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KVEO-TV
KVEO-TV
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KVEO-TV (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Brownsville, Texas, United States, serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley as an affiliate of NBC and CBS. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Harlingen-licensed KGBT-TV (channel 4), which airs Antenna TV and MyNetworkTV. The two stations share studios on West Expressway (I-2/US 83) in Harlingen; KVEO-TV's transmitter is located in Santa Maria, Texas.

Key Information

KVEO-TV was the third major commercial station to start in the Rio Grande Valley, beginning broadcasting on December 19, 1981. It immediately became the full-time NBC affiliate in the market. Its original ownership was rocked by financial problems and connections to a failed bank; it emerged from bankruptcy in 1984. Two attempts at local newscasts (1981–1982 and 1985–1986) lasted less than two years each. The station was sold to what became Communications Corporation of America (ComCorp) in 1990. ComCorp began airing local news programming on the station again in 2007, though beginning in 2010 this was produced out-of-market at another station in the company.

Nexstar acquired KVEO-TV in 2013. In 2020, it acquired from Sinclair Broadcast Group all of the non-license assets of KGBT-TV, which had been the CBS affiliate, and its facilities. KGBT-TV's programming became the CBS subchannel of KVEO-TV, and news programming was realigned on both channels.

History

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The first construction permit for channel 23 at Brownsville was awarded to Pan American Broadcasting Corporation in 1974; officials intended to build the station as the missing network affiliate for the market, then ABC.[2] The station got as far as receiving call letters,[3] but no building activity occurred. In 1978, the FCC review board granted an extension of time, noting that Pan American had attempted to merge with another proposed UHF station at McAllen; that merger fell through, and the group was allowed to try and transfer the permit.[4]

Tierra del Sol ownership

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The Pan American permit never materialized, and the channel was empty when Tierra del Sol Broadcasting Corporation applied on October 21, 1979, for channel 23.[5] It immediately sought NBC affiliation; at the time, the city had a dual NBC–CBS affiliate, KGBT-TV, that had to try and provide the best programs from both networks and manage conflicts in such areas as sports.[6]

During construction, Tierra del Sol Broadcasting sought to change electricity providers for its studio facility. The KVEO-TV studio building, the former The Godfather nightclub in Brownsville,[7] was originally to be served by the city-owned Public Utility Board (PUB). However, it had a poor reputation for reliability, and brownouts were frequent on the system. The station desired to be served by Corpus Christi-based Central Power & Light (CP&L). It cited a 1975 Texas court decision that allowed it to become a CP&L customer because of its proximity to a CP&L line; when the PUB refused to disconnect its service to the building to permit the change in provider, KVEO did so itself with CP&L's permission, an action that the PUB then appealed to Texas utility regulators in addition to charging the station with criminal mischief.[8][7][a] KGBT-TV ceased airing NBC programming on July 1, 1981, at which time KVEO ran newspaper advertising promising it would be on the air in less than 60 days with the NBC programs that would temporarily go unseen in the Valley.[10] However, tower construction delays kept the station off the air.[11]

KVEO began broadcasting on December 19, 1981. It struggled to find an audience, particularly for its Total 23 News programming, with viewers already tuned to KGBT-TV and KRGV-TV. The station's early evening newscasts were canceled in July 1982,[12] followed by the late news that September.[13] Additionally, the Mexican peso slumped beginning in February 1982, two months after the station signed on. That provoked a sharp decline in business activity on the American side of the Rio Grande and created further issues for a station that was already burdened with debt.[14]

In order to raise cash for operating expenses, Peter Dean—one of the partners in Tierra del Sol and its chairman of the board[15]—sold the station's uncollected advertising accounts to a company known as Central Texas Factors. Dean had helped to organize the company with Lawrence Ludka, his law partner; involved in the firm were several principals of the Ranchlander National Bank, a financial institution in the small town of Melvin. Tierra del Sol sued Dean and Ludka in October 1982 for splitting the revenues derived from this business without its knowledge or consent.[15] In response, Dean moved to force KVEO into bankruptcy, claiming it owed him more than $600,000. Another owner of Tierra del Sol, Darrell Davis—who had anchored the station's newscasts prior to their cancellation—called Dean's actions malicious. Davis told The Brownsville Herald, "Mr. Dean has done us and the Valley wrong, and he is in for the most interesting time of his life."[13] Dean's issues were magnified when the Ranchlander National Bank failed on November 19, its de facto owner having been revealed to be a former felon convicted for bank embezzlement.[16][17] The probe into bank fraud and related broadcasting activity broadened shortly before Christmas as investigators looked into Central Texas Factors.[15] On December 21, 1982, Peter Dean was found dead on a ranch owned by his father-in-law in Comal County.[18] The medical examiner determined that he had died from drinking cola laced with cyanide, though there was also a hose attached to the vehicle's exhaust, and traces of carbon monoxide were found in his body.[19]

