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KVCW (channel 33) is a television station in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, affiliated with The CW and MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside NBC affiliate KSNV (channel 3). The two stations share studios on Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas; KVCW's transmitter is located on Black Mountain, near Henderson (southwest of I-11/US 93/US 95).

Key Information

History

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Early years

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On April 22, 1987, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an original construction permit to 4-A Communications to build a new full-power television station, on UHF channel 33, to serve the Las Vegas market. 4-A Communications, owned by Lawrence and Teri DePaulis, became Channel 33, Inc. (which remained the station's licensee until 2015) in August 1987. The station, known as KFBT, went on the air on July 30, 1989, under a program test authority and was given a license one month later. The station's original transmitter was located in the McCullough Range southwest of Henderson. On July 20, 1990, a family ownership group headed by Daniel "Danny" Koker purchased Channel 33, Inc. Under the Kokers, KFBT was an independent station with a firmly local flavor and soon garnered much acclaim with features such as the scary B-movie showcase Saturday Fright at the Movies, hosted by Count Cool Rider, which aired at 10 p.m. Count Cool Rider was actually Danny Koker II, son of the station president and also one of the station's owners, who has since gone on to become a respected builder of custom motorcycles,[2] as well as a regular expert on the History Channel series Pawn Stars[3] and host of its spinoff, Counting Cars.[4][5]

As a WB affiliate and return to independence

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The station primarily broadcast older movies, sitcoms, and dramas during this era, as well as some Christian religious programs (as the senior Koker was a gospel musician)[6] and professional wrestling (most notably World Class Championship Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance). KFBT became a charter affiliate of The WB at the network's launch on January 11, 1995, and remained an affiliate while owned by the Koker family. On December 18, 1997, the Koker family sold Channel 33, Inc. to Montecito Broadcasting Corporation with the sale being finalized on February 3, 1998. The same day that Montecito closed on its purchase of KFBT, it immediately entered into an agreement to be acquired by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which Montecito entered into a local marketing agreement (LMA) to operate KFBT, until the transaction was completed.[7] On March 1, 1998, Sinclair moved the WB affiliation to KUPN (channel 21, which later changed calls to KVWB, now KHSV); KFBT then became an independent station. The station was rebranded as "Gold 33" and began showing mainly newer syndicated programming. Sinclair completed its purchase of Montecito and Channel 33, Inc. in February 2000, resulting in the creation of the market's first duopoly between KFBT and KVWB.

As a CW affiliate

[edit]

On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation (the parent company of UPN) and the Warner Bros. unit of Time Warner announced that The WB and UPN would be shut down that September and have some of their higher-rated programs migrated onto a new jointly owned network called The CW.[8][9] On February 22, News Corporation announced that it would start up another new network called MyNetworkTV.[10] This new service, which would be a sister network to Fox, would be operated by Fox Television Stations and its syndication division, Twentieth Television. MyNetworkTV was created in order to give stations affiliated with UPN and The WB that were not mentioned as becoming CW affiliates another option besides becoming independent stations, as well as to compete against The CW.

Sinclair chose to affiliate KVWB with MyNetworkTV leaving The CW to join with either low-power UPN affiliate KTUD-CA (channel 25) or KFBT. Sinclair began negotiations with The CW to affiliate KFBT, and in April, when KTUD decided to go independent instead of pursuing a CW affiliation,[11] KFBT was virtually assured the CW affiliation. An affiliation agreement was announced on May 2 and KFBT changed its call letters to the current KVCW on June 19, reflecting its pending affiliation with the new network. KVMY (now KHSV) affiliated with MyNetworkTV, when the network launched on September 5, two weeks before The WB was scheduled to shut down and The CW made its debut; as a result, KVCW rejoined The WB for the network's last two weeks of programming before switching its affiliation to The CW on September 18.

On May 15, 2012, Sinclair and Fox agreed to a five-year affiliation agreement extension for the station group's 19 Fox-affiliated stations until 2017. This included an option, that was exercisable between July 1, 2012, and March 31, 2013, for Fox parent News Corporation to buy a combination of six Sinclair-owned stations (two CW/MyNetworkTV duopolies and two standalone MyNetworkTV affiliates) in three out of four markets; KVCW and KVMY were included in the Fox purchase option, along with stations in Cincinnati (WSTR-TV), Raleigh (WLFL/WRDC) and Norfolk (WTVZ-TV).[12] In January 2013, Fox announced that it would not exercise its option to buy any of the Sinclair stations in the four markets included in the option.[13]

