KTLE-LD

KTLE-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Odessa, Texas, and serving viewers in the Midland–Odessa market and the wider Permian Basin. The station carries programming from Telemundo, the Spanish-language television network, while also airing locally produced Spanish-language newscasts prepared by the market’s Gray Media stations. Its programming identity is therefore built around a combination of national Telemundo entertainment, news, sports, and public-affairs content with local coverage for Spanish-speaking audiences in West Texas. The station’s roots extend to a construction permit granted to Telemundo in 1989. It was licensed in 1991 under the call sign K60EE and initially operated on UHF channel 60. A related Midland low-power station, originally developed under a separate permit and later known as KTLD-LP, supplemented the Odessa signal for many years. Both stations experienced ownership and call-sign changes during the 1990s and early 2000s, a period in which Telemundo faced financial difficulties and entered bankruptcy proceedings. In 2001, Telemundo sold the stations to Drewry Communications, the Lawton, Oklahoma-based broadcaster that also owned NBC affiliate KWES-TV in the Midland–Odessa market. The Odessa station adopted the KTLE-LP call sign in January 2002. KTLE moved from channel 60 to channel 20 in April 2004 as part of the broader reassignment of channels in the high 700 MHz band. The station later transitioned from analog low-power broadcasting to digital operation. Because its own low-power signal has limited reach, KTLE-LD is also carried as a widescreen standard-definition simulcast on a digital subchannel of KOSA-TV, a full-power CBS affiliate serving the same market. This arrangement extends the Telemundo service beyond the immediate coverage area of KTLE’s transmitter near the Music City Mall in Odessa. The former Midland companion station, KTLD-LP, was ultimately removed from the air and had its license canceled by the Federal Communications Commission in 2014. Ownership changed again through the acquisition of Drewry Communications by Raycom Media in 2015. Gray Television, now known as Gray Media, subsequently agreed in 2018 to combine its broadcasting operations with Raycom’s stations. Because federal ownership rules restricted common ownership of multiple highly rated stations in the same market, KWES was divested during the transaction while KTLE was retained. The Gray–Raycom transaction was approved in December 2018 and completed in January 2019, placing KTLE within Gray’s West Texas station group alongside KOSA-TV and other market outlets. KTLE’s local programming includes Spanish-language newscasts produced by KOSA. These broadcasts have aired on weekday mornings and at several daytime and evening times, including 11 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., and 10 p.m. In 2022 the station added Noticias Telemundo Texas, a weekday morning program produced from the studios of Telemundo-owned KXTX-TV in Fort Worth. That program ended in November 2024. KTLE remains a local Telemundo affiliate whose principal role is to provide Spanish-language network and local television service to the Midland–Odessa area.

KTLE-LD originated with a Telemundo construction permit granted on August 23, 1989. The Odessa station received a license on April 19, 1991, using the call sign K60EE and operating on UHF channel 60. A separate Midland low-power station began with a construction permit issued to Brooks Broadcasting in 1988. Its permit changed hands before being transferred to Telemundo in 1991, and the station was licensed as K49CD in 1992. The two facilities eventually operated as complementary Telemundo outlets for the Midland–Odessa market. Telemundo’s financial problems during the 1990s contributed to instability in the stations’ ownership history. In May 2001, Telemundo sold the Odessa and Midland facilities, along with an Amarillo-area station, to Drewry Communications. Drewry already owned KWES-TV, the NBC affiliate in the Midland–Odessa market. In January 2002, K60EE adopted the call sign KTLE-LP, while K49CD became KTLD-LP. KTLE changed frequency from channel 60 to channel 20 in April 2004 after broadcasters were required to vacate the high 700 MHz channels. Drewry was acquired by Raycom Media in a transaction announced in August 2015 and completed on December 1 of that year. In 2018, Gray Television announced an agreement to combine with Raycom. The transaction created ownership conflicts in the Midland–Odessa market because Gray already owned KOSA-TV, while Raycom owned KWES and related stations. To comply with Federal Communications Commission ownership rules, KWES was divested and KTLE was retained. The Gray–Raycom transaction received approval in December 2018 and closed on January 2, 2019. After the ownership transition, KTLE continued as a low-power digital station and its programming was made available more broadly through a simulcast on KOSA-TV’s third digital subchannel. The local KTLE transmitter is situated near the Music City Mall in Odessa, while the KOSA relay originates from a transmitter west of Odessa along FM 866. The low-power signal itself primarily covers the immediate Midland–Odessa area. KTLD-LP’s license was canceled by the FCC on March 12, 2014, ending the former Midland companion service. The station carries Telemundo’s Spanish-language network schedule and also broadcasts local news produced by KOSA. Weekday local newscasts have been scheduled at 11 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., and 10 p.m. KTLE added the centrally produced Noticias Telemundo Texas morning program in 2022, but that program was discontinued on November 1, 2024. KTLE remains part of Gray Media’s West Texas broadcasting portfolio and serves as the market’s low-power Telemundo outlet.

