KVYE

KVYE is a full-power television station licensed to El Centro, California, and serving the combined Yuma, Arizona–El Centro, California media market. The station operates as an affiliate of Univision, the United States Spanish-language television network, and uses virtual channel 7. Its physical transmission facilities are located on Black Mountain, while its studios are shared on North Imperial Avenue in El Centro with KAJB, a Calipatria-licensed UniMás affiliate. Entravision Communications owns KVYE and provides certain services to KAJB under a joint sales agreement with the station’s licensee. The station’s origins date to a Federal Communications Commission construction permit granted on August 3, 1989. The permit was extended four times and modified twice before the FCC canceled it on March 23, 1994, and restored it five days later. KVYE began broadcasting in June 1996, although it continued to operate under construction-permit status for a period afterward. On March 15, 1998, Entravision, then operating the station under a local marketing agreement, acquired the licensee La Paz Wireless Corporation. The transaction was reported at $700,000 in the station’s historical record. Entravision obtained KVYE’s initial station license on November 26, 1999. KVYE later transitioned from analog to digital broadcasting. The FCC granted a permit for digital facilities on November 8, 2002. Full-power digital construction was completed in June 2007, and the digital operation received its license on January 29, 2010. KVYE ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, the federally established date for the full-power U.S. digital television transition. Its digital signal operates on pre-transition UHF channel 22 while retaining virtual channel 7. In addition to its primary Univision service, KVYE has used its digital capacity for several multicast networks. Azteca América was added to digital subchannel 7.2 in February 2017. Comet and Charge! launched on subchannels 7.3 and 7.4 on March 12, 2018, and Court TV was added to a fifth digital subchannel in 2019. Azteca América ended operations on December 31, 2022; its U.S. programming subsequently shifted toward Estrella TV distribution, which entered the market through a KYMA subchannel rather than KVYE. KVYE also operates a local news service. Its locally produced newscast debuted on January 26, 2015, and the station’s current schedule consists of five hours per week, with one hour on each weekday and no regular Saturday or Sunday newscasts. The station’s role is primarily that of a local Spanish-language broadcast outlet: it combines Univision network programming, locally focused news, digital multicast services, and over-the-air television coverage for communities in southeastern California and southwestern Arizona.

KVYE’s regulatory history began with an FCC construction permit issued on August 3, 1989, authorizing a television station licensed to El Centro, California. The permit went through four extensions and two modifications. Although the FCC canceled it on March 23, 1994, the agency restored it five days later, allowing the project to continue. KVYE eventually began broadcasting in June 1996, but its authorization remained associated with construction-permit status until the licensing process advanced. Entravision became central to the station’s development. The company operated KVYE under a local marketing agreement and on March 15, 1998, acquired La Paz Wireless Corporation, the station’s licensee. The historical account identifies the transaction value as $700,000. Entravision received KVYE’s initial station license on November 26, 1999, establishing the company’s ownership and operating position more formally. The next major stage was the conversion to digital broadcasting. The FCC approved a digital construction permit on November 8, 2002, following a request originally made in 1999. KVYE completed construction of its full-power digital facilities in June 2007 and received a digital license on January 29, 2010. In the nationwide analog-to-digital transition, KVYE shut down its analog VHF channel 7 signal on June 12, 2009. The station retained virtual channel 7 while broadcasting digitally on pre-transition UHF channel 22. KVYE used its digital capacity to broaden its service beyond the main Univision signal. In February 2017, it began carrying Azteca América on subchannel 7.2. On March 12, 2018, the station introduced Comet and Charge! on subchannels 7.3 and 7.4. A fifth digital channel affiliated with Court TV was added in 2019. These additions reflected the wider use of digital television multiplexing to distribute multiple network services from a single full-power broadcast facility. The station’s local news operation began on January 26, 2015. It currently produces five hours of local news each week, consisting of one hour on each weekday, without regular weekend editions. KVYE’s main studios are shared with KAJB on North Imperial Avenue in El Centro. KVYE’s transmitter is located on Black Mountain, supporting service across the Yuma–El Centro market. Azteca América ceased operations on December 31, 2022. As a result, TV Azteca’s U.S. content moved toward Estrella TV distribution, with the market’s Estrella TV service appearing on a KYMA subchannel rather than continuing through KVYE’s former Azteca affiliation. KVYE remains an active Univision affiliate and a local Spanish-language television service for southeastern California and southwestern Arizona.

• 2022

  Azteca América operations end

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  Azteca América ceased operations on December 31, ending its KVYE subchannel affiliation.

• 2019

  Court TV added to fifth subchannel

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  KVYE introduced a fifth digital subchannel affiliated with Court TV.

• 2018

  Comet and Charge! added

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  Comet and Charge! began broadcasting on digital subchannels 7.3 and 7.4 on March 12.

• 2017

  Azteca América added to subchannel 7.2

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  KVYE began carrying Azteca América on its second digital multicast channel.

• 2015

  Local newscast launches

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  The station’s locally produced newscast debuted on January 26.

• 2009

  Analog transmission ends

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  KVYE ended its analog broadcast on June 12 as part of the U.S. full-power television digital transition.

• 2007

  Full-power digital facilities completed

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  KVYE completed construction of its full-power digital facilities in June.

• 1999

  Entravision receives initial license

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  Entravision obtained KVYE’s initial station license on November 26.

• 1998

  Entravision acquires station licensee

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  Entravision acquired La Paz Wireless Corporation while operating KVYE under a local marketing agreement.

• 1996

  KVYE begins broadcasting

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  KVYE made its on-air debut in June, initially continuing under construction-permit status.

• 1994

  Construction permit restored

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  After canceling the permit on March 23, the FCC restored it five days later.

• 1989

  FCC grants original construction permit

  [1]KVYEen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC granted a permit on August 3, 1989, for a television station licensed to El Centro, California.

A local Spanish-language television outlet serving the Yuma–El Centro market, combining Univision network content with locally produced news and a range of digital multicast channels.

• Spanish-language broadcast television · 1996

  Univision channel 7

  KVYE’s primary service is a Spanish-language Univision affiliate carried through virtual channel 7. It delivers network programming and local broadcast content to viewers in the Yuma–El Centro market.

• Television news · 2015

  Local news

  KVYE produces a weekday local newscast focused on the communities covered by its southeastern California and southwestern Arizona broadcast footprint. The current schedule totals five hours per week, with one hour each weekday.

• Digital television · 2017

  Digital multicast services

  KVYE has used its digital signal to carry additional networks alongside its main Univision service. Historical subchannel affiliations have included Azteca América, Comet, Charge!, and Court TV, although the lineup can change as network arrangements evolve.

• 2019

  Add Court TV multicast serviceProduct launch

  Background

  KVYE continued developing its digital multicast offering.

  Action taken

  The station added Court TV to a fifth digital subchannel.

  Aftermath

  Court TV became part of the station’s historical multicast lineup.

  Source

• 2018

  Launch Comet and Charge! multicast channelsProduct launch

  Background

  Digital television capacity allowed KVYE to add multiple network services to its broadcast signal.

  Action taken

  Comet and Charge! were placed on digital subchannels 7.3 and 7.4.

  Aftermath

  The additions broadened KVYE’s over-the-air programming portfolio beyond its primary Univision service.

  Source

• 2017

  Add Azteca América to digital subchannel 7.2Product launch

  Background

  KVYE expanded its over-the-air network lineup through digital multicast capacity.

  Action taken

  The station began carrying Azteca América on subchannel 7.2.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation continued until Azteca América ceased operations at the end of 2022.

  Source

1. 1KVYEen.wikipedia.org