KCPO-LD

KCPO-LD (channel 26) is a low-power independent television station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, owned by Chuck Poppen's Central Plains Media. Its transmitter is located on the campus of the University of Sioux Falls.

Not to be confused with WCPO-TV or KCOP-TV.
KCPO-LD
Channels
BrandingKCPO (localized)
Central Plains Media (regional)
Programming
Affiliations26.1: Independent
26.2: Retro TV
26.3: YTA TV
Ownership
Owner
History
Founded1999 (1999)
Former call signs
K07UP (1992–1998)
KCPO-LP (1998–2020)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 26 (UHF, 1999–2020)
UPN (1999–2004)
Bloomberg (secondary, 1999–2002)
Call sign meaning
Chuck Poppen
(station owner)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID26041
ERP2.79 kW
HAAT59.1 m (194 ft)
Transmitter coordinates43°31′56″N 96°44′21″W
Links
Public license information
LMS
Websitewww.kcpo.tv

History

KCPO-LP signed on the air for the first time in 1999 as a UPN and Bloomberg affiliate for the Sioux Falls market. In 2004, KCPO-LP launched a semi-satellite with the call letters KCPL-LP (channel 52) in Rapid City.

KCPO was affiliated with UPN until CBS affiliate KELO-TV (channel 11) 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. After 2006, KCPL operated as an independent station fully simulcasting KCPO.

A third sister station, KCPM (channel 27), located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, was affiliated with MyNetworkTV, and was also a former UPN affiliate since its launch in 2003. It simulcast much of KCPO's programming when not airing network material, but aired separate commercials, station identifications and sometimes different syndicated programming due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) market regulations. KCPM's license was canceled on March 9, 2020, for failure to transmit from authorized facilities for the past 12 months.[2]

KCPL-LP's license was canceled by the FCC on March 12, 2013, while KCPO-LP was briefly off the air and its license was planned to be canceled on March 12, 2014, but was renewed.

Programming

KCPO aired syndicated television programs, movies and locally produced programming, including a country music video program called That Country Video Show and a motorsports program called Talk'n Dirt featuring coverage of area race tracks and events. Both of these programs could be seen on KCPO and KCPM.

The uniqueness of this three-station system was it was the only South Dakota station group that broadcast/cablecast 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.

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KCPO-LD[3]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
26.1 480i4:3Main KCPO-LD programming
26.2 Retro TV
26.3 YTA TV

KCPO was planning to flash-cut to digital broadcasting in 2015, and would carry Retro TV on a digital subchannel.[4] It converted to digital in spring 2020.

References
  1. "Facility Technical Data for KCPO-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. KCPM — 2020 deletion
  3. RabbitEars TV Query for KCPO-LD
  4. "Billing dispute looms over RetroTV availability for Midco customers". Argus Leader. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
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