• 2024

  Noticias Telemundo Texas ends

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The centrally produced morning newscast was discontinued on November 1, 2024.

• 2022

  Morning news programming launches

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  KTLE began carrying Noticias Telemundo Texas on weekday mornings.

• 2019

  KTLE enters Gray Media ownership

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Gray completed its combination with Raycom on January 2, 2019, retaining KTLE while divesting KWES for regulatory reasons.

• 2015

  Raycom acquires Drewry Communications

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Raycom announced the acquisition of Drewry in August 2015 and completed the transaction on December 1.

• 2014

  KTLD-LP license is canceled

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC canceled the license of the former Midland companion station on March 12, 2014.

• 2004

  KTLE moves to channel 20

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station moved from channel 60 to channel 20 in April 2004 after the high 700 MHz television channels were cleared.

• 2002

  Station adopts KTLE call sign

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  K60EE became KTLE-LP in January 2002, while the associated Midland station became KTLD-LP.

• 2001

  Drewry Communications acquires the Telemundo stations

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Telemundo sold the Odessa and Midland facilities to Drewry Communications in May 2001.

• 1991

  Odessa station is licensed as K60EE

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station received its license on April 19, 1991, and began operation on UHF channel 60 under the K60EE call sign.

• 1989

  Telemundo receives Odessa construction permit

  [1]KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org

  A construction permit for the future Odessa low-power station was granted to Telemundo on August 23, 1989.

Local Spanish-language television broadcaster combining Telemundo network content with news and community coverage for the Midland–Odessa and Permian Basin markets.

• Low-power television station · 1991

  KTLE-LD broadcast service

  KTLE-LD is the station’s primary digital terrestrial broadcast service, licensed to Odessa and focused on the immediate Midland–Odessa area. It carries Telemundo’s Spanish-language network schedule together with local news and other station programming. Its low-power status limits its direct over-the-air reach compared with a full-power station.

• Digital subchannel distribution

  KOSA-TV digital simulcast

  KTLE programming is also distributed in widescreen standard definition through the third digital subchannel of KOSA-TV. The simulcast extends the Telemundo service beyond the footprint of KTLE’s own low-power signal and uses KOSA’s transmitter west of Odessa.

• Television news

  Local Spanish-language newscasts

  KOSA produces Spanish-language local newscasts for KTLE. The broadcasts have included weekday editions scheduled at 11 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., and 10 p.m., giving the Telemundo outlet local reporting in addition to national network programming.

• Morning television news · 2022

  Noticias Telemundo Texas

  Noticias Telemundo Texas was a weekday morning newscast carried by KTLE. It was produced from the studios of KXTX-TV in Fort Worth and was introduced to provide a broader Texas-focused Spanish-language morning service. The program was discontinued in November 2024.

• 2022

  Launch of Noticias Telemundo TexasProduct launch

  Background

  KTLE sought to expand its weekday morning Spanish-language news offering beyond its existing local newscast schedule.

  Action taken

  The station began carrying Noticias Telemundo Texas, produced from KXTX-TV’s Fort Worth facilities.

  Aftermath

  The program remained part of the station’s morning schedule until it was discontinued on November 1, 2024.

  Source

• 2019

  Retention of KTLE during the Gray–Raycom transactionM&A

  Background

  The Gray–Raycom combination created overlapping station ownership in the Midland–Odessa market and required action under FCC ownership rules.

  Action taken

  Gray retained KTLE and moved its broader simulcast distribution to a KOSA-TV digital subchannel, while KWES was divested.

  Aftermath

  KTLE became part of Gray’s West Texas station group alongside KOSA-TV and continued as a Telemundo affiliate.

  Announced transaction value. $3.6 billion (2018 announced Gray–Raycom merger)

  Source

• 2004

  Move from channel 60 to channel 20Other

  Background

  Federal spectrum changes required the station to leave its former position in the high 700 MHz band.

  Action taken

  KTLE moved its broadcast operation to UHF channel 20 in April 2004.

  Aftermath

  The move allowed the station to continue operating after channels 60 through 69 were removed from television use.

  Source

1. 1KTLE-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KTLE-LD official websitesutelemundo20.com