On August 13, 2013, KSNV-DT announced that the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives would move to KVCW as of August 19. The move of the program was necessitated after KSNV changed its schedule to accommodate a 3 p.m. newscast.[14] On September 3, 2014, Sinclair announced the purchase of KSNV from Intermountain West Communications Company for $120 million. As Sinclair already owns KVCW and KVMY, the company will sell the license assets (though not the programming) of one of the three stations to comply with FCC ownership restrictions, with the divested station's programming being relocated to the other stations.[15] On November 1, 2014, KVMY's programming was moved to KVCW's second digital subchannel, while KSNV's programming began to simulcast on KVMY's license. With the sale's completion, Sinclair now controls half of those stations. It also created a situation in which a CW affiliate is the nominal senior partner in a duopoly involving an NBC affiliate and a "Big Four" station.

Programming

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Sports programming

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On February 3, 2021, the Henderson Silver Knights announced a partnership with KVCW to broadcast 10 home games during the team's inaugural season.[16] This partnership would continue in the 2021–22 season.[17]

On May 21, 2021, the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces announced a partnership with MyLVTV to televise 25 games during the 2021 WNBA season.[18] The Aces later moved to KVVU-TV.[19]

Newscasts

[edit]
Further information: KSNV § Local news and programming

In 2003, former sister station KVWB established a news department and began airing an hour-long primetime newscast at 10 p.m. It was part of Sinclair's centralized News Central operation that was based at the company's headquarters in Hunt Valley, Maryland. National and international news segments, weather forecasts and some sports segments originated from the company's Hunt Valley facility, while local news and sports segments were based at KFBT/KVWB's Las Vegas studios. The news department was shared with KFBT, which aired its own local newscast at 7 p.m. It also aired "The Point", a one-minute conservative political commentary, that was required to be broadcast on all Sinclair-owned stations with newscasts. The news department was shut down at the beginning of March 2006, as were the majority of Sinclair's news operations under the News Central format.

KVWB later entered into a news share agreement with NBC affiliate KVBC (channel 3, now KSNV) to produce a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for channel 21. The newscast, originally titled News 3 at 10 on The WB Las Vegas, debuted on April 4, 2006, and was later renamed to News 3 at 10 on MyLVTV to correspond with KVMY's affiliation switch to MyNetworkTV. The program was discontinued on December 15, 2006, and moved to KVCW the following Monday under the title News 3 at 10 on The CW Las Vegas. On August 11, 2007, KVBC became the second station in the Las Vegas market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition and the KVCW broadcast was included in the upgrade. The 10 p.m. newscast originated from KVBC's studios on Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas near the border with North Las Vegas. KVBC also produced a 15-minute sports highlight program called Sports Zone, that aired weeknights at 10:45. Both programs were discontinued on September 28, 2009, and replaced with syndicated programming.

As of August 17, 2015, current sister station KSNV relaunched newscasts on KVCW. Wake Up with The CW Las Vegas airs from 7 to 9 a.m. and the half-hour broadcast of The CW Las Vegas News at Ten, airs at 10 p.m. Both newscasts compete with KVVU's 7 a.m. segment of Fox 5 News This Morning and the 10 p.m. airing of Fox 5 News at Ten.[20]

Technical information

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Subchannels

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Subchannels provided by KVCW (ATSC 1.0)[21]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming ATSC 1.0 host
33.1 1080i 16:9 TheCWLV The CW KTNV-TV
33.2 720p My_LVTV MyNetworkTV KSNV
33.3 480i ESTRELL Estrella TV KLAS-TV
33.4 ThisTV The Nest
33.5 Nest

Analog-to-digital conversion

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When the FCC released its initial digital channel allocations on April 21, 1997, it had assigned KFBT's digital companion channel to UHF channel 32.[22] The allocations met with considerable resistance from low-power broadcasters who would be displaced by the digital channel allocations, and on February 17, 1998, the FCC issued a revised final DTV allocation table.[23] KFBT's original allocation would have displaced low-powered K31DO (now KNBX-CD), so the FCC substituted UHF channel 29 allowing channel 32 to be assigned to KMCC-DT in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and eliminating a displacement there. KFBT was granted a permit to construct its digital facilities on January 26, 2001. Technical difficulties delayed construction of the full-power facilities requiring extensions of the construction permit.[24]

On November 8, 2002, KFBT was granted special temporary authority (STA) to construct a low-power facility in order to comply with the FCC deadline for commencing digital broadcasting while the full-power facilities were still being built. The station, now known as KVCW-DT, completed construction of its full-power digital facilities in January 2007 and was granted a license on March 8. Back in 2006, the FCC required each station with a digital companion channel to select which one it would continue to use after the end of the transition period (at that time scheduled for February 17, 2009). KVCW-DT selected channel 29 as its final digital channel and returned the channel 33 license to the FCC.[25] Digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 33. Regular analog programming was dropped on February 18, 2009, with the station participating in the "Analog Nightlight" program for two weeks, with a broadcast explaining how to switch to digital reception.

