More Information About KCVU
KCVU Fox 20 is a Fox Network affiliate based in Chico, California. The station is owned and operated by Sainte Partners II, L.P. of Modesto, California. It was founded in 1986 and it hit the airwaves as KBCP in 1990. It was a home shopping channel until 1994, when KBCP flipped the call sign to KCVU reflecting its new FOX affiliation. It replaces an affiliation on KRCR-TV seen on non-ABC hours since the network's inception in 1986. KRCR's other two satellites in Eureka and Fort Bragg had FOX as well as ABC. More FOX coverage was provided by KTVU on Chico and Redding cable systems.
KCVU was founded by Chester Smith in 1989. The company's chief executive officer is Robert Castro and the station's general manager is Doug Holroyd. Its transmitter and license is located near Paradise, California. KCVU's sister stations include Chico's KRVU-TV My 21 (also on KCVU's DT2 signal), KUCO-TV Univision 27 KXVU-TV Telemundo 17, and KKTF-TV TeleFutura 35; Medford, Oregon's KFBI-TV My 48 and KMCW-TV Telemundo 14, as well as five stations in Eureka owned by Raul Broadcasting.
Fox 20 is seen on cable channel 2 on both Comcast in Chico and Charter Cable in Redding.
KCVU terminated analog channel 30 on December 22, 2008. The station re-branded to Fox 20 (for its physical digital channel; this differs from most digital signals, which identify using their analog channel). It still may be seen in analog via translator on channel 8 in Chico and channel 38 in Redding until both translators go digital at the end of 2009.
Contract Dispute with Northland Cable
On May 6, 2007, KCVU replaced Medford Fox affiliate KMVU on Northland Cable Television channel 13 in both Mt. Shasta and Yreka when KMVU and Northland could not come to an agreement to remain on the cable system. (Northland also carries sister station KRVU My 21 on cable channel 2.) Northland had been blocked from airing Fox Network programming as a result. However, in a report from the Siskiyou Daily News on February 8, 2008, it appears that the dispute is settling down and Northland is working with KMVU and KCVU to return either channel to both cable systems. KNVN replaced KMVU on channel 13 in Mt. Shasta and channel 11 in Yreka. KHSL-TV started to air on channel 6 in Yreka and KDRV is also on channel 6 in Mt. Shasta. KMVU finally won the contract dispute and KCVU will no longer air on both cable systems because all Fox affiliates are under syndex. Northland may also file for bankruptcy because of the higher rates that KMVU was charging. KMVU and all the other local stations are fed to Yreka via OTA translator and has a fiber-optic link to Mt. Shasta, except for KNVN, KRVU-LP and formerly KCVU, which use Dish Network feeds.
Locally-produced programs
Fox 20 broadcasts local two local programs weekly: Issues and Answers, hosted by Georgie Szendrey (with periodic guest hosts including Tricia Conner and Doug Holroyd), Sundays at 6:00am, Pray Northstate with Pastor Jim Wilson, Mondays at 6:30am, and Randy & Monica: Almost Live! with Randy and Monica Zachary, Tuesdays at 6:30am.
Local News & Relationship to KRCR
From February 2004 to June 2005, Fox 30 News at 10:00pm was produced by KRCR-TV, utilizing that stations' news department. The newscast was cancelled due to then-low ratings, budget constraints and a major contract dispute. It was virtually an unsuccessful attempt for a cousin of KRCR to enter into a joint sales agreement.
Digital Television
The station's digital channel is multiplexed:
Digital channels
Analog-to-digital conversion
On December 22, 2008, KCVU terminated analog facilities and used its existing digital facilities. The virtual channel changed from 30 to 20 and the station rebranded as "FOX 20 Digital." The station is still seen in analog on translators in Chico and Redding until late next year.
Early Switch
KCVU, along with KHSL-TV, and KNVN ceased analog operations on December 22, 2008. KCVU ceased analog operations early because the post-transition tower is complete and has been up and running for at least seven months; same case with KHSL. In the case of FOX 20 and its sister stations, the transition for some will be much later because Univision 27, Telemundo 17, Telefutura 35, and both of Fox 20 and My 21's analog translators will remain analog until early 2010.
Cable Systems
| Cable Provider |
Area |
20.1 (Fox 20) |
20.2 (My 21) |
| Comcast |
Butte & Glenn Counties |
902 (2) |
13 |
| Charter |
Shasta & Tehama Counties |
790 (2) |
13 |
Windjammer Communications in Burney, New Day Broadband in Weaverville, and Charter in Alturas all use Dish feeds. It carries both signals, but they're not in HD because they are all fed by Dish Network, which currently does not have HD locals in the Chico/Redding market. With Charter's rumored bankruptcy, Windjammer Communications may takeover the Alturas system. Northland Cable in Siskiyou County uses a Dish feed for My 21, and uses Medford's Fox affiliate, due to a major contract dispute.
Like many other HD channels on Charter Cable in Redding, KCVU-DT can be picked up on basic cable by connecting the cable directly into an HDTV with a built-in QAM tuner, channel 104.4
High Definition
Most Fox programs on KCVU broadcast from 8 PM, are broadcast in HD, including most sporting events on weekends such as Major League Baseball, NASCAR and NFL Football. Most MyNTV programs on KRVU that are apart of its normal programming hours (8-10 PM) which are normally broadcast in HD, are broadcast on KRVU in SD.
Death of Chester Smith
The Sacramento Bee and Chico Enterprise Record have both reported that Chester Smith, founder of Sainte Partners, died on August 8, 2008, at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California at age 78. He is survived by his wife Ann and his children. Despite Smith's death, Sainte will continue to own and operate KCVU and its sister stations in the Sainte family.
Past General Managers
- Melvin J. Querio, founding GM (1993-1996, died)
- John Stahl (1996-1998, now GM at KHSL-TV)
- Doug Holroyd (1998-present)
References
External links
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