KCPO-LP

KCPO-LP
KCPL-LP
KCPO: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
KCPL: Rapid City, South Dakota
Branding KCPO 26
Slogan Your South Dakota Station
Channels Analog: KCPO 26 (UHF)
KCPL 52 (UHF)
Affiliations Independent
Owner Central Plains Media
(G.I.G, Inc.)
Founded KCPO: 1999
KCPL: 2004
Call letters' meaning K Central Plains Media O
K Central PLains Media
Former affiliations KCPO: UPN (1999-2004), Bloomberg (1999-2002)
KCPL: UPN (2004-2006)
Website www.kcpo.tv

KCPO-LP, Channel 26 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and KCPL-LP, Channel 52 in Rapid City, South Dakota are a pair of simulcasting independent television stations that are operated by Central Plains Media that were formerly UPN affiliates. KCPO is available on cable channel 21 or 3 in the eastern half of South Dakota and many cable systems reaching viewers in Southwestern Minnesota, while KCPL is seen on cable channel 13 or 12 in the western half of the state.

A third station, MyNetworkTV affiliate KCPM channel 27 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, simulcasts KCPO, though KCPM airs different programming at times and local commercial inserts.

History

KCPO-TV signed on the air for the first time in 1999 as a UPN and Bloomberg affiliate for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 2004, KCPO-TV launched a semi-satellite with the call letters KCPL-TV in Rapid City.

KCPO was affiliated with UPN until KELO-TV launched its UPN affiliated "UTV" digital subchannel in January 2004. KCPL was affiliated with UPN until the network stopped operations in 2006, while simulcasting KCPO outside of network programming. Currently, both KCPO/KCPL operate as independent stations.

A third sister station, KCPM, located in Grand Forks is affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It simulcasts much of KCPO's programming when not airing network material, but airs separate commercials, station identifications and sometimes different syndicated programming due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) market regulations.

KCPO airs syndicated television programs, movies and locally-produced programming, including a country music video program called That Country Video Show and a car and motorcycle racing program called Talk'n Dirt featuring coverage of area race tracks and events. Both of these programs can be seen on all three stations: KCPO, KCPL and KCPM.

The uniqueness of this three-station system is it is the only South Dakota station group that broadcasts/cablecasts in South and North Dakota and Minnesota. Agreements with other broadcast stations have provided sports programming allowing viewers to see coverage of such activities as the KSTC broadcasts of Minnesota State High School League football, hockey, and basketball tournaments. These tournaments have been regularly carried on the Central Plains Media stations for many years.

Central Plains Media stations are owned and operated by G.I.G, Inc., which stand for Guaranteed Impressions Group.

External links