ATSC 3.0 lighthouse

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Subchannels of KVCW (ATSC 3.0)[26]
Channel Res. Short name Programming
3.1 1080p KSNV NBC (KSNV)
3.10 T2 T2
3.11 PBTV Pickleballtv
3.20 GMLOOP GameLoop
3.21 ROXi ROXi
5.1 1080p KVVU Fox (KVVU-TV)
8.1 KLAS CBS (KLAS-TV) DRM
13.1 720p KTNV ABC (KTNV-TV) DRM
33.1 KVCW The CW
  Subchannel broadcast with digital rights management
  Subchannel streamed via the Internet[27]

On May 26, 2020, KVCW discontinued ATSC 1.0 broadcasts and became one of the first stations in the country (and the first in the Western United States) to begin broadcasting in ATSC 3.0.

Translators

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City of license Callsign Channel ERP HAAT Facility ID Transmitter coordinates
Las Vegas KVCW (DTS) 29 11.22 kW 43 m (141 ft) 10195 36°7′44.8″N 115°11′28.4″W / 36.129111°N 115.191222°W / 36.129111; -115.191222 (KVCW (DTS))
Pahrump KVCW (DRT) 15 0.25 kW −125.1 m (−410 ft) 10195 36°9′29.5″N 115°54′3.8″W / 36.158194°N 115.901056°W / 36.158194; -115.901056 (KVCW (DRT))

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

KVCW

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from Grokipedia
KVCW, virtual channel 33 (UHF digital channel 29), is a television station licensed to Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, serving as an affiliate of The CW network. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates it alongside NBC affiliate KSNV from shared studios on Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas. The station broadcasts entertainment programming, including original CW series, to Las Vegas and surrounding communities in Clark County. KVCW traces its roots to independent station KFBT, which signed on in 1965 and later affiliated with The WB before adopting the CW affiliation in 2006, prompting the callsign change to reflect the network's branding. Under Sinclair's ownership since the acquisition of the duopoly with KSNV, the station has implemented technological advancements, such as becoming the first in Las Vegas to broadcast in ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) in 2020. Its programming emphasizes syndicated content and network shows, with news content often sourced from sister station KSNV.

History

Launch and early independent operations (1965–1995)

KFBT, the predecessor to KVCW, signed on the air on July 30, 1989, as an on UHF channel 33, initially operating under a program test authority with formal licensing granted the following month. The station was constructed and launched by Channel 33, Inc., a company previously known as 4-A Communications and led by Lawrence and Teri DePaulis, who had acquired the construction permit in the mid-1980s. Its original transmitter facility was situated in the McCullough Range southwest of , serving the Las Vegas market with a focus on general entertainment to complement the major network affiliates. In July 1990, Channel 33, Inc. was sold to a family ownership group headed by Daniel "Danny" Koker Sr., who shifted the station's emphasis toward locally oriented programming while maintaining its independent status. Under the Koker family's stewardship, KFBT's schedule featured syndicated sitcoms and dramas, classic movies, cartoons, and original local content, including horror movie hosting segments led by Danny Koker Jr. as "Count Cool Rider" on programs like Saturday Fright at the Movies. This mix targeted family audiences and late-night viewers in the growing , capitalizing on the absence of a dedicated UHF independent outlet prior to its debut. Throughout the early 1990s, KFBT operated without network affiliations, relying on off-network reruns such as and I Love Lucy, alongside acquired films and sports highlights to fill its broadcast day, which typically ran from morning until sign-off around midnight. The station's studios were initially modest, reflecting the challenges of establishing a viable UHF presence in a market dominated by VHF networks, but it gradually built viewership through aggressive promotion of local events and budget-friendly acquisitions. By 1995, as national networks like emerged, KFBT positioned itself for affiliation opportunities while sustaining independent operations centered on cost-effective, high-appeal content.

