitter located at the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan.

KTNC-TV is a religious television station licensed to Concord, California, United States, serving the San Francisco Bay Area as an owned-and-operated station of Tri-State Christian Television (TCT). The station's transmitter, shared with KMTP-TV, KCNS, and KEMO-TV, is located atop Sutro Tower in San Francisco.

WPHY-CD is a low-power, Class A television station in Trenton, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by WRNN-TV Associates alongside Princeton, New Jersey–licensed ShopHQ affiliate WMCN-TV and Willow Grove, Pennsylvania–licensed WTVE. WPHY-CD and WTVE share studios on East State Street in Trenton; through a channel sharing agreement, the two stations transmit using WPHY-CD's spectrum from an antenna in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.

WMCN-TV is a television station licensed to Princeton, New Jersey, United States, serving the Philadelphia area with programming from Shop LC. It is owned by WRNN-TV Associates alongside Willow Grove, Pennsylvania–licensed independent WTVE and Trenton, New Jersey–licensed Class A station WPHY-CD. WMCN-TV's studios are located on Dobbs Lane in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Through a channel sharing agreement with PBS member station WHYY-TV, WMCN-TV transmits using WHYY-TV's spectrum from an antenna in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKOB-LD</span> Television station in New York, United States

WKOB-LD, virtual channel 42, is an affiliate of the Vision Latina (Spanish-language) television network licensed to New York, New York, United States. The station is owned and operated by HC2 Holdings.

KSKT-CD, virtual channel 43, is a low-power, Class A television station serving San Diego, California, United States that is licensed to San Marcos. The station is owned by HC2 Holdings.

References

  1. 1 2 "RNN Reaches Agreement to Increase Permanent Distribution Platform to 28 Percent of the US With NRJ Purchase". Globe Newswire. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KSCI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. 1 2 "Behavior: THE TM CRAZE: 40 Minutes to Bliss". Time. October 13, 1975. Archived from the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
  4. 1 2 HOLLEY, DAVID (June 15, 1986). "Eclectic TV KSCI's Programming in 14 Languages Offers News, Entertainment, Comfort to Ethnic Communities". Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  5. 1 2 William, Jefferson (1976) Pocket Books, The Story Of The Maharishi, page 118
  6. ↑ "The TM Craze". Time. October 13, 1975. Archived from the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  7. ↑ Stevens, Gus (July 11, 1986). "Few languages are foreign at San Bernardino's KSCI". The Tribune. San Diego, Calif. p. C.21.
  8. ↑ "Maharishi U. Nets $6.3 Million In Gifts in '84". Omaha World - Herald. Omaha, Neb. November 4, 1985. p. 1."Private support also came in the form of a $350,000 loan from independent UHF station KSCI in San Bernardino, Calif., which is owned by a TM organization."
  9. ↑ "Eclectic TV : KSCI's Programming in 14 Languages Offers News, Entertainment, Comfort to Ethnic Communities". Los Angeles Times. June 15, 1986. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
  10. 1 2 Naficy, Hamid (1993). "From Broadcasting to Narrowcasting: Middle Eastern Diaspora in Los Angeles". Middle East Report (180): 31–34. doi:10.2307/3013230. ISSN   0899-2851. JSTOR   3013230 – via JSTOR.
  11. ↑ VALLE, VICTOR (October 29, 1986). "KSCI TO CANCEL ITS SPANISH PROGRAMMING;". Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  12. ↑ Haugsted, Linda (April 23, 1990) New basic set to launch. (Intercontinental Television Group Inc. to offer news and entertainment programming from Los Angeles cable station), Multichannel News
  13. ↑ Haugsted, Linda (July 9, 1990) International Channel officially launches with 300,000 subs, Multichannel News
  14. ↑ (October 12, 2000) Hankook Ilbo Buys KSCI-TV in US, Korea Times (Seoul, Korea)
  15. ↑ Romano, Allison (October 10, 2005) Asian-American market is ready.(KSCI Holding Inc.) Broadcasting & Cable
  16. ↑ (October 16, 2008) Los Angeles TV Station to Broadcast October 7 Presidential Debate Live in Chinese, Politics & Government Week
  17. ↑ "KSCI, Inc.: Private Company Information - Businessweek". Investing.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
  18. ↑ "NRJ TV To Acquire Asian-Language KSCI". TVNewsCheck.com. March 27, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
  19. ↑ "LA18 To Replace Local Asian TV Programs With English Infomercials". CBS Los Angeles . June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Station Trading Roundup: 2 Deals, $660,000". TVNewsCheck. September 26, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Application Search Details".
  22. ↑ Consummation Notice
  23. ↑ "WRNN-Tv | RNN".
  24. ↑ "KIKU Television Will Stop Airing Japanese Content in June". May 30, 2021.
  25. ↑ "iMedia Brands Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in Delaware". Bloomberg Law. June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  26. ↑ Gilyard, Burl; Kennedy, Patrick. "iMedia Brands to be sold for $50 million out of bankruptcy". Star Tribune . Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  27. ↑ Kennedy, Patrick; Gilyard, Burl (August 14, 2023). "iMedia's $50M sale is canceled; founder of 5-Hour Energy emerges as new buyer". Star Tribune . Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  28. ↑ RabbitEars TV Query for KSCI
  29. ↑ List of Digital Full-Power Stations Archived August 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
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.