KSCI is a Long Beach-licensed television station serving the Los Angeles area, historically known for multicultural programming and currently carrying Shop LC programming.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
KSCI is a full-power television station licensed to Long Beach, California, and serving the Los Angeles television market. The station broadcasts on digital UHF channel 18, uses transmitter facilities atop Mount Wilson, and has studios on South Bundy Drive in West Los Angeles. Its current operating identity is closely associated with the LA18 brand and with commercial program distribution rather than the multilingual public-service and local-news format that defined much of its earlier history. The station signed on June 30, 1977, after the earlier channel 18 allocation had been occupied by KCHU-TV, a San Bernardino-licensed station that operated briefly in the early 1960s. KSCI initially operated as a nonprofit project connected with the Transcendental Meditation movement. The call letters were associated with the movement's concept of the Science of Creative Intelligence. Its early schedule combined news reports, recorded lectures, variety programming, and material featuring figures associated with transcendental meditation. The station promoted an editorial concept centered on presenting good news and reportedly contemplated a wider network of similarly oriented stations. KSCI moved to a for-profit structure in 1980. During the 1980s, it developed into an unusual independent station serving Los Angeles's immigrant and multilingual communities. By the middle of that decade, its programming was spread across numerous languages, and the station had become particularly significant for Iranian-American viewers. In 1986, the station was purchased by its general manager and an investor. It was subsequently sold to Intercontinental Television Group in 1990, with programming connected to Arab American Television. The station transferred its city of license from San Bernardino to Long Beach in 1998. Around 2000, the Korean newspaper The Hankook Ilbo took control of International Media Group, the company operating KSCI, and relaunched that operation as AsianMedia Group. By the mid-2000s, KSCI was carrying English-, Spanish-, Vietnamese-, Mandarin-, and Korean-language news and other programming. It reported reaching approximately 2.5 million Asian-American viewers in Southern California, although that historical audience figure should be understood as a period-specific claim rather than a current measurement. In early 2005, the station adopted the on-air brand LA18. KSCI also served as a multilingual platform for major civic and political events. During the 2008 presidential election cycle, it carried a presidential debate with Mandarin translation and provided election-related analysis in several Asian languages, including Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Filipino. This reflected its longstanding positioning as an ethnic and international independent station rather than a conventional single-language network affiliate. The station's financial and strategic position weakened in the early 2010s. KSCI, Inc. filed for voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization in January 2012, and the station was later purchased by NRJ TV LLC. NRJ's acquisition strategy was associated with the potential future value of television spectrum as the Federal Communications Commission considered voluntary spectrum auctions. In 2017, KSCI sharply reduced its multilingual schedule, ending Chinese, Filipino, Spanish, and Armenian programming on its main channel and replacing it with English-language infomercials. Korean programming was also reduced, while the number of digital subchannels was scheduled to decline. WRNN-TV Associates agreed to acquire KSCI and several related stations from NRJ TV in late 2019. The FCC approved the transaction in January 2020, and the sale closed in February 2020. During a short interim local marketing arrangement, KSCI began carrying programming associated with WRNN-TV's RNN independent network, a schedule dominated by infomercials with some religious, educational, news, and talk content. In 2021, the station moved toward a continuous home-shopping format. Following developments involving ShopHQ and its owner iMedia Brands, KSCI switched to Shop LC programming in October 2023. KSCI therefore remains an active broadcast property, but its current role is primarily as a Los Angeles-area distribution outlet for commercial shopping programming rather than as the multicultural local-news station it once was.
History
The Los Angeles channel 18 allocation was previously used by KCHU-TV, a San Bernardino-licensed station that began broadcasting in 1962 and left the air in 1964. KSCI launched on June 30, 1977. It was initially a nonprofit station associated with the Transcendental Meditation movement, and its call letters were linked to the movement's Science of Creative Intelligence concept. The early schedule included news reports, lectures, variety programs, and content connected with transcendental meditation. Its stated editorial ambition was to emphasize positive news, and plans were reportedly considered for related stations in other American cities. KSCI became a for-profit operation in 1980. During the 1980s, the station developed a multilingual independent format, carrying programming in approximately 14 languages and promoting itself as an international station. It became an important outlet for Iranian-American television programs and served a range of immigrant communities in Southern California. In 1986, the general manager and an investor purchased the station for $40.5 million. In 1990, ownership passed to Intercontinental Television Group, whose programming included material produced through Arab American Television. In 1998, the station's city of license changed from San Bernardino to Long Beach. Around 2000, The Hankook Ilbo took over International Media Group, the operator of KSCI, and relaunched it as AsianMedia Group. By 2005, the station was carrying multiple English- and Spanish-language newscasts as well as local programs in Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Korean. It branded itself as LA18 beginning in early 2005. The station also used its multilingual capabilities for election coverage, including a 2008 presidential debate with Mandarin translation and related analysis in several Asian languages. KSCI entered a period of financial and strategic contraction in the 2010s. The station filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on January 9, 2012. NRJ TV LLC purchased KSCI later that year, in part within a broader strategy focused on television stations whose spectrum might have future value in an FCC auction. In 2017, KSCI announced a major programming reduction: the main channel would drop Chinese, Filipino, Spanish, and Armenian programs in favor of English-language infomercials. Korean programming was reduced, and the station planned to reduce its digital subchannels. WRNN-TV Associates announced its purchase of KSCI from NRJ TV in December 2019. The FCC approved the deal in January 2020, and the acquisition closed on February 4, 2020. A short-term local marketing arrangement preceded the closing, and the station carried RNN programming on its primary channel. In 2021, KSCI moved toward ShopHQ's 24-hour shopping format. Following the later restructuring of iMedia Brands and the ShopHQ business, KSCI changed to Shop LC programming in October 2023. The station continues to operate as a Los Angeles-area digital television service, with its contemporary identity centered on commercial program distribution rather than its former multilingual independent-station schedule.