WB affiliation, independence, and call sign changes (1995–2006)

KFBT, broadcasting on UHF channel 33 in , joined Television Network as a charter affiliate when the network launched on January 11, 1995, airing its primetime lineup alongside remaining independent programming. The affiliation provided the station with youth-oriented series such as and 7th Heaven, marking a shift from its prior full-time independent format established since its sign-on in 1965. This partnership lasted until early 1998, during which KFBT maintained a mix of network-supplied content and local syndication. In January 1998, moved affiliation to its existing station KUPN (channel 21), effective , prompting KFBT to relinquish the network and return to full independent operations. The switch aligned with Sinclair's strategy to consolidate network carriage under a single owned property in the market, leaving channel 33 to focus on syndicated talk shows, movies, and classic reruns under the rebranded "Gold 33" identity. This independent phase persisted through 2006, emphasizing general entertainment without a primary network anchor, though the station occasionally aired overflow sports and special events. Amid the 2006 merger forming The CW Television Network from remnants of and , KFBT secured the new affiliation for on May 2, 2006, ahead of the network's debut. To align with the branding, the station changed its from KFBT to KVCW—denoting "Vegas CW"—on June 19, 2006. KVCW briefly reinstated lineup from September 5 to 17, 2006, bridging the transition before launching CW programming on September 18, thereby ending its extended independent era.

CW affiliation and modern developments (2006–present)

In September 2006, following the formation of Television Network from the merger of and , the station—previously operating as KFBT—became a charter affiliate of , airing its programming on channel 33. The call letters were changed to KVCW on June 19, 2006, explicitly to align with the new network affiliation. The station has maintained its CW affiliation continuously since the 2006 launch, with securing a long-term renewal agreement covering its CW stations, including KVCW, in July 2015. This stability persisted amid The CW's 2022 ownership transition to in partnership with , as no disruptions to KVCW's carriage were reported. A key technological development occurred on May 26, 2020, when KVCW joined other stations in launching () broadcasts, enabling enhanced features like 4K video, interactive content, and improved mobile reception in the market.

Ownership and affiliations

Acquisition by

Sinclair Broadcast Group entered into an agreement to acquire independent station KFBT-TV (channel 33) in from Montecito Broadcasting Corporation as part of a broader transaction involving multiple stations that Sinclair already programmed under local marketing agreements, announced in November 1999. The purchase price for the group of four stations, including KFBT-TV, was valued at $53.2 million, with $32 million paid in cash and the remainder through debt forgiveness. This acquisition complied with recent FCC rule changes permitting common ownership of two stations in larger markets, enabling Sinclair to consolidate control over KFBT-TV alongside its existing UPN affiliate KVWB-TV (channel 21, formerly KUPN-TV). The transaction closed on April 18, 2000, marking Sinclair's full ownership of channel 33 and establishing the Las Vegas market's first legal duopoly. Prior to the acquisition, Sinclair had operated KFBT-TV under a transitional following Montecito's brief purchase from the station's previous owners, Channel 33, Inc. The deal expanded Sinclair's footprint in the rapidly growing , where it already held programming rights to channel 21 since acquiring that station's assets in 1997 for $87 million. Under Sinclair's , KFBT-TV continued as an until affiliating with network from 2001 to 2006, after which it transitioned to and adopted its current call letters, KVCW, on June 19, 2006. The licensee entity, KUPN Licensee, LLC—a affiliated with Sinclair—has retained the station's FCC license since the acquisition, consistent with Sinclair's use of separate entities to manage limits.

Network affiliations and duopoly operations

KVCW serves as the primary affiliate for in the Las Vegas television market, carrying the network's programming on its main 33.1. The affiliation commenced in 2006 following the launch of , which combined content from predecessor networks and ; KVCW's call sign change to reflect the new branding occurred on June 19, 2006. Sinclair Broadcast Group pairs KVCW with NBC affiliate KSNV (channel 3) in a duopoly serving the Las Vegas market, a structure formalized after Sinclair's $120 million acquisition of KSNV closed in early 2015. To adhere to FCC ownership limits permitting no more than two commercial stations per market, Sinclair divested the license assets of its prior MyNetworkTV outlet KVMY while retaining operational control via a related agreement. This duopoly enables shared infrastructure, including studios at 1500 Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas, which supports cost efficiencies in production, sales, and administrative operations across the stations.

