KWHY

KWHY is a television station serving the Los Angeles market from a facility on West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles. The station is licensed to Garden Grove, California, and operates as an affiliate of Canal de la Fe, a Spanish-language religious television service associated with the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. It is owned by Meruelo Television, part of Meruelo Broadcasting, and shares transmission facilities and spectrum with KSCN-TV from an antenna site on Mount Wilson. The station’s history began with an allocation of UHF channel 63 to Oxnard. After more than a decade of permit activity, the station signed on August 17, 1985, as KTIE-TV. Its original format combined syndicated entertainment, movies, local news, sports, call-in programming, and public-affairs shows, with an emphasis on Ventura County coverage. The station faced early distribution problems when local cable systems did not immediately carry it after federal must-carry protections were overturned. Limited cable reach, weak revenue, and operating losses led to staff reductions and financial pressure. In 1988, businessman Meshulam Riklis acquired the station through PZ Entertainment and renamed it KADY-TV after his daughter. Riklis invested in the operation and pursued an ambitious regional strategy, including a simulcast relationship with the San Luis Obispo station KADE. As Riklis’s wider business interests deteriorated, KADY passed through a succession of financially troubled arrangements. Former general manager John Huddy later acquired the station, but his ownership period brought further financial and operational problems. A local-news venture, Ventura County News Network, launched in 1993 with Jones Intercable but closed in 1996. KADY also became a charter UPN affiliate in 1995 before leaving the network in 2001. Following bankruptcy proceedings and a court-appointed trusteeship in 1996, media broker Brian Cobb purchased the station in 1997. Cobb moved the studios to Camarillo, pursued improved coverage of the western Los Angeles region, and used news programming produced by KEYT-TV. In 2004, he sold the station to Bela Broadcasting. The new owner shifted the operation toward Spanish-language programming and changed the call sign to KBEH. The station subsequently carried MTV Tr3s programming and, in 2013, became the first outlet for CNN Latino, a short-lived Hispanic-oriented news and information service. KBEH participated in the Federal Communications Commission’s 2017 broadcast incentive auction, relinquishing its spectrum and entering a channel-sharing arrangement with KWHY-TV. The license was subsequently acquired by Meruelo Television. In 2018, Meruelo briefly relaunched KBEH with a Spanish-language entertainment schedule centered on telenovelas, but the format was replaced within months by Canal de la Fe religious programming. On February 2, 2025, the station adopted the KWHY call sign after Meruelo transferred the former KWHY-TV operation to the Church of Scientology, which renamed that station KSCN-TV. The current KWHY therefore represents the continuation of the former channel 63 license under a call sign historically associated with another Los Angeles television station.

Channel 63 was originally allocated to Oxnard, California. Lola Goelet Yoakem received a construction permit in 1972, but the station remained unbuilt through several permit and ownership changes. The permit was reinstated in 1982 and sold to Thorne Donnelley Jr., who assembled investors and built studios in Oxnard. After an investment in facilities and equipment, the station signed on August 17, 1985, as KTIE-TV, becoming Ventura County’s first television station since the closure of KKOG-TV in 1969. KTIE-TV began as a local independent station with movies, syndicated programs, local news, sports, call-in shows, and public-affairs content. Its business model was damaged by the loss of federal must-carry protections for local television stations. Several cable systems delayed adding the station, limiting its intended audience and reducing advertising potential. Revenue fell below expectations, the news department was reduced, and leasing companies pursued unpaid equipment obligations. Meshulam Riklis acquired the station in 1988 through PZ Entertainment and renamed it KADY-TV, honoring his daughter. Riklis supplied capital and promoted a broader West Coast strategy, including a simulcast relationship with KADE in San Luis Obispo. The strategy became difficult to sustain as Riklis’s larger business empire unraveled. Ownership and financial claims surrounding the station changed, and the operation eventually passed to former general manager John Huddy. Huddy’s ownership included an attempt to rebuild local journalism. In 1993, KADY carried Ventura County News Network, a joint venture with Jones Intercable. The venture struggled with high costs and audience-measurement problems across separate media markets and ended in 1996. KADY also became a charter UPN affiliate when that network launched in January 1995. By 1996, however, the station faced unpaid rent, creditor claims, attempts to sell the license, and broader financial distress. A court-appointed trustee managed the station during bankruptcy proceedings. In 1997, Brian Cobb won an auction for the station. He moved the facilities from Oxnard to Camarillo, invested in improvements, sought stronger coverage of Simi Valley and the Conejo Valley, and arranged for local newscasts produced by KEYT-TV. KADY left UPN in 2001. In 2004, Cobb sold the station to Bela Broadcasting, which moved it decisively toward Spanish-language broadcasting and changed the call sign to KBEH. KBEH later became an MTV Tr3s outlet and then served as the launch station for CNN Latino in 2013. CNN Latino ended its operation in 2014. The station sold its spectrum in the FCC’s 2017 incentive auction and entered into a channel-sharing arrangement with KWHY-TV. Meruelo Television acquired the license, making KBEH an early example of a so-called license-only or “zombie” station transaction after the auction. Meruelo briefly introduced a telenovela-oriented Spanish-language service in 2018 before replacing it with Canal de la Fe religious programming. On February 2, 2025, the station changed its call sign from KBEH to KWHY. The change followed Meruelo’s sale of the former KWHY-TV operation to the Church of Scientology; that station became KSCN-TV. The present KWHY continues operating as a digital, channel-sharing television service for the Los Angeles area, with Spanish-language religious programming and transmission from Mount Wilson.

