KZSW-LD

KZSW-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Riverside, California, serving viewers in the broader Los Angeles and Inland Empire markets. The station is associated with the Three Angels Broadcasting Network, commonly known as 3ABN, and currently carries religious programming from that network. Its history includes several changes in call sign, location, technical facilities, ownership arrangements, and programming strategy. The station originated in Hemet, California, as K53DU, a 100-watt low-power operation on channel 53. Ray Wilson of Buffalo Communications founded the station. In 1995, ownership passed to Victor and LaVerta Page, after which the station received a significant power increase to approximately 2.3 kW effective radiated power and adopted the call sign KHEM-LP. Following an FCC displacement proceeding, the station was authorized in 2000 to move to channel 27 with licensed power of approximately 9.99 kW ERP. For much of its early operation, the station relied exclusively on religious programming. That approach changed in April 2004 with the launch of Neighborhood Newsroom, a half-hour local news program focused on Hemet and San Jacinto. In 2005, the station moved its studios to Temecula and adopted a more conventional commercial television format, including locally produced morning and evening newscasts. The shift was an attempt to build a stronger local presence, although the station encountered distribution difficulties, including recurring problems obtaining carriage on local cable systems such as Time Warner Cable. Ownership and operating control changed again in the middle of the decade. In 2006, ownership was transferred to KZSW Television, Inc. The following year, the station reduced staffing and discontinued live newscasts, replacing them with recorded programming. In 2008 and 2009, a disputed transaction involving José Aquino, the Page family, Michael Sterby, NewsNet, and the station's operating assets led to litigation and competing claims about control of the business and use of the KZSW name. The dispute was complicated by the separation between the station's operating assets and its broadcast license. In February 2009, KZSW affiliated with NewsNet, seeking to provide local news, weather, and sports coverage for the Inland Empire and Southern California. The station's news-oriented phase eventually ended, and it returned to an all-religious schedule supplied by 3ABN. The station also held a construction permit for digital facilities on VHF channel 10 in Riverside and built those facilities by 2015. KZSW-LD's present identity is therefore primarily that of a low-power religious broadcaster and 3ABN outlet rather than a local commercial news station.

KZSW-LD began as K53DU, a 100-watt low-power television station operating from Hemet, California, on channel 53. The station was founded by Ray Wilson of Buffalo Communications. In 1995, Victor and LaVerta Page acquired the station. Under their ownership, its technical facilities were upgraded to approximately 2.3 kW ERP and its call sign changed to KHEM-LP. The station sought relief from an FCC displacement issue in 2000. The resulting authorization moved it to channel 27 and allowed licensed power of approximately 9.99 kW ERP. During its early years, the station carried religious programming exclusively. In April 2004, it broadened its schedule by launching Neighborhood Newsroom, a half-hour local news program covering Hemet and San Jacinto. In 2005, the station moved its studios to Temecula and adopted a commercial television format, including local morning and evening newscasts. The experiment was constrained by the station's limited scale and difficulties securing carriage on local cable systems, including Time Warner Cable. In 2006, ownership was transferred to KZSW Television, Inc. The next year, the station reduced staffing and abandoned live newscasts in favor of taped programs. The station's operating structure became the subject of a prolonged dispute in 2008 and 2009. José Aquino, a Mexican-American businessman, entered into contracts with the Page family, which owned the station at the time, but the family rejected his proposal to convert KZSW to a Spanish-language format. In 2009, the Pages sold the station's operating assets, while retaining the broadcast license, to Michael Sterby. Reporting cited in the station's history stated that Aquino may have financed Sterby's acquisition and used NewsNet to operate the station. The separation of operating assets from the license led to lawsuits and competing allegations concerning control of the station and use of the KZSW name. In February 2009, KZSW joined NewsNet in an effort to deliver local news, weather, and sports for the Inland Empire and Southern California. The NewsNet arrangement did not become the station's lasting identity. Local news and other local programming eventually ceased, and KZSW returned to religious broadcasting supplied by 3ABN. In March 2011, Aquino attempted to place NewsNet in bankruptcy; the filing was later rejected and the declaration was dismissed about six months afterward. The station held a construction permit for digital facilities on VHF channel 10, licensed to Riverside, and completed those facilities by 2015. KZSW-LD is now identified as a low-power religious station and an owned-and-operated 3ABN outlet serving Southern California.