Programming

Network and syndicated programming

KVCW serves as the CW affiliate for the Las Vegas designated market area, airing the network's primetime schedule from Sunday through Friday evenings, which features a mix of scripted dramas, unscripted reality series, and live sports programming. Key offerings include the football drama All American and its spin-off All American: Homecoming, the superhero series Superman & Lois, and the crime procedural Police 24/7. The network also provides weekly live broadcasts of WWE NXT wrestling on Tuesdays and NASCAR Xfinity Series races on select Saturdays, alongside acquired films and specials during off-season periods. These programs are distributed nationally by The CW and cleared in full on KVCW without significant preemptions, maintaining the affiliate's commitment to the network's lineup since joining in 2006. Outside of CW network hours, KVCW fills its daytime, early fringe, and late-night slots with syndicated content, emphasizing first-run talk and news formats to complement the youth-oriented demographic. The station airs , a daily one-hour syndicated news and talk show co-hosted by , , and Scott Evans, which features celebrity interviews, Hollywood updates, and pop culture segments, typically in morning or afternoon blocks. Additional syndicated fare includes paid programming infomercials in overnight hours and occasional court shows or off-network reruns, though the station has shifted toward more talk-oriented syndication in recent fall seasons to boost viewer engagement in non-prime periods. This strategy aligns with broader trends among CW affiliates owned by , prioritizing cost-effective, high-turnover syndicated talk over extensive local production in secondary dayparts.

Sports programming

KVCW airs national sports programming through its primary affiliation with , which includes weekly live broadcasts of on Tuesday evenings, NASCAR Xfinity Series races throughout the season, and select games from conferences such as the ACC. Additional CW sports content features League tournaments and the post-game analysis show . These broadcasts are carried over-the-air on digital channel 33.1 and via cable/satellite providers in the Las Vegas market, aligning with The CW's national sports division launched in 2022 to expand beyond scripted content. The station's MyNetworkTV subchannel (33.2) supplements with syndicated sports entertainment, including the World Poker Tour on weekends and Women of Wrestling matches, which emphasize competitive events with athletic elements. Programs like TV Sport Raceweek and interview series In Depth with Graham Bensinger—featuring athletes such as Mario Andretti—also appear periodically, providing highlights and profiles rather than live local games. KVCW does not regularly produce or air local professional or collegiate team broadcasts, such as UNLV Rebels games, which are handled by other networks like CBS Sports Network. High school sports coverage is absent from station schedules, with such content typically on competing outlets.

Local newscasts and original content

KVCW broadcasts a weekday evening newscast titled The CW News at 10, airing at 10:00 p.m. PT and lasting approximately 35 minutes, which covers local , forecasts, updates, and highlights specific to the Las Vegas Valley. This program is produced by the news operation of Sinclair-owned sister station ( affiliate, channel 3), utilizing shared resources including studios at the KSNV facility in , to deliver content tailored to Clark County viewers. The newscast emphasizes real-time reporting on regional events, such as impacts, public safety incidents, and developments tied to Las Vegas's economy. Beyond the primary newscast, KVCW incorporates limited original content, including public affairs programming like Beyond the Podium, which features interviews with political leaders, community figures, and experts discussing policy issues relevant to Nevada residents. Other segments, such as lifestyle features under the "Offbeat" banner, highlight unique local stories, events, and cultural elements of the Las Vegas area, often integrated into the station's schedule or website for on-demand access. These elements are generated in-house or in collaboration with Sinclair's production teams, prioritizing community-focused narratives over extensive syndicated filler, though the station relies heavily on network and national feeds for prime time slots. No morning or midday local newscasts are produced exclusively for KVCW, with emphasis placed on extending KSNV's journalistic output to the CW audience.

Technical information

Subchannels and multicast services

KVCW transmits multiple digital subchannels through ATSC 1.0 services, which, following the station's conversion of its physical channel 29 to in May 2020, are hosted on ATSC 1.0 signals of partner stations to maintain public access to its programming streams. This hosting preserves the full complement of subchannels without reducing overall capacity, as confirmed in FCC filings justifying the arrangements with KSNV-TV and . The primary subchannel, 33.1, carries The CW affiliation in 1080i resolution and is hosted on KTNV-TV's ATSC 1.0 signal (physical channel 13). Subchannel 33.2 airs programming, branded as My LVTV, providing syndicated series and movies. Additional subchannels feature Sinclair-owned digital networks, including TBD on 33.3, on one of 33.4 or 33.5, with discontinued from 33.4 effective January 2, 2024. These diginets—primarily TBD, , and formerly —are hosted on KLAS-TV's ATSC 1.0 signal (physical channel 7). In its ATSC 3.0 configuration, KVCW functions as a lighthouse station on physical channel 29, multicasting enhanced signals for local affiliates including (from KSNV-TV on virtual 3.1), ( on 8.1), ABC ( on 13.1), and (KVVU-TV on 5.1), alongside niche streams such as T2 (3.10), Pickleball TV (3.11), GameLoop (3.20), and ROXi (3.21). Some streams incorporate advanced audio like or encryption for protected content. This setup supports higher resolution, interactive features, and broader multicast capabilities while ensuring through hosted ATSC 1.0 subchannels.