• 2025

  KBEH becomes KWHY

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopted the KWHY call sign on February 2.

• 2018

  Canal de la Fe becomes the primary service

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  Meruelo replaced the short-lived entertainment format with religious programming.

• 2017

  Spectrum auction and channel sharing

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  KBEH relinquished its spectrum and arranged to share transmission facilities with KWHY-TV.

• 2013

  CNN Latino begins on KBEH

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  KBEH became the first station to carry CNN Latino programming.

• 2009

  Analog transmission ends

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  The station ended analog broadcasting during the federally mandated digital television transition.

• 2004

  KBEH launches as a Spanish-language station

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  Bela Broadcasting acquired the station, changed the call sign to KBEH, and shifted toward Spanish-language programming.

• 2001

  KADY leaves UPN

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  The station ended its UPN affiliation.

• 1997

  Brian Cobb acquires the station

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  Media broker Brian Cobb won the station at an auction and began operational and facility changes.

• 1996

  Bankruptcy and trusteeship

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  Creditors forced the financially distressed station into bankruptcy proceedings and a court-appointed trusteeship.

• 1995

  KADY joins UPN

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  The station became a charter affiliate when UPN launched on January 16.

• 1993

  Ventura County News Network launches

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  KADY carried a local-news venture created with Jones Intercable.

• 1988

  Station renamed KADY-TV

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  Meshulam Riklis acquired the station and changed its call sign to KADY-TV.

• 1985

  KTIE-TV signs on

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  The station began broadcasting on August 17 with independent programming for Ventura County.

• 1972

  Construction permit obtained for channel 63

  [1]KWHYen.wikipedia.org

  Lola Goelet Yoakem received an authorization associated with the proposed Oxnard television station.

A Spanish-language local television outlet serving Southern California, currently positioned around Canal de la Fe religious programming.

• Spanish-language religious television · 2018

  Canal de la Fe

  Canal de la Fe is the station’s current primary programming service. It provides Spanish-language religious broadcasts associated with the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God and positions KWHY as a faith-oriented television outlet within the Los Angeles Hispanic media market.

• Spanish-language news programming · 2013

  CNN Latino

  CNN Latino was a branded programming service aimed at U.S. Hispanic viewers. KBEH was its initial station, carrying a substantial afternoon and evening block combining news, lifestyle, documentary, talk, and debate programming. The service was discontinued in 2014.

• Spanish-language music and entertainment television · 2006

  MTV Tr3s

  KBEH carried MTV Tr3s programming after the network expanded to the station in 2006. The service linked the former channel 63 operation to a national Spanish-language youth and music-entertainment brand.

• Local news television · 1993

  Ventura County News Network

  Ventura County News Network was a local-news venture created with Jones Intercable and broadcast through KADY-TV. It was intended to provide dedicated Ventura County coverage but closed in 1996 after encountering audience-measurement and cost problems.

• 2025

  Call-sign change to KWHYOther

  Background

  Meruelo transferred the former KWHY-TV operation to the Church of Scientology, after which that station became KSCN-TV.

  Action taken

  The former KBEH channel 63 license adopted the KWHY call sign on February 2, 2025.

  Aftermath

  The KWHY name returned to a Los Angeles-area operation, although it now identifies the former channel 63 station rather than the earlier channel 22 service.

  Source

• 2018

  Adoption of Canal de la Fe programmingStrategy

  Background

  Meruelo’s initial family and women-focused telenovela schedule was short-lived.

  Action taken

  The station replaced the entertainment format with Spanish-language religious programming from Canal de la Fe.

  Aftermath

  Religious programming became the station’s principal identity and remains its current positioning.

  Source

• 2017

  Spectrum relinquishment and channel sharingStrategy

  Background

  The FCC incentive auction created an opportunity for broadcasters to surrender spectrum while continuing service through shared transmission arrangements.

  Action taken

  KBEH relinquished its spectrum and entered a channel-sharing arrangement with KWHY-TV.

  Aftermath

  The station continued as a license-based digital service and was later transferred to Meruelo Television.

  Source

• 2004

  Shift to Spanish-language broadcastingStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring the station, Bela Broadcasting sought to use its improved Los Angeles-area reach and Spanish-language broadcasting experience.

  Action taken

  The station dropped its previous schedule, adopted the KBEH call sign, and became a Spanish-language independent outlet.

  Aftermath

  KBEH later carried MTV Tr3s and CNN Latino programming before eventually becoming a Canal de la Fe affiliate.

  Source

1. 1KWHYen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KWHY station websitecanal63.com