KTFQ-TV explained

Callsign:KTFQ-TV
City:Albuquerque, New Mexico
Branding:Spanish; Castilian: italic=no|UniMás Nuevo México
Digital:16 (UHF)
Virtual:41
Country:United States
Founded:September 19, 1985
Location:AlbuquerqueSanta Fe, New Mexico
Callsign Meaning:Telefutura Albuquerque
Former Callsigns:KLUZ-TV (1987–2017)
Owner:Entravision Communications
Licensee:Entravision Holdings, LLC
Sister Stations:KLUZ-TV
Former Affiliations:Univision (1987-2017)
Erp:350 kW
Haat:12550NaN0
Facility Id:35084
Coordinates:35.2114°N -106.4494°W
Licensing Authority:FCC
Website:UniMás

KTFQ-TV (channel 41) is a television station in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, broadcasting the Spanish-language UniMás network to most of the state. It is owned by Entravision Communications, which provides certain services to Univision-owned station KLUZ-TV (channel 14) under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with TelevisaUnivision. The two stations share studios on Broadbent Parkway in northeastern Albuquerque; KTFQ-TV's transmitter is located on Sandia Crest.

History

The station began operation in September 1987 as Univision affiliate KLUZ-TV. In 2007, it added LATV as a digital subchannel on 41.2.

2017 call sign and channel swap

On December 4, 2017, as part of a multi-market realignment, the programming and call signs of KLUZ-TV and sister station KTFQ were swapped: KLUZ-TV and its Univision programming moved to the Univision-owned facility using digital channel 22 and virtual channel 14, while Entravision's digital channel 42 and virtual channel 41 facility became the new home of UniMás affiliate KTFQ-TV.[1]

Newscasts

In 1992, KLUZ premiered a news program called Spanish; Castilian: 5 en Punto (five o'clock). In 1993, KLUZ launched Albuquerque's first Spanish-language newscast, Spanish; Castilian: Noticias 41. The show was anchored by New Mexico native Bonita Ulibarrí, along with weatherman Sergio Schwartz and sportscaster Liliana Carrillo. The newscast aired Monday through Friday at 10 p.m.

In 1993, the station launched a 5 p.m. program that replaced Spanish; Castilian: 5 en Punto and was anchored by Ulibarrí. Schwartz continued to do weather, but a new sportscaster, Donaldo Zepeda, was introduced. For the 10 p.m. broadcast, Ulibarrí was replaced as anchor by Susana Olivares, with Zepeda and Schwartz in the same respective roles.

On January 30, 1994, the station hired Roberto Repreza to anchor both the 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts. Ulibarrí returned to the 10 p.m. broadcast as a co-anchor. In 1996, Repreza left to go to KXLN-TV, and Ulibarrí returned to being the sole anchor.

On November 2, 2015, Entravision transferred production of KLUZ's newscasts from Albuquerque to Denver sister station KCEC.[2]

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KTFQ-TV[3] ! Channel! Res.! Aspect! Short name! Programming
41.1 KTFQ-HD Main KTFQ-TV programming / UniMás
41.2 LATV LATV
41.3 HSN HSN
41.4 Charge! Charge!
41.5 TheGrio TheGrio TV

Analog-to-digital conversion

KTFQ-TV (as KLUZ-TV) shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 41, on June 12, 2009, which was the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 42,[4] using virtual channel 41.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cambios programación UniMas y Univision. November 10, 2017. Entravision Communications. December 6, 2017.
  2. News: Villafañe. Veronica. Entravision cancels KLUZ local newscast production, lays off staff. March 12, 2018. Media Moves. November 3, 2015.
  3. Web site: RabbitEars TV Query for KTFQ. www.rabbitears.info.
  4. Web site: DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds . PDF . March 24, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf . August 29, 2013 .