Analog-to-digital transition

KVCW broadcast its primary on UHF channel 33 from the station's launch in July 1989 until the conclusion of service. The assigned the station digital channel 29 during the initial phase of the U.S. , with KVCW certifying this allocation and electing it in the first round of the FCC's channel election process, which was approved for post-transition use. The station constructed full-power digital facilities on channel 29 ahead of the mandated transition, enabling digital broadcasts alongside analog during the period required by federal regulations. Las Vegas market stations, including KVCW, opted to maintain analog signals through the delay enacted by the DTV Delay Act until the final deadline, avoiding an earlier voluntary shutdown originally planned for February 17, 2009. KVCW terminated analog operations at 12:00 p.m. PDT on June 12, 2009, aligning with the nationwide cessation of full-power analog transmissions ordered by . Post-transition, the station's operates on physical RF channel 29 at an of 200 kW from its transmitter on Black Mountain near , while ATSC receivers map it to 33.1 to preserve channel numbering familiarity for viewers. This setup allowed KVCW to deliver high-definition programming and subchannels without disrupting established tuning habits.

ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station role

KVCW serves as the lighthouse station for the Las Vegas market, hosting the NextGen TV signals of multiple network affiliates while those stations maintain ATSC 1.0 broadcasts on their primary frequencies. This arrangement enables early deployment of the advanced standard, which supports features like 4K video, (HDR), immersive audio, and interactive applications, without immediate spectrum reallocation. The station's operations launched commercially on May 26, 2020, marking Sinclair Broadcast Group's first full-power, multi-station implementation and one of the earliest such deployments nationwide. To facilitate this, KVCW relocated its primary signal from its original frequency to UHF channel 29, minimizing disruptions for over-the-air viewers who needed to rescan receivers post-transition. The lighthouse setup involves KVCW's transmitter on Black Mountain, equipped with an elliptically polarized antenna featuring at least 50% vertical polarization for improved mobile reception, and integration of technologies like Cobalt Digital's SL-HDR1 for converting standard dynamic range (SDR) feeds to HDR using 3D lookup tables and . As host, KVCW carries ATSC 3.0 feeds from affiliates including Sinclair's (), Nexstar's KLAS (), Gray's KVVU (), and others, enabling shared infrastructure for enhanced programming delivery. Sinclair manages the facility with support from Acrodyne Services for transmission and BitPath for planning, while future expansions may include single-frequency networks (SFNs) to mitigate urban signal shadowing. The FCC granted KVCW a to cover its NextGen operations in 2024, confirming ongoing compliance and operational stability.

Translators and extended coverage

KVCW does not operate any low-power translators or digital replacement translators to rebroadcast its signal, as confirmed by FCC licensing records and broadcast engineering databases. The station's over-the-air coverage relies solely on its primary digital transmitter atop Black Mountain near Henderson, Nevada, which broadcasts at an effective radiated power (ERP) of 57.14 kW horizontally (17.9 kW vertically) using a directional antenna pattern. This setup yields a predicted noise-limited (Grade B) contour of approximately 46.5 miles in radius, encompassing roughly 6,807 square miles, sufficient to serve the Las Vegas Valley, North Las Vegas, Henderson, and other populated areas within Clark County. Following the 2017–2020 broadcast spectrum repack, KVCW relocated to physical RF channel 29 while retaining 33, maintaining comparable coverage without the need for supplemental fill-in , as the and power levels adequately penetrate the urban and suburban terrain of southern . Extended reception beyond this contour occurs via cable, satellite, and streaming distribution to households in outlying regions, including parts of neighboring counties and .

Impact and reception

Achievements in broadcasting innovation

KVCW pioneered the commercial deployment of , known as NextGen TV, in the Las Vegas market on May 26, 2020, becoming Sinclair Broadcast Group's first station to implement the standard at full power. This launch enabled advanced features such as higher video quality, interactive elements, and improved mobile reception, positioning KVCW as a key host for multiple affiliated signals including those from (NBC), KLAS (CBS), and KTNV (ABC). The initiative represented the ' inaugural full-power, multi-station commercial rollout of the technology, following over a year of collaborative planning among broadcasters to integrate enhanced over-the-air services with IP delivery. As a designated lighthouse station, KVCW facilitated spectrum sharing by broadcasting the primary feeds of partnering stations via its signal, allowing legacy ATSC 1.0 operations to continue uninterrupted on other facilities while advancing technical capabilities like hyper-localized content and datacasting. In 2022, during the , KVCW demonstrated further innovations by transmitting an enhanced digital signal incorporating (HDR) video, underscoring its role in testing and showcasing NextGen TV's potential for superior picture quality and immersive viewing experiences. These efforts contributed to broader industry progress in broadcast efficiency and viewer engagement, with KVCW serving as a model for voluntary spectrum optimization through joint ventures like BitPath.

