KWVT-LD
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| Salem, Oregon / Portland, Oregon United States |
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| Branding | KWVT: Willamette Valley Television |
| Slogan | Local TV at its best |
| Channels | Digital: 49 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | Youtoo TV |
| Owner | Northwest Television, LLC (Michael Mattson) |
| Founded | May 20, 2005 |
| Call letters' meaning | KWVT: K Willamette Valley Television |
| Former callsigns | KWVT-LP (channel 52) K52HY KGUG-LP (channel 17) K16HT-D (channel 16) |
| Former affiliations | White Springs Television |
| Transmitter power | 14.2 kW digital |
| Facility ID | 129197 |
| Website | KWVT Homepage |
KWVT-LD is a television station licensed to Salem, Oregon, serving the Portland, Oregon metro area. It broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 49 from West Portland. Operated by Northwest Television, LLC, the call sign KWVT stands for "Willamette Valley Television".
The lineup consists of classic television shows and movies, local and international sports and community interest programming, many of these from the America One network. Independent producers also develop original programming for KWVT, such as Garden Time, Fusion, High Desert Outdoorsman and Living Culture, as well as music video shows Hard Times, My Hits and Country Comfort. KWVT has a high definition production facilities that covers area events such as high school football.
KWVT is the Local Primary Emergency Alert System station for the "(Oregon State) Capitol Operational Area".
History
The station signed on the air on channel 52, licensed to Eola, on May 20, 2005.
On May 8, 2007 Northwest Television sold channel 52 to Churchill Media of Eugene, Oregon. On August 17, 2007, channel 52 began carrying programming from the Spanish-language Azteca America network, as KXPD-LP. (That station would cease operations by the end of 2009.)
Northwest Television had since moved to K17IV channel 17, which adopted the KWVT-LP calls in November 2007, and changed the city of license from Eola to Salem.
In September, 2008 Northwest Television activated a digital signal on KSLM-LD UHF digital channel 16. As of March 15, 2010 KSLM has moved to channel 27.
Digital television
KWVT had a construction permit to convert to digital and move the transmitter to the Skyline Tower in Portland, Oregon, home to numerous TV and FM stations.
After negotiations to use the Skyline site broke down, other sites were considered. On December 22, 2010, an application was filed to locate the digital facility on the former KPDX tower, approximately half a kilometer from the Skyline tower. KWVT would use the antenna KPDX had shut down at the end of the DTV transition. The modified construction permit was granted on January 7, 2011. Since no construction was required on the tower, KWVT began transmitting a digital signal in Portland later the same day.
KWVT remains available in Salem on a digital subchannel of KSLM-LD, and KSLM programming (RTV) is also relayed to Portland on a digital subchannel of KWVT. KWVT and KSLM also relay the programming of KPWC, which acquired the Azteca America affiliation after Churchill Media ceased operation of KXPD.
KWVT-LP is multiplexed:
| Channel | Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|
| 17.1 | KWVT-LD | Local and National Programming from the Youtoo TV network |
| 17.3 | KODT-LD | TV Scout (Removed February 2015) |
| 27.1 | KSLM-LD | RTV |
| 37.1 | KPWC-LD | "Azteca Oregon" from the Azteca America network |
Other translator stations
Northwest Television can also be viewed in other locations.
- KODT-LP 14 Salt Creek, Oregon
- KDLN-LP 4 Newport, Oregon (Moving to Ch. 24, To expand coverage to Eugene)
- K05KY 5 Lincoln City, Oregon (Moving to Ch. 27)
- K06NI 6 The Dalles, Oregon
- KPWC-LP 24 and K05KX 5 Tillamook, Oregon
- K04PH 4 and K05LE 5 Astoria, Oregon
- K38KU 38 Corvallis, Oregon (launched 9/24/10)
References
- Azteca América.Press Release. May 8, 2007
- Portland getting Spanish TV station. Portland Business Journal. May 9, 2007
- Portland getting new Spanish-language TV station. The Oregonian. May 9, 2007.
- Churchill Media acquires Salem area TV station. The Register-Guard. May 11, 2007.
