KZSD-LD

KZSD-LD is a low-power television station serving San Diego, California, and nearby communities. The station operates on channel 20 and functions primarily as a translator of KGTV, the market's ABC affiliate. KGTV is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, which also owns KZSD-LD. The station's transmitter is located on San Miguel Mountain southeast of Spring Valley, while KGTV's studios are located on Air Way in San Diego's Riverview-Webster area. The station received an initial construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission on September 25, 1997, and its license was issued on September 13, 2000. It initially operated as an independent low-power analog outlet. In 2003, it adopted the call letters KZDF-LP and became an affiliate of Azteca América. This gave San Diego a U.S.-based Spanish-language Azteca outlet at a time when the market also received programming from TV Azteca stations across the Mexico–United States border. Some programs were therefore available both through KZDF-LP and through Mexican stations such as XHTIT-TDT and XHJK-TDT. Because the station's analog low-power signal reached only parts of San Diego and some adjacent suburbs, its programming was also carried in widescreen standard definition on KGTV's second digital subchannel. The arrangement expanded the effective market coverage beyond the station's over-the-air analog footprint. Its channel mapping also reflected its former cable placement on Cox Communications channel 15, with the digital service appearing for a period as channel 10.15. McGraw-Hill Broadcasting acquired the station from Laurie Mintz in 2005 and changed the call letters to KZSD-LP. McGraw-Hill subsequently announced the sale of its television stations to Scripps in October 2011; the transaction closed on December 30, 2011. In 2017, Azteca América moved its San Diego affiliation away from KZSD-LP, first to a subchannel of XHDTV-TDT and later to XHAS-TDT. KZSD-LP then became associated with MeTV in San Diego. Scripps assumed control of the MeTV affiliation on May 1, 2017, replacing KFMB-DT2 and restoring KZSD's cable distribution in the market on Cox digital channel 808. The station was converted from analog low-power operation to digital operation in 2018 as a KGTV translator. This configuration was intended to help households that have difficulty receiving KGTV's VHF signal or that rely on UHF antennas. KZSD-LD now rebroadcasts KGTV's subchannels rather than operating primarily as a separate full-power programming service. Its role is therefore best understood as a local broadcast-distribution asset within the Scripps/KGTV television operation, extending access to KGTV services in portions of the San Diego market.

KZSD-LD is a San Diego low-power television station whose operating history reflects the transition from analog local broadcasting to digital retransmission and subchannel distribution. The Federal Communications Commission granted the station a construction permit on September 25, 1997, and issued its license on September 13, 2000. It began as a stand-alone analog low-power station, with a signal that reached only portions of the San Diego area, especially northern and eastern sections of the city and nearby communities such as Poway and El Cajon. In 2003, the station adopted the call letters KZDF-LP and affiliated with Azteca América. Its San Diego service existed alongside programming available from Mexican TV Azteca stations received in the border region. Because the low-power analog signal did not cover the entire metropolitan market, the station was also simulcast in widescreen standard definition on KGTV's second digital subchannel. This arrangement gave Azteca programming broader visibility than the stand-alone transmitter could provide. McGraw-Hill Broadcasting purchased the station from Laurie Mintz in 2005 and changed its call letters to KZSD-LP. McGraw-Hill later announced its exit from television broadcasting through the sale of its stations to the E. W. Scripps Company. The transaction, announced on October 3, 2011, was completed on December 30 of that year. KZSD consequently became part of the Scripps television group associated with KGTV. The station's programming identity changed substantially in 2017. Azteca América announced that its San Diego affiliation would leave KZSD-LP, moving initially to a subchannel of XHDTV-TDT and subsequently to XHAS-TDT. On May 1, 2017, Scripps took control of the local MeTV affiliation. MeTV replaced Laff on KZSD, while the service also returned to a Cox digital cable position, channel 808. The change followed the sale of the MeTV affiliation by Midwest Television, owner of KFMB, to Scripps and was connected to a broader San Diego subchannel realignment. KZSD-LP was converted to digital operation in 2018 and became a translator for KGTV. The digital configuration addressed reception issues associated with KGTV's VHF transmission by providing another way for viewers, including households using UHF antennas, to receive KGTV programming. KZSD-LD now rebroadcasts KGTV's subchannels and operates as part of the Scripps station's distribution network. Its contemporary role is less that of an independent programming outlet and more that of a market-specific translator and over-the-air access point.