- 2023
Station switches to Shop LC
[1]KSCI changes its primary programming to Shop LC in October.
- 2021
ShopHQ affiliation announced
[1]KSCI moves toward carrying ShopHQ's continuous shopping service.
- 2020
WRNN-TV Associates completes acquisition
[1]WRNN-TV Associates completes its purchase of KSCI from NRJ TV on February 4.
- 2017
Multilingual schedule is substantially reduced
[1]The main channel replaces several language services with English-language infomercials and reduces Korean programming.
- 2012
Chapter 11 filing and NRJ TV acquisition
[1]KSCI files for Chapter 11 reorganization and is later acquired by NRJ TV LLC.
- 2009
Digital transition
[1]KSCI ends analog broadcasting and moves its digital signal from pre-transition UHF channel 61 to UHF channel 18.
- 2008
Multilingual presidential debate coverage
[1]KSCI broadcasts a presidential debate with Mandarin translation and election analysis in several Asian languages.
- 2005
LA18 branding is introduced
[1]KSCI changes its on-air identity to LA18 as its multilingual independent-station format expands.
- 2000
AsianMedia Group takes over the station operation
[1]The Hankook Ilbo takes over International Media Group, which is relaunched as AsianMedia Group.
- 1998
City of license moves to Long Beach
[1]KSCI transfers its city of license from San Bernardino to Long Beach.
Products and positioning
A Los Angeles-area broadcast station that evolved from a multicultural independent television outlet into a commercial programming and home-shopping distribution platform.
Television station brand · 2005
LA18
LA18 was KSCI's principal on-air identity from 2005 and reflected its role as an independent Los Angeles station serving multicultural and multilingual audiences. Under this identity, KSCI carried local news, community-oriented programming, and foreign-language content before later reducing its multilingual schedule.
Broadcast programming · 1977
Multilingual local programming
KSCI's historical programming portfolio included news and public-affairs content in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Korean, Filipino, Armenian, and other languages. The format made the station a notable television outlet for immigrant communities in Southern California, particularly during the 1980s and 2000s.
Home-shopping television · 2023
Shop LC programming
Shop LC programming is KSCI's contemporary primary-channel offering. It consists of commercial home-shopping content distributed through the station's over-the-air television signal in the Los Angeles market, replacing the station's former independent multilingual schedule.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Multilingual election coverage
Los Angeles · Southern California
KSCI used its language-specific programming infrastructure to carry a presidential debate with Mandarin translation and provide election analysis in Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Filipino.
Outcome. The coverage reinforced KSCI's role as a multilingual civic-information outlet during its independent-station period.
- 2005LA18 multicultural station positioning
Los Angeles · Southern California
KSCI adopted the LA18 identity while presenting itself as a multilingual and multicultural independent station with news and community programming for Southern California's diverse audiences.
Outcome. The LA18 identity became the station's principal public-facing brand, although the multilingual schedule was substantially reduced later.
Brand decisions
2023
Switch to Shop LCProduct launchBackground
iMedia Brands entered Chapter 11 proceedings, and proposed transactions involving ShopHQ subsequently changed.
Action taken
KSCI switched its programming to Shop LC in October 2023.
Aftermath
KSCI continued operating as a commercial home-shopping distribution outlet in the Los Angeles market.
2021
Move toward 24-hour home-shopping programmingStrategyBackground
WRNN-TV Associates announced that KSCI and sister stations would affiliate with ShopHQ.
Action taken
KSCI replaced its former independent programming direction with ShopHQ's continuous shopping service.
Aftermath
The station's role increasingly centered on carrying national commercial programming rather than producing a broad multilingual local schedule.
2020
Complete sale to WRNN-TV AssociatesM&ABackground
NRJ TV agreed to sell KSCI and other stations to WRNN-TV Associates in late 2019.
Action taken
After FCC approval, WRNN-TV Associates completed the acquisition on February 4, 2020.
Aftermath
KSCI carried programming associated with WRNN-TV's RNN network before moving toward ShopHQ and later Shop LC programming.
2017
Replace much of the multilingual schedule with infomercialsStrategyBackground
KSCI's parent company announced substantial programming cutbacks.
Action taken
The main channel discontinued Chinese, Filipino, Spanish, and Armenian programming, introduced English-language infomercials, reduced Korean programming, and planned to reduce digital subchannels.
Aftermath
The decision marked a decisive shift away from KSCI's historic multicultural independent-station format.
2005
Adopt the LA18 brandStrategyBackground
KSCI was positioning itself as a multilingual independent station serving the diverse Los Angeles market.
Action taken
The station changed its on-air branding to LA18.
Aftermath
LA18 became the station's recognizable public identity during its multicultural programming period.
1980
Convert to a for-profit operationStrategyBackground
KSCI began as a nonprofit station associated with the Transcendental Meditation movement.
Action taken
The station adopted a for-profit operating structure.
Aftermath
KSCI expanded its commercial and multilingual independent-station activities during the following decade.
Sources2 sources
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