• 2015

  Digital facilities built on VHF channel 10

  [1]KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station completed digital facilities associated with its Riverside authorization on VHF channel 10.

• 2009

  NewsNet affiliation begins

  [1]KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  KZSW affiliated with NewsNet to provide regional news, weather, and sports programming.

• 2006

  Ownership transferred to KZSW Television, Inc.

  [1]KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station's ownership was transferred to KZSW Television, Inc.

• 2005

  Studios move to Temecula

  [1]KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopted a commercial format with local morning and evening newscasts after moving its studios.

• 2004

  Neighborhood Newsroom debuts

  [1]KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  KZSW introduced a local news program focused on Hemet and San Jacinto.

• 2000

  FCC authorizes channel and power change

  [1]KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station received displacement relief allowing a move to channel 27 and licensed power of approximately 9.99 kW ERP.

• 1995

  Ownership passes to Victor and LaVerta Page

  [1]KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The Pages acquired the low-power station, which subsequently received a power increase and adopted the KHEM-LP call sign.

A low-power Southern California religious television station centered on 3ABN programming, with an earlier history of local news and commercial programming.

• Religious television

  3ABN religious programming

  The station's present core offering is religious television supplied by the Three Angels Broadcasting Network. This programming replaced the earlier local-news and commercial formats and defines KZSW-LD's current identity as a low-power religious broadcaster in Southern California.

• Local news · 2004

  Neighborhood Newsroom

  Neighborhood Newsroom was a half-hour local news program launched in 2004. It focused on daily events in Hemet and San Jacinto and represented KZSW's first documented move away from an exclusively religious schedule.

• News television · 2009

  NewsNet affiliation

  Beginning in February 2009, KZSW carried NewsNet programming intended to supply local and regional news, weather, and sports coverage for the Inland Empire and Southern California. The arrangement was later discontinued as the station returned to religious programming.

• 2011

  NewsNet bankruptcy controversy

  José Aquino attempted to place NewsNet into bankruptcy in March 2011. The bankruptcy declaration was later rejected and dismissed.

  Source

• 2009

  Dispute over operating assets, license, and station identity

  A transaction involving the Page family, Michael Sterby, José Aquino, and NewsNet separated the station's operating assets from its broadcast license. The resulting lawsuits included competing claims about control of KZSW and allegations that a similarly named company was created to confuse advertisers.

  Source

Read more

• 2015

  Completion of digital VHF facilitiesGeneration change

  Background

  KZSW held a construction permit for digital facilities on VHF channel 10 in Riverside.

  Action taken

  The station built the authorized digital facilities.

  Aftermath

  The completed facilities supported KZSW-LD's continued over-the-air operation as a digital low-power station.

  Source

• 2009

  NewsNet affiliationProduct launch

  Background

  KZSW sought to continue offering regional news coverage after difficulties sustaining its previous local-news operation.

  Action taken

  The station affiliated with NewsNet for local and regional news, weather, and sports programming.

  Aftermath

  The NewsNet phase eventually ended, and KZSW later carried all-religious 3ABN programming.

  Source

• 2005

  Shift to commercial local televisionStrategy

  Background

  The station was attempting to develop a more conventional local broadcast identity.

  Action taken

  KZSW moved its studios to Temecula and adopted morning and evening local newscasts.

  Aftermath

  The format later contracted, with staffing reductions and the replacement of live newscasts by taped programming.

  Source

• 2004

  Launch of Neighborhood NewsroomProduct launch

  Background

  KZSW had previously carried religious programming exclusively and sought a stronger local presence.

  Action taken

  The station introduced a half-hour local news program focused on Hemet and San Jacinto.

  Aftermath

  The launch was followed by a broader move toward commercial programming and local newscasts.

  Source

1. 1KZSW-LDen.wikipedia.org