K22JA-D

K22JA-D ("KDF")
Corpus Christi, Texas
Branding KDF-TV (general)
6 News
Slogan Clearly to the point. (during KRIS-TV news)
Channels Digital: 22 (UHF)
Virtual: 47.2 (PSIP)
Translators See Below
Affiliations Independent (1990–1994, 2008–present)
Owner Cordillera Communications
(KRIS Communications, LLC)
Founded 1990 (1990)
Sister station(s) KRIS-TV, KZTV, K47DF-D
Former callsigns K47DF (1989–2015)
Former channel number(s) Analog:
47 (UHF, 1990–2015)
Former affiliations Fox (1994–2008)
Transmitter power 15 kW
Height 56 m
Facility ID 51375
Transmitter coordinates 27°43′3″N 97°23′20″W / 27.71750°N 97.38889°W / 27.71750; -97.38889
Website kdftv.com

K22JA-D ("KDF") is an independent television station in Corpus Christi, Texas. It broadcasts a low-powered digital signal on UHF channel 22 (virtual channel 47) from a transmitter southeast of downtown along TX 358. Owned by Cordillera Communications (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Evening Post Industries), the station is sister to NBC affiliate KRIS-TV and CBS affiliate KZTV (owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting but operated by Cordillera through shared services agreement). All four stations share studios on Artesian Street in Downtown Corpus Christi.

Syndicated programming on this station includes: Everybody Loves Raymond, My Wife and Kids, The People's Court, and Judge Mathis. KDF can also be seen on K31KK-D channel 31 in Kingsville–Alice (transmitter northwest of Bishop along the Nueces and Jim Wells County line) and K30EG channel 30 in Beeville–Refugio (transmitter east of Beeville).

History

Logo as a Fox affiliate.

K22JA-D was started in 1990 as K47DF by Paloma Broadcasting (which the Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi had a stake in). It started as an independent with general entertainment programming. KDF's big break came in 1993 when some high-profile syndicated programming such as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, and Oprah moved to the station after KRIS-TV dropped them in favor of other programming. Paloma also launched the station's two repeaters in order to improve KDF's availability in the fringes of the market. That same year, the cable wars between the big three affiliates of Corpus Christi were going on.

In 1994, the station became a Fox affiliate. Even though the network name was used in KDF's logo and the station referred to itself as "KDF Fox", it did not follow the station standardization mandate imposed by the network, prior to this, viwers in Corpus Christi watched Fox on either KRRT in San Antonio (the Fox affiliate at the time) or on Foxnet. Otherwise, it would have been called "Fox 47", "Fox Corpus Christi", or even "Fox 13" after its cable slot on Time Warner. By 1997, KDF had invested heavily in expensive programing, leaving the station nearly bankrupt. Regretting its attempt to enter commercial television, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi sold its share in the station. It was then sold to T. Frank Smith, then-owner of KRIS-TV. KDF moved into that station's studios on South Staples Street in Downtown Corpus Christi while Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, and Oprah were moved back to that channel.

On January 16, 2008, it was announced that the station would lose its Fox affiliation in favor of new higher-powered KUQI, which began airing the network's programming starting on February 4, 2008. At that time, the channel reverted to an independent. The last Fox programs on KDF were Super Bowl XLII and its leadout program, the House episode "Frozen". After the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issues construction permits to KDF and its translators, they will convert to digital-only broadcasting eventually adding high definition capabilities.

It is carried on Time Warner Cable on channel 13. From December 13, 2011 to May 2012, K47DF's owners and the cable company were under a dispute regarding carriage fees.[1]

In 2014, the station merged with former sister station K22JA-D ("KAJA Telemundo") on UHF 22 (but displaying as 47), bumping KDF to 47.2, with KAJA remaining on 47.1. KDF remains in 480i SD, until sufficient programming is acquired to convert the feed to high definition.

Transmitters

KDF
RF Channel Virtual Channel Call Letters Location Notes
09 47.1 K30EG Beeville, Texas LD (Low-Power Digital) Formerly analog on UHF 30, Construction Permit for digital operations on VHF 9
31 47.1 K31KK-D Kingsville, Texas CD (Class A Digital)
46 49.1 K46LW-D Beeville, Texas Digital companion for K49DV
22 47.1 K22JA-D Corpus Christi, Texas LD (Low-Power Digital) companion for K47DF; formerly K68DJ, then K22JA-D
48 47.1 K48LL-D Kingsville, Texas LD (Low-Power Digital) companion for K31KK-D

Newscasts

Under pressure from TCI Cable (now Time Warner Cable), KDF began its own news department and produced local news. These shows featured former KRIS-TV anchor Jay Ricci (now at KVII-TV in Amarillo). Weather was provided by WeatherVision meteorologists during the newscast's run. In 1995, the news department was shut down due to low ratings and increased production costs. In Fall 1997, KRIS-TV restored news programming to KDF with a fifteen-minute news update at 9 followed by Star Trek. This practice continued until the sale of the stations to Cordillera in 1999, at which point the newscast was expanded to a full thirty minutes.

The prime time show is simulcasted on CW affiliate KRIS-DT2 but is known by a different name and has a different opening. After KRIS-TV and former rival KZTV joined forces, the former moved into the latter's facilities in September 2010. Due to technical issues with the move of KRIS-TV, it was not able to air newscasts from September 26 until September 28. That station unveiled a brand new high definition-ready set and graphics package on September 29. Eventually, KRIS-TV will stream all of its newscasts on the website. Previously, it had streamed the weekday noon show online.

References

  1. ↑ Attention Time Warner Cable and former CoBridge customers - KRIS-TV (accessed January 7, 2012)
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