• 2018

  Digital conversion as KGTV translator

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  KZSD-LP converted to digital operation and was used to rebroadcast KGTV programming.

• 2017

  Azteca América affiliation departs

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Azteca América moved its San Diego affiliation away from KZSD, first to XHDTV-TDT2 and later to XHAS-TDT.

• 2017

  MeTV replaces Laff

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Scripps assumed control of the San Diego MeTV affiliation on May 1, replacing Laff on KZSD.

• 2011

  Scripps acquisition announced

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  McGraw-Hill announced the sale of KZSD and its other television stations to E. W. Scripps on October 3.

• 2011

  Station joins Scripps

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The McGraw-Hill television-station sale to Scripps was completed on December 30.

• 2005

  McGraw-Hill acquires the station

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  McGraw-Hill Broadcasting purchased the station from Laurie Mintz and changed its call letters to KZSD-LP.

• 2003

  Azteca América affiliation begins

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station became KZDF-LP and affiliated with Azteca América.

• 2000

  Broadcast license issued

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station's license was issued on September 13, 2000.

• 1997

  FCC grants construction permit

  [1]KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The Federal Communications Commission granted the station an initial construction permit on September 25, 1997.

A local low-power broadcast and translator service designed to extend KGTV's television coverage to San Diego households, particularly viewers with reception limitations.

• Digital television service · 2018

  KGTV digital retransmission

  KZSD-LD's principal current function is to retransmit KGTV's digital subchannels. This provides an additional over-the-air reception path in the San Diego market, especially for households that experience difficulty receiving KGTV's VHF signal or that use UHF-only antennas. The service is part of the wider Scripps/KGTV distribution operation rather than a separate full-power station.

• Spanish-language television affiliation · 2003

  Azteca América San Diego service

  From 2003 until its 2017 affiliation move, the station carried Azteca América programming under the KZDF-LP and later KZSD-LP call signs. Its limited analog footprint was supplemented by carriage on a KGTV digital subchannel so that the service could reach more of the San Diego television market.

• Classic television network affiliation · 2017

  MeTV San Diego service

  KZSD carried MeTV beginning May 1, 2017, after Scripps took control of the San Diego affiliation. The change replaced Laff on KZSD and was accompanied by renewed digital cable carriage on Cox. The available reference material does not establish whether this affiliation remains the station's current programming configuration after its later conversion to a KGTV translator.

• 2018

  Conversion from analog low-power broadcasting to digital translationGeneration change

  Background

  The station's analog signal had limited geographic reach, and some households had difficulty receiving KGTV's VHF signal or used antennas optimized for UHF channels.

  Action taken

  KZSD-LP was converted to digital operation and configured as a translator of KGTV.

  Aftermath

  The station became an additional access point for KGTV's digital services in the San Diego market.

  Source

• 2017

  Reassignment of San Diego subchannel affiliationsStrategy

  Background

  Azteca América planned to move its San Diego affiliation from KZSD, while Scripps sought to place MeTV within its local television portfolio.

  Action taken

  Azteca moved to other San Diego-market stations, and Scripps placed MeTV on KZSD beginning May 1, replacing Laff.

  Aftermath

  KZSD regained a Cox digital carriage position, while the market's other station groups adjusted their subchannel offerings.

  Source

• 2011

  Sale from McGraw-Hill Broadcasting to ScrippsM&A

  Background

  McGraw-Hill Broadcasting announced a sale of KZSD and its other television stations as part of its exit from broadcasting.

  Action taken

  E. W. Scripps acquired the station, with the transaction completed on December 30, 2011.

  Aftermath

  KZSD became part of the Scripps television group associated with KGTV.

  Source

1. 1KZSD-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 210News / KGTV official website10news.com