KJTV-TV

KJTV-TV

Lubbock, Texas
Branding	Fox 34 (general) Fox 34 News (news)
Slogan	It's News at Nine. At ten, it's history.
Channels	Digital: 35 (UHF) Virtual: 34 (PSIP)
Subchannels	34.1 Fox 34.2 FOX 34 News NOW
Affiliations	Fox (1986-present)
Owner	Ramar Communications II, Ltd.
First air date	December 10, 1981
Sister station(s)	KLCW-TV, KMYL, KXTQ-CA, KJTV-CD, KLBB-LD, KXTQ-FM, KLZK, KTTU-FM, KLBB-FM, KJTV (AM)
Former callsigns	KJAA (1981-1985) KJTV (1985-2000)
Former channel number(s)	Analog: 34 (UHF, 1981-2009)
Former affiliations	independent (1981-1986)
Transmitter power	1000 kW
Height	273.9 m
Facility ID	55031
Transmitter coordinates	33°30′8.7″N 101°52′21.5″W / 33.502417°N 101.872639°W / 33.502417; -101.872639
Website	www.myfoxlubbock.com

KJTV-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station serving Lubbock, Texas. It is owned by Ramar Communications, and is the flagship property of the locally-based media corporation. KJTV was a charter station for its network, having broadcast the network since its launch on October 9, 1986. It broadcasts on UHF digital channel 35. The station also operates a low-powered sister station on channel 32.1, KJTV-CD, branded as FOX 34 News NOW, also on KJTV's digital 34.2 subchannel. The station has studios located at 98th Street and University Avenue in south Lubbock, which also houses MyNetworkTV affiliate KMYL-LP, The CW affiliate KLCW-TV, Telemundo affiliate KXTQ-CA, branded as Telemundo Lubbock, Me-TV affiliate KLBB-LD and five radio stations (1 on AM and 4 on FM). Just yards from the studio, KJTV's transmissions emanate from a 950-foot (290 m) tower with an effective radiated power of 1 million watts for its digital signal. Syndicated programming on KJTV includes: Two and a Half Men, Friends, Ellen, Grace Under Fire, Degrassi: The Next Generation, How I Met Your Mother, and AgDay. In the fall of 2013, the station will air The Queen Latifah Show.

Digital television

Digital channels

KJTV's broadcasts are digital-only, effective February 17, 2009.^[1]

Analog-to-digital conversion

KJTV-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 34, on February 17, 2009, the original date in which full-power television in the United States were to transition from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 35.^[3] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 34.

History

Channel 34 first appeared in 1967 as KKBC-TV (owned by the KB Company (Chester and Clarance Kissell), operating from a control room and transmitter at the tallest downtown building. It had approximately 25 kilowatts of visual power from an antenna about 320 feet (98 m) above average terrain. The station signed on with a few films, some network programs declined by KCBD and KLBK-TV, and The Mike Douglas Show. Local engineer Alvie Ivey built the facility from used equipment gathered from stations in the region.

Soon after channel 34 signed on, a station on channel 28 signed on with much better facilities. KSEL-TV (now KAMC) had 2 megawatts of power, an 875-foot (267 m) tower located in south Lubbock near other station's towers, and had support from sister stations KSEL-AM 950 (now KJTV-AM) and KSEL-FM 93.7 (now KXTQ-FM) (both of which, ironically, are today sister stations to KJTV-TV). This provided the impetus to move KKBC to a taller location with greater power.

New owners took over channel 34 and a taller tower was built at 98th and University Avenue. Local station KWGO-FM (now KQBR) rented a spot on the tower as it was going up. The improved KKBC-TV developed a power of more than 4 megawatts. However, KSEL still had the lead, as it obtained a full-time ABC affiliation, while channel 34 affiliated with Spanish International Network (by bicycled tapes) and changed calls to KMXN-TV. The station continued until sometime in 1973. Legend has it that the board of directors met at the station, assessed their shaky financial footing, and ordered the station shut down on the way out. The film on the air was interrupted, and the station signed off. The license was then returned to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The tower and land was later acquired by Ramar for use by a radio station the company was starting, KTEZ (now KONE). After a few years' operation, Ramar decided to file for a new channel 34 license using the old tower, feed line, and antenna. That was granted around 1980-81, and on December 11, 1981 KJAA was launched as an independent station. On August 16, 1985, the station became KJTV, and in 1986, it switched to Fox as one of its charter stations. On October 2, 2000, KJTV added a -TV suffix to its call letters.

News operation

In 2000, KJTV launched a local newscast at 9 p.m. using a virtual set (which was also used for news on KXTQ-CA).

On October 1, 2008. KJTV launched a morning newscast "Good Day Lubbock" from 6-9 a.m. weekday mornings. KJTV discontinued its virtual set in 2008. In 2010, KJTV launched Ag Day Lubbock, a daily local newscast covering agricultural issues complimenting the syndicated farm news show Ag Day, which precedes it. This is also when KJTV expanded "Good Day Lubbock" to 5:30-9 a.m.

In 2012, KJTV added three hours of news and information from 6-9 p.m. on FOX 34 News NOW, 32.1 KJTV-CD/34.2 KJTV-TV.

News team (as of January 2014)^[4]

News Director

• Jeff Klotzman

Anchors

• Matt Ernst - weekday mornings on Ag Day Lubbock (5-5:30 a.m.)
• James Eppler - weekday mornings on Good Day Lubbock (5:30-9 a.m.); also entertainment editor and Good Day Lubbock managing editor
• Nicole Garza - weekday mornings on Good Day Lubbock (5:30-9 a.m.); also FOX 34 Your Health reporter
• Jeff Klotzman - weeknights at 9 p.m.; also News at Nine managing editor and host of The Drive Home
• Kurt Kiser - weeknights and Sundays at 9 p.m.

Fox 34 Weather Authority

• Matt Ernst - chief meteorologist; weekday mornings on "Good Day Lubbock" (5:30-9 a.m.)
• Rudy Pearce - meteorologist; weeknights at 9 p.m.
• Caitlin Napoleoni - forecaster, weekends at 9 p.m., also reporter

Sports team

• Rob Verby - sports director; weeknights at 9 p.m.
• Nick James - sports anchor; weekends on Sports Overtime at 9 p.m.

Reporters

• Ashley Claster - General assignment reporter
• Bailey Jo Miller - General assignment reporter
• Caitlin Napoleoni - General assignment reporter
• Brittany Price - Look Around Lubbock morning reporter
• Henry Ramos - General assignment reporter

Ag Day Lubbock (weekdays at 5 a.m.)

• Diana Holoman - ag producer / reporter
• Rebecca Gotti - ag reporter
• Matt Ernst - anchor
• Eddie Griffis - Ag Talk host/ Ag Day Lubbock contributor

News/station presentation

Newscast titles

• Fox 34 News (2000-present)

Station slogans

• TV-34, We're Moving Up! (early 1980s)
• Channel 34, Your Movie Station (mid-late 1980s)
• It's News at Nine. At Ten, It's History. (2000-present)

See also

• KUPT (TV)
• KLCW-TV

References

External links

• www.myfoxlubbock.com
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KJTV
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KJTV-TV