Legal proceedings involving KVEO-TV continued into 1983. In April, a deal was reached with Guadalupe South Texas Communications, a commercial subsidiary of the De Rance Foundation of Milwaukee, to purchase KVEO.[20] However, the buyer and seller could not agree on the value of some KVEO-TV assets, delaying closing of the purchase.[14] While this matter was pending, Hundred East Credit Corporation—which held rights to the station's transmitting equipment—accused station officials of fraud, believing they were diverting money to a production company they co-owned even though KVEO's assets had been frozen. Guadalupe South Texas concurred, believing the station would be unable to pay any of its $9.5 million in debts unless a trustee were appointed.[21] In November, Tierra del Sol agreed on an amended purchase arrangement with Guadalupe South Texas, with some of the proceeds being used to pay creditors.[22]

Valley Broadcasting/SouthWest MultiMedia ownership

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However, that sale failed to materialize. Instead, Valley Broadcasting purchased the station for $7.6 million in late 1984.[23] The new ownership restored local news to KVEO in the form of NewsWatch 23 newscasts that began in April 1985. The anchor was Ron Oliveira, who had been working in the Austin market at KVUE; he left to become KVEO's assistant general manager because he wanted management experience en route to someday owning his own station.[24][25] Facing poor ratings and a depressed economy, and having been promised by the network that discontinuing local news programming would not place its NBC affiliation in jeopardy, the last newscast aired in September 1986.[26]

In 1986, Billy Goldberg—the majority owner of Valley Broadcasting, by then renamed SouthWest MultiMedia—and Oliveira were given an initial grant for a new television station on channel 54 in Austin; Goldberg had pledged to divest himself of KVEO prior to that station going on air.[27] That station was eventually significantly delayed by appeals to the comparative hearing process, but Oliveira had already sold his house in Brownsville and returned to KVUE in Austin.[28]

ComCorp ownership

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In 1990, SouthWest MultiMedia sold its three television stations—KVEO, KWKT-TV in Waco, and KPEJ-TV in Odessa—for $30.4 million to Associated Broadcasters, Inc., a company owned by Thomas R. Galloway of Lafayette, Louisiana. While Galloway had previously owned interests in other stations, the transaction represented Associated's first television holdings alongside three Louisiana radio stations.[29] Galloway's broadcast holdings were known as Communications Corporation of America (ComCorp) by the mid-1990s.[30]

Under ComCorp, the station eschewed local news and called itself "The Valley's Entertainment Leader".[7] After UPN first established a secondary affiliation with KRGV-TV, which only carried Star Trek: Voyager,[31] the network's programming had moved to KVEO by 1997.[32] In 1999, the station lost UPN to XHRIO-TV in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, when that station lost Telemundo.[33] KVEO-TV also began broadcasting in digital in June 2005, adding high-definition programming in February 2006.[34]

KVEO's lack of local news did not change until October 1, 2007, when KVEO began producing evening newscasts again under the name NewsCenter 23.[35] As a cost-cutting measure, ComCorp opted to discontinue the production of newscasts from Brownsville in January 2010. Instead, the news programs would be presented by on-air personalities of KTSM-TV, ComCorp's station in El Paso, with local reporters filing stories that were edited and prepared in El Paso.[36]

Nexstar ownership; acquisition of KGBT-TV

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On April 24, 2013, ComCorp announced the sale of its television stations, including KVEO-TV, to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. The ComCorp sale was completed on January 1, 2015.[37]

Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group settled a breach of contract lawsuit stemming from Sinclair's failed acquisition of Tribune Media, which was ultimately acquired by Nexstar, in January 2020. Sinclair paid Nexstar $60 million and transferred to it WDKY-TV serving Lexington, Kentucky, and all of the non-license assets related to KGBT-TV, the CBS affiliate in the market, including the affiliation, programming, and physical plant.[38] At midnight on January 28, 2020, the CBS subchannel of KGBT-TV became the CBS subchannel of KVEO-TV and moved from channel 4.1 to channel 23.2.[39] In addition, Nexstar announced that it would merge KVEO and KGBT's operations at the latter's facility in Harlingen.[40] KGBT-TV itself was acquired by Mission Broadcasting, an affiliated company; Nexstar then exercised its option to purchase it outright in July 2021.[41]

