KDLH-DT2

KDLH-DT2
Duluth, Minnesota /
Superior, Wisconsin
Branding Northland CW 2
Slogan The CW Television Network For Duluth / Superior
Channels Analog: Charter channel 2
Digital: KDLH-DT 33.2 (UHF) & KRII-DT 11.2 (UHF)
Affiliations The CW (via The CW Plus)
Owner Malara Broadcast Group
(operated through LMA by Granite Broadcasting Corporation; to be operated by Quincy Newspapers)
(Malara Broadcast Group of Duluth Licensee, LLC)
Founded 1998
First air date September 21, 1998
Call letters' meaning see KDLH
Sister station(s) KBJR-TV
KRII
Former callsigns "KWBD" (1998-2006)
Former affiliations The WB (via The WB 100+, 1998-2006)
Transmitter power 26.1 kW
63 kW (KRII-DT2)
Height 292.9 m
200.4 m (KRII-DT2)
Facility ID 4691
82698 (KRII-DT2)
Transmitter coordinates 46°47′7.1″N 92°7′16.3″W / 46.785306°N 92.121194°W
47°51′39.3″N 92°56′46″W / 47.860917°N 92.94611°W (KRII-DT2)
Website northlandcw.com

KDLH-DT2 is the CW-affiliated television station for the Iron Range of Northeastern Minnesota. The station is part of The CW Plus, a special CW feed that broadcasts on cable and/or over-the-air on a digital signal. It is a second digital subchannel of CBS affiliate KDLH that is owned by the Malara Broadcast Group but operated through a local marketing agreement (LMA) by the Granite Broadcasting Corporation. Over-the-air, KDLH-DT2 broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 33.2 from KDLH's transmitter west of downtown Duluth in Hilltop Park. As of January 2014, this broadcast is no longer available and CW2 is currently not being broadcast. It is unknown if it will be re-established via a different transmitter channel. It can also be seen on KRII's second digital subchannel which originates on UHF channel 11.2 from a transmitter in Meadow Park. Known on-air as Northland CW 2, it is also offered on Charter channel 2 (hence the branding). Its parent station has studios on South Lake Avenue in Duluth.

History

What is now KDLH-DT2 began as cable-only KWBD that was operated by Charter and KDLH. It began broadcasting in 1998 and was affiliated with The WB. Due to the station being cable-only and using fictional call letters, it was a member of The WB 100+ which was a group of cable-only WB affiliates that shared programming outside of the network's prime time schedule. Prior to the launch of the cable channel, The WB programming was available in the market only through cable systems that had carried the network through either Chicago-based superstation WGN or KLGT (later KMWB, now WUCW).

On January 24, 2006, The WB and UPN announced that they would cease broadcasting and merge to form The CW. At some point in time, it was announced that KDLH would carry The CW on a new second digital subchannel as part of The CW Plus. That service would be a similar operation to The WB 100+.

Area access to UPN was offered in two ways. KBJR operated an affiliate first known on-air as "UPN 9" (based on its Charter channel location) later "Nothland UPN" on its second digital subchannel. This was also available over-the-air in Ashland, Wisconsin on WAST-LP which was an over-the-air, low-powered semi-satellite of the digital subchannel. WAST-LP was owned by a separate entity from KBJR. It was later announced that "Northland UPN" would become an independent station known as "Northland 9" complete with new logo and graphics.

On February 22, News Corporation announced that it would start up another new broadcast television network called MyNetworkTV. In March, it was made public that KBJR-DT2 would become an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. In July ahead of the launch of the network, "Northland 9" became known as "My 9" and WAST-LP signed-off in August. MyNetworkTV began broadcasting on September 5 while KWBD (now officially using the KDLH-DT2 call sign) began broadcasting The CW on September 18. Like most CW Plus affiliates in the Central Time Zone, this channel offers the nationally syndicated morning show The Daily Buzz on weekdays from 5 to 8. KBJR produces a weeknight primetime newscast on its second digital subchannel known as Northland's NewsCenter at 9. This had been simulcasted on KDLH-DT2 but was dropped.

Quincy Newspapers announced on February 11, 2014 that it would acquire KBJR-TV and KRII (and thus KRII-DT2) from Granite Broadcasting. Malara initially planned to concurrently sell KDLH (and thus KDLH-DT2) to SagamoreHill Broadcasting;[1] however, that November, the deal was reworked to remove SagamoreHill from the transaction, and as a result KDLH will remain with Malara.[2] Quincy will continue to provide services to KDLH.[1][2]

See also

Channel 2 branded TV stations in the United States

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Quincy Buying Stations From Granite, Malara". TVNewsCheck. February 11, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Amendment to Agreements and Description of Transaction (KBJR-TV)" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. November 24, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.

External links