Any updates on Channel 53 in Galesburg?

[Iowan]

According to a Quad City Times article, there was supposed to be a channel 53 signing on the air come September 2001 (ten days before "nine-eleven").  It was supposed to provide the Quad Cities with UPN as well as local sports and Iowa Hawkeyes telecasts from ESPN Plus.  But a petition from KLJB/KGWB blocked the sign-on, and it's still off the air as of today.  In 2007, the FCC finally approved the CP for the channel owned by Northwest Television, but that we shouldn't "expect to see it on the air anytime soon".  That was the last I heard about the un-named station.  If anyone knows how I can contact someone about this, please let me know.  I really do wish Channel 53 would sign on the air sooner rather than later....

[dhett]

According to a Quad City Times article, there was supposed to be a channel 53 signing on the air come September 2001 (ten days before "nine-eleven").  It was supposed to provide the Quad Cities with UPN as well as local sports and Iowa Hawkeyes telecasts from ESPN Plus.  But a petition from KLJB/KGWB blocked the sign-on, and it's still off the air as of today.  In 2007, the FCC finally approved the CP for the channel owned by Northwest Television, but that we shouldn't "expect to see it on the air anytime soon".  That was the last I heard about the un-named station.  If anyone knows how I can contact someone about this, please let me know.  I really do wish Channel 53 would sign on the air sooner rather than later....

Very little info.  Normally, the construction permit would have expired 3 years after it was granted, or on 7/20/2010, but the FCC has extended the CP until 8/16/2012.  Although the station's virtual channel is 53, if you receive signals OTA, make sure your VHF antenna is in good shape, because they will transmit on channel 8, assuming they do get on the air.  Call letters have not yet been selected; the station is still known by its default call sign, 19951215KK.  Yes, it's been over 15 years since Northwest first applied for the station.

The delay in approving the CP came because in July 2001, after the FCC awarded the permit to Northwest, Quad Cities Television Acquisition Corp began filing opposition to the grant, and continued fighting for six years.

[Raymie]

According to a Quad City Times article, there was supposed to be a channel 53 signing on the air come September 2001 (ten days before "nine-eleven").  It was supposed to provide the Quad Cities with UPN as well as local sports and Iowa Hawkeyes telecasts from ESPN Plus.  But a petition from KLJB/KGWB blocked the sign-on, and it's still off the air as of today.  In 2007, the FCC finally approved the CP for the channel owned by Northwest Television, but that we shouldn't "expect to see it on the air anytime soon".  That was the last I heard about the un-named station.  If anyone knows how I can contact someone about this, please let me know.  I really do wish Channel 53 would sign on the air sooner rather than later....

Very little info.  Normally, the construction permit would have expired 3 years after it was granted, or on 7/20/2010, but the FCC has extended the CP until 8/16/2012.  Although the station's virtual channel is 53, if you receive signals OTA, make sure your VHF antenna is in good shape, because they will transmit on channel 8, assuming they do get on the air.  Call letters have not yet been selected; the station is still known by its default call sign, 19951215KK.  Yes, it's been over 15 years since Northwest first applied for the station.

The delay in approving the CP came because in July 2001, after the FCC awarded the permit to Northwest, Quad Cities Television Acquisition Corp began filing opposition to the grant, and continued fighting for six years.

The permit's been around long enough that they WERE assigned a digital channel, correct?

[tripinva]

The analog would have been 67 and the digital was to have been 53 before the transition.  Now it's going to be on 8, should it be built.

- Trip

[Iowan]

Well, then...Let's hope the transmitter's built before that date! As for what to air, here are some programming suggestions for the station that are available:

-- Cold Case Files
-- Cookie Jar [E/I] (last seen on KGCW and WBQD 'til 2007)
-- South Park (last seen on KLJB 'til 2010)

[Iowan]

Wait a minute! The Galesburg station can't broadcast on channel 8 -- that's where WQAD is.

And if anyone has any more programming suggestions for the channel (that is, anything that's NOT currently on any other QC station)...

[w9wi]

Wait a minute! The Galesburg station can't broadcast on channel 8 -- that's where WQAD is.

WQAD is on RF channel 38.   They transmit a "virtual channel table" that tells your TV to tell you they're on channel 8, but they aren't really on channel 8.

(hope that makes sense)

The new Galesburg station, should it be built, will transmit a virtual channel table that will tell your TV to tell you they're on channel -- well, I'd have to think about that.  Either 53 or 67.  Probably 67. 

[Raymie]

If they are on RF 8, per ATSC rule and thus FCC law normally the station would have to use the virtual 8's RF, so 38.

But the presence of an older analog alignment (67) might confuse that issue.

[Iowan]

Channel 53 was supposed to be affiliated with UPN with it's planned September 2001 sign-on. However, UPN would come to an end five years later, which begs the question: What will the station be when it finally comes on the air? Will it take The CW away from KGCW? Will it take My Network TV away from WBQD? Or will it just be independent?

[Scott Fybush]

If they are on RF 8, per ATSC rule and thus FCC law normally the station would have to use the virtual 8's RF, so 38.

But the presence of an older analog alignment (67) might confuse that issue.

The ATSC standard you're thinking of would apply if the RF 8 assignment were a brand-new one made after the digital transition. But in this case, Galesburg was already assigned in the analog table, so its analog channel would become its new virtual channel.

In this particular case, 38, 53 and 67 would all work, since there's no possibility of a conflicting assignment for any of those virtual channels, RF 38 already being used by virtual 8 and 53 and 67 being out of core.