Subchannels

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KVEO-TV's transmitter is located in Santa Maria, Texas.[1] The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KVEO-TV[42]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
23.1 1080i 16:9 KVEONBC NBC
23.2 KVEOCBS CBS

See also

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Notes

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
KVEO-TV is a dual and affiliated television station licensed to , , serving the Rio Grande Valley area including Harlingen, Weslaco, McAllen, and surrounding communities in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 23 (UHF digital channel 24) from studios located at 9201 West Expressway 83 in Harlingen, and is owned by alongside sister station (channel 4). As the NBC affiliate for the market, KVEO-TV signed on the air on December 19, 1981, marking it as the second commercial television station in the Rio Grande Valley after KGBT-TV. It began digital broadcasting in 2005 and relaunched local news programming in October 2007 under the NewsCenter 23 banner, becoming the first station in the region to air in high definition. Nexstar Media Group acquired KVEO from Communications Corporation of America on January 2, 2015, for $18.7 million, integrating it into their portfolio of over 200 stations nationwide. In early 2020, following Nexstar's acquisition of the non-license assets of KGBT-TV from Sinclair Broadcast Group, the CBS affiliation was relocated to KVEO's second digital subchannel (23.2) on January 28, 2020, establishing the dual-network setup while KGBT transitioned to The CW Plus. The station provides a mix of local news, weather, various syndicated programs, and network content to approximately 428,240 television households in the 80th-largest designated market area (as of the 2024–25 television season).

Station Overview

Licensing and Facilities

KVEO-TV is licensed by the (FCC) to serve , as a full-service commercial under facility identification number 12523. It broadcasts on (UHF) radio frequency channel 24 while mapping to 23.1 for its primary subchannel. The station's call letters originated as KVEO upon its initial sign-on authorization on December 10, 1981, and were updated to the current KVEO-TV on June 25, 2009, coinciding with the transition to . The station operates from shared studio facilities with sister station , located at 9201 W. Expressway 83 in Harlingen, 78552, approximately 30 miles northwest of Brownsville. This setup includes integrated news production areas, control rooms, and administrative offices designed to support bilingual programming for the Rio Grande market. KVEO-TV's transmitter tower is situated in rural Santa Maria, , at coordinates 26°6′2.3″N 97°50′21.5″W. The facility features a with an of 1,000 kW and a (HAAT) of 444.9 meters, enabling broad coverage across southern and into . Nexstar Media Group, Inc., has owned KVEO-TV since completing its acquisition on January 2, 2015 (effective January 1, 2014), as part of a $270 million purchase of 13 stations from Communications Corporation of America and White Knight Broadcasting, which was announced on April 24, 2013. , a major U.S. broadcaster with over 200 owned or operated stations, manages KVEO-TV through its subsidiary Nexstar Media Inc., emphasizing local content in the Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen designated market area.

Affiliations and Branding

KVEO-TV has served as the affiliate for the since its sign-on on , 1981, becoming the first full-time NBC station in the market after previous reliance on secondary affiliations from other local broadcasters. On January 28, 2020, the station added a affiliation on its 23.2 subchannel, establishing a dual-affiliate structure that consolidated network programming under Nexstar Media Group's ownership. This arrangement allows KVEO-TV to deliver primary NBC content on its main 23.1 channel while providing CBS programming, including longstanding local ties dating back to the market's inaugural television broadcast in 1953, now integrated into the station's digital multicast offerings. The station's branding has evolved to reflect its role as a central hub for regional media, adopting "ValleyCentral" as its primary on-air and digital identity to emphasize comprehensive coverage of the Valley. This branding encompasses its website, mobile app, and broadcast promotions, highlighting a commitment to community-focused content. Earlier iterations included the "NewsCenter 23" identity introduced in 2007 for local newscasts, marking a return to in-house news production with high-definition capabilities that positioned KVEO-TV as a technological leader in the market. The current dual-affiliate setup is visually represented through updated logos that incorporate both peacock and eye motifs alongside the channel number 23, underscoring the station's expanded network presence without altering its core "ValleyCentral" moniker. Programming on KVEO-TV blends network schedules from and with local insertions and syndicated fare, such as , designed to resonate with the diverse audience. The station prioritizes content that addresses regional interests, including weather updates, community events, and border-related stories, often incorporating bilingual elements in English and Spanish to serve the area's significant demographic. Operating in the Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen designated market area (DMA), KVEO-TV tailors its lineup to foster accessibility and cultural relevance for approximately 428,240 television households, the 80th-largest DMA as of the 2024-2025 television season.

