KSTR-DT

KSTR-DT is a full-power television station licensed to Irving, Texas, and serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The station broadcasts the Spanish-language UniMás network and is operated alongside Univision-owned KUVN-DT. Its studios are located at the Univision Tower on Bryan Street in downtown Dallas, while its primary transmitter is in Cedar Hill, Texas. The station began broadcasting on April 17, 1984, as KLTJ-TV. Founded by broadcaster Eldred Thomas, who also owned Christian radio station KVTT-FM, it initially carried religious programming as a Trinity Broadcasting Network affiliate. The station changed ownership in the mid-1980s when it was sold to Silver King Broadcasting, the television-station subsidiary of the Home Shopping Network. It subsequently became an HSN affiliate and adopted the call sign KHSX in 1987. During the late 1990s, the station passed into the orbit of Barry Diller's USA Networks. After USA acquired HSN and Silver King, its broadcast-station division was renamed USA Broadcasting. In 1998 and 1999, USA experimented with a locally oriented independent-station concept known as CityVision. KHSX adopted the format in October 1999, changed its call letters to KSTR-TV, and branded itself as K-Star. The schedule mixed syndicated sitcoms, reality programs, talk shows, movies, children's programming, sports, and a limited amount of locally oriented content. KSTR also carried selected Dallas Mavericks basketball games and some Fort Worth Brahmas hockey broadcasts. USA Broadcasting later reduced the station's entertainment schedule because of financial pressures, replacing portions of the lineup with infomercials and additional Home Shopping Network programming. In 2000, USA Networks announced the sale of its television group. Univision Communications acquired the stations for approximately $1.1 billion, completing the transaction in May 2001. KSTR became part of a Dallas–Fort Worth duopoly with Univision station KUVN. KSTR remained an English-language outlet for several months after the acquisition. On January 14, 2002, it became a charter owned-and-operated station of TeleFutura, Univision's newly launched secondary Spanish-language network. TeleFutura was later renamed UniMás, and KSTR-DT continues to serve as the network's Dallas–Fort Worth outlet. The station's programming role is complemented by KUVN's Univision service, giving TelevisaUnivision a major Spanish-language broadcast presence in the market. KSTR-DT has also played a role in next-generation television experimentation. In 2019, it conducted an ATSC 3.0 distributed-transmission-system test involving transmitters in Cedar Hill, Garland, Fort Worth, and Denton. The test was developed with participation from Univision, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Nexstar Media Group, and American Tower. During the experimental period, KUVN-DT and KTXD-TV provided ATSC 1.0 simulcasts or shared distribution of KSTR programming. The station also completed its transition from its pre-transition digital channel 48 to channel 34 during the FCC spectrum-repacking process.

KSTR-DT signed on April 17, 1984, as KLTJ-TV. Eldred Thomas, the station's founder and the owner of Christian radio outlet KVTT-FM, established it as a religious broadcaster affiliated with the Trinity Broadcasting Network. In early 1986, Thomas sold the station to Silver King Broadcasting, the television subsidiary of the Home Shopping Network. The change led to a new HSN affiliation in September 1986, and the station adopted the call letters KHSX on June 1, 1987. The station became part of Barry Diller's expanding media interests when Diller acquired Home Shopping Network and Silver King Communications. Following the later acquisition of USA Network, the broadcast group was renamed USA Broadcasting. KHSX carried Home Shopping Network material but also received selected supplementary programming, including an early-morning business-news block and classic children's programming. USA Broadcasting introduced CityVision, an independent-station format combining syndicated entertainment with limited local production and community-oriented presentation. KHSX adopted the format in October 1999 and changed its calls to KSTR-TV, promoted phonetically as K-Star. Its programming included sitcoms, reality and talk shows, classic series, films, children's programs, and selected USA-produced content. The station also served as a local television outlet for Dallas Mavericks basketball and aired some Fort Worth Brahmas hockey games. The CityVision experiment was curtailed as USA Broadcasting encountered financial difficulties. During 2000 and 2001, KSTR's entertainment schedule was reduced, with more infomercials and HSN blocks added. The station also cut back children's programming to a small educational offering. USA Networks announced the sale of its television stations in 2000. Univision Communications won the auction for the group over competing bidders, including Disney, in a transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion. The deal closed on May 21, 2001, making KSTR part of a duopoly with Univision-owned KUVN. Univision initially retained the station's English-language schedule. KSTR also temporarily simulcast KUVN's coverage of the September 11, 2001 attacks before returning to its reduced entertainment schedule. On January 14, 2002, KSTR became one of the original owned-and-operated stations of TeleFutura, Univision's second Spanish-language network. TeleFutura was subsequently rebranded UniMás, and KSTR-DT continued as the network's Dallas–Fort Worth station. The station's local sports rights, including its previous Mavericks broadcasts, moved elsewhere after the format change. KSTR-DT later became an important testing site for digital-broadcast technology. In 2018, Univision, Sinclair, Nexstar, and American Tower announced plans for an ATSC 3.0 distributed-transmission network in Dallas. The FCC approved experimental authority in February 2019, and testing began the following month. Four transmitters—in Cedar Hill, Garland, Fort Worth, and Denton—were used to evaluate distributed transmission on the same UHF channel. The station subsequently changed from channel 48 to channel 34 during the FCC's spectrum-repacking process. Because compatible ATSC 3.0 receivers were not yet widely available, KUVN-DT and KTXD-TV helped provide ATSC 1.0 simulcasts and related distribution of KSTR programming.