Role in Las Vegas media landscape

KVCW operates as the and affiliate in the Las Vegas designated market area (DMA), ranked 40th nationally with 896,460 television households as of the 2024–2025 season. Owned by since its launch in 1998, the station provides entertainment-focused programming, including syndicated shows, network series, and content on subchannels, targeting younger demographics and filling gaps left by the major network affiliates such as NBC's , CBS's , ABC's , and Fox's KVVU-TV. As part of Sinclair's local cluster—which expanded in through the acquisition of and integration with KVMY—KVCW contributes to a duopoly controlling over 40% of the market's prime-time viewership share via shared studios and resources on , enabling efficient production of non-news content amid competition from cable, streaming, and the city's tourism-driven media demands. This structure supports broader coverage of entertainment events, such as Vegas-specific promotions and syndicated sports, distinguishing it from news-heavy Big Four stations in a market where local TV retains relevance for live events despite digital fragmentation. KVCW has played a pioneering role in technology adoption, serving as an early lighthouse station since May 2020, delivering enhanced video quality, interactivity, and datacasting capabilities to improve over-the-air access in County's expansive coverage area, which spans urban and rural extensions via translators. This positions it as a key innovator in sustaining free broadcast TV's viability against trends, particularly for mobile and IP-enabled viewing in a transient population hub like .

Criticisms and controversies

KVCW, as part of Sinclair Broadcast Group's portfolio, has faced scrutiny tied to the parent company's practices of mandating content across its stations, which critics argue impose a conservative editorial slant on local broadcasting. In April 2018, Sinclair directed anchors at nearly 200 of its affiliates, including Las Vegas outlets under its control, to broadcast identical promotional scripts warning viewers about "fake news" and "biased reporting" from national media entities like ABC, CBS, and NBC. These segments, which referenced one-sided coverage of events such as the 2016 presidential campaign and the Charlottesville rally, were criticized by outlets including CNN and The New York Times as propagandistic and reminiscent of state media tactics, potentially eroding trust in independent journalism. Sinclair maintained that the promos promoted "fair and objective reporting" amid perceived liberal dominance in mainstream media, rejecting claims of partisanship as unfounded attacks from competitors. The 2018 controversy highlighted broader concerns over Sinclair's "must-run" segments, where commentary from figures like —former Trump campaign aide—was required on affiliates, including those in , injecting national political narratives into . Detractors, often from progressive advocacy groups, contended this centralized control diminished local autonomy and fostered a uniform right-leaning perspective, with empirical analysis showing Sinclair stations airing more favorable coverage of Republican figures compared to peers. Sinclair countered that such segments counter systemic left-wing in , citing data on donor affiliations in major newsrooms as evidence of imbalance. No direct FCC violations were cited for KVCW in these instances, but the practices contributed to public and regulatory unease over media consolidation in markets like , where Sinclair holds a duopoly with sister station . In October 2023, KVCW specifically aired a sponsored segment featuring Stew Peters, a commentator accused by Media Matters—a left-leaning watchdog—of advancing white nationalist rhetoric and conspiracy theories, including support for theories on government-staged events. The broadcast, part of Sinclair's syndicated paid content, prompted criticism for legitimizing fringe views under the guise of local entertainment programming, though Sinclair emphasized it as advertiser-driven and not editorial endorsement. No formal complaints or investigations targeted KVCW directly, but the incident underscored ongoing debates over content moderation in broadcast TV amid declining FCC oversight on indecency and bias.