• 2019

  ATSC 3.0 distributed-transmission testing begins

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  KSTR-DT begins experimental next-generation television transmission using multiple transmitters across the metropolitan area.

• 2019

  Digital channel changes to 34

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station moves its post-repacking transmission from channel 48 to channel 34 while continuing its digital service.

• 2002

  Launches as a TeleFutura charter station

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  KSTR switches to Spanish-language programming as an owned-and-operated outlet of TeleFutura, now known as UniMás.

• 2001

  Univision completes USA station acquisition

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  KSTR joins Univision Communications after the company completes its acquisition of USA Broadcasting's television group.

• 1999

  KSTR-TV adopts CityVision

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station becomes a general-entertainment independent under USA Broadcasting's CityVision concept and begins using the K-Star identity.

• 1987

  Call sign changes to KHSX

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopts KHSX to reflect its Home Shopping Network affiliation.

• 1986

  Sale to Silver King Broadcasting

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Eldred Thomas sells the station to the Home Shopping Network's broadcasting subsidiary, leading to a change in programming direction.

• 1984

  Station signs on as KLTJ-TV

  [1]KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting from the Dallas–Fort Worth market with a religious programming format and a Trinity Broadcasting Network affiliation.

A Spanish-language broadcast station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Latino audience as TelevisaUnivision's UniMás outlet in the market.

• Spanish-language television network affiliation · 2002

  UniMás

  KSTR-DT's principal service is the Dallas–Fort Worth broadcast feed of UniMás, the Spanish-language network operated by TelevisaUnivision. The service targets Spanish-speaking and bilingual viewers with network entertainment, sports, news-related programming, and other scheduled television content.

• Over-the-air television · 2009

  KSTR-DT digital broadcast service

  The station provides free over-the-air digital television coverage to the Dallas–Fort Worth market from its Cedar Hill transmission facility. Its programming has also been distributed through related stations during technical experiments and digital-transition periods.

• Broadcast technology experiment · 2019

  ATSC 3.0 distributed-transmission test

  KSTR-DT served as the principal station for an experimental ATSC 3.0 distributed-transmission system. The test used multiple synchronized transmitters around Dallas–Fort Worth to investigate next-generation broadcast coverage and single-frequency-network techniques.

• 2019

  ATSC 3.0 distributed-transmission deploymentOther

  Background

  Broadcasters and transmission companies sought to test next-generation digital television in a large, geographically varied metropolitan market.

  Action taken

  KSTR-DT operated an experimental network of transmitters in Cedar Hill, Garland, Fort Worth, and Denton under FCC special temporary authority.

  Aftermath

  The experiment continued alongside ATSC 1.0 simulcasts because consumer access to ATSC 3.0 receivers remained limited.

  Source

• 2002

  Conversion to Spanish-language network serviceStrategy

  Background

  Univision planned a second Spanish-language network to complement its flagship Univision service and compete for bilingual Latino and younger viewers.

  Action taken

  KSTR abandoned its English-language independent format and launched as a charter owned-and-operated station of TeleFutura.

  Aftermath

  The station became a long-term Spanish-language outlet and later adopted the UniMás identity.

  Source

• 2000

  Univision bids for USA Broadcasting stationsM&A

  Background

  USA Networks decided to sell its broadcast-station group while concentrating on cable networks and television production.

  Action taken

  Univision Communications acquired the group, including KSTR, for approximately $1.1 billion; the transaction closed in May 2001.

  Aftermath

  KSTR became part of a duopoly with KUVN and was later converted into a TeleFutura owned-and-operated station.

  Reported transaction value. $1.1 billion (Announced December 2000; completed May 21, 2001)

  Source

1. 1KSTR-DTen.wikipedia.org