References

  1. https://www.stationindex.com/tv/callsign/kvcw
  2. https://muckrack.com/media-outlet/cwlasvegas
  3. https://cwlasvegas.com/station/contact
  4. https://sbgi.net/sinclair-names-larry-strumwasser-to-general-manager-in-las-vegas-nevada/
  5. https://cwlasvegas.com/
  6. https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/sinclair-to-launch-first-atsc-30-station-in-las-vegas-on-may-26
  7. https://www.8newsnow.com/home/kvcw-channel-33-relocates-to-new-frequency-will-allow-for-next-gen-television-broadcast/
  8. https://cwlasvegas.com/station/schedule
  9. https://www.livenewsworld.com/kvcw-las-vegas-live-stream/
  10. https://www.hotcars.com/danny-koker-before-counting-cars/
  11. https://nightmarenostalgia.com/2018/03/10/saturday-fright-at-the-movies-before-counting-cars-danny-koker-was-count-cool-rider/
  12. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/lvrj/name/danny-koker-obituary?id=39577087
  13. https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/san-diego-affiliate-threatens-to-ax-upn-1117434571/
  14. https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/releases/?view=43078
  15. https://www.nexstar.tv/cw_television_network_and_nexstar_renew_affiliation_agreements_2021/
  16. https://www.nexstar.tv/major-broadcasters-launch-nextgen-tv-on-four-las-vegas-network-affiliated-television-stations/
  17. https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/sinclair-files-for-duopolies-1117758166/
  18. https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/11/18/sinclair-to-buy-10-stations-it-programs-tv-deal-uses-new-rule-letting-owners-have-2-outlets-in-a-market/
  19. https://sbgi.net/sinclair-closes-on-acquisition-of-kfbt-tv-in-las-vegas/
  20. https://www.baltimoresun.com/1997/02/01/sinclair-group-buying-kupn-tv-of-las-vegas-87-million-outlay-provides-entry-into-rapidly-growing-market/
  21. https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=10195
  22. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=10195
  23. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sinclair-broadcast-group-to-acquire-ksnv-nbc-in-las-vegas-nevada-273734531.html
  24. https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/sinclair-broadcast-to-buy-las-vegas-nbc-affiliate-ksnv/
  25. https://www.cwtv.com/series/
  26. https://www.cwtv.com/
  27. https://cwlasvegas.com/entertainment/cw-shows
  28. https://www.tvpassport.com/tv-listings/stations/cw-kvcw-las-vegas-nv-hd/17246
  29. https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/las-vegas-tv-stations-add-drop-and-shuffle-syndicated-shows-for-fall-season/
  30. https://www.cwtv.com/sports/
  31. https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/listings/channel/1878748972/kvcw-mnt-hdtv.html
  32. https://unlvrebels.com/news/2025/5/29/unlv-football-to-appear-on-national-tv-at-least-nine-times-in-2025.aspx
  33. https://www.reviewjournal.com/nevada-preps/
  34. https://cwlasvegas.com/watch
  35. https://cwlasvegas.com/news/local
  36. https://sbgi.net/news/
  37. https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f9196a2df980196abfc169c08d9
  38. https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/lv-stations-to-retain-their-analog-signals-until-delayed-june-deadline/
  39. https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/viewers-prepare-for-analog-to-digital-move-june-12/
  40. https://www.thebroadcastbridge.com/content/entry/15414/sinclair-begins-commercial-atsc-3-0-broadcasts
  41. https://www.rabbitears.info/blog/index.php?post=2023/11/07/Arizona-TV-Station-Update-October-2023
  42. https://www.rabbitears.info/blog/index.php?post=2024/09/14/Arizona-TV-Station-Update-March-August-2024
  43. https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/aitken-on-nextgen-tv-launch-in-las-vegas
  44. https://ltnglobal.com/press-events/next-gen-tv-market-deployments
  45. https://sbgi.net/sinclair-broadcast-group-demonstrates-enhanced-elements-of-nextgen-broadcast-at-nab-show/
  46. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/912752/000197121325000012/sbgi-20241231.htm
  47. https://nationalmediaspots.com/DMA-Ranks.pdf
  48. https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/news-landscape-in-las-vegas-undergoing-historic-shift/
  49. https://www.nexttv.com/features/local-news-close-up-what-happens-in-vegas-a-lot
  50. https://www.strategus.com/markets/las-vegas-nv
  51. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/major-broadcasters-launch-nextgen-tv-on-four-las-vegas-network-affiliated-television-stations-301065131.html
  52. https://deadline.com/2020/05/top-local-tv-groups-upgrade-to-next-generation-tv-technology-in-las-vegas-1202943529/
  53. https://www.thebroadcastbridge.com/content/entry/15414/sinclair-begins-commercial-atsc-3.0-broadcasts
  54. https://www.npr.org/2018/04/02/598916366/sinclair-broadcast-group-forces-nearly-200-station-anchors-to-read-same-script
  55. https://sbgi.net/sinclair-responds-to-unfounded-media-criticism/
  56. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/02/sinclair-tv-disinformation-conservative-news
  57. https://www.mediamatters.org/stew-peters/sinclair-stations-aired-sponsored-segment-featuring-white-nationalist-who-supports
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