History

Launch and Early Challenges

KVEO-TV signed on the air on December 19, 1981, as an affiliate serving the Valley region of . The station was constructed and launched by Tierra del Sol Television Corporation, which had acquired the necessary construction permit for channel 23 in Brownsville during the 1970s. Upon its debut, KVEO-TV became the first full-time affiliate in the Valley, filling a gap left by secondary NBC carriage on other local stations since the late 1970s. Initial operations focused primarily on network programming, with brief forays into local content such as short news segments and community affairs shows between 1981 and to build audience engagement in the market. However, these efforts were limited by the station's nascent infrastructure and small staff. Financial difficulties soon emerged, exacerbated by high startup costs and regional economic pressures in the border area. In late , a filed an involuntary petition against Tierra del Sol Broadcasting, citing unpaid debts exceeding $600,000 and allegations of mismanagement. The proceedings led to operational disruptions, including intermittent and reduced programming as the station navigated legal and financial turmoil through 1983. Tierra del Sol sought to assign the in mid-1983 amid ongoing disputes, but full resolution came only after approval of the sale. KVEO-TV emerged from in 1984 following its acquisition by Broadcasting Corporation, which stabilized operations and set the stage for future growth.

Ownership Changes

Following the station's emergence from early financial difficulties and , KVEO-TV was acquired by Valley Broadcasting Corporation for $7.6 million in late 1984, enabling the resumption of full operations under new management. This ownership shift, which transitioned to SouthWest MultiMedia by , provided initial stability after years of limited broadcasting but included only a short-lived attempt at local news production in –1986 before refocusing on core affiliation duties to build audience share. In September 1990, SouthWest MultiMedia sold KVEO-TV—along with sister stations KWKT-TV in Waco and KPEJ-TV in Odessa—to Associated Broadcasters Inc. (which rebranded as Communications Corporation of America, or ComCorp) as part of a $30 million package deal. ComCorp's stewardship from 1990 to 2013 brought prolonged operational stability, with the station prioritizing reliable delivery of NBC network programming amid a competitive Rio Grande Valley market, while minimizing resource-intensive local content to control costs. Key developments under ComCorp included facility expansions in the mid-1990s to upgrade studios and transmission capabilities, alongside brief revival efforts for local news in the late 1990s that were ultimately scaled back due to low viewership and economic pressures. In April 2013, ComCorp announced the sale of its entire portfolio of 19 stations, including KVEO-TV, to and for a total of $270 million, with the transaction receiving FCC approval and closing on January 2, 2015. This shift integrated KVEO-TV into Nexstar's expansive holdings, bolstering its operational infrastructure through shared resources and strategic synergies, while maintaining its NBC focus and enhancing long-term viability in the region.

Expansion Through Acquisitions

Following Nexstar Media Group's acquisition of KVEO-TV, announced in 2013 and completed in 2015, the company invested in enhancing the station's digital infrastructure and local programming to strengthen its presence in the Rio Grande Valley market. These efforts included upgrades to support high-definition broadcasting and production capabilities, building on KVEO's earlier adoption of HD technology, as well as expanded offerings to complement traditional over-the-air content. A significant expansion occurred in January 2020, when Nexstar acquired the non-license assets of affiliate from for $3.6 million, including its 25,000-watt . Concurrently, acquired the KGBT license assets to comply with FCC ownership limits, with Nexstar entering into a to operate the station. As part of the deal, programming was relocated from KGBT's main channel to KVEO-TV's subchannel 23.2, enabling shared operations and resource integration between the two stations. The rationale centered on streamlining facilities and boosting programming efficiency to better serve the region's viewers. This transaction effectively formed a duopoly in the Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen market, allowing Nexstar to consolidate news production and local content across on 23.1 and on 23.2, which enhanced coverage of regional events, weather, and community issues. The combined operations provided advertisers with broader reach while maintaining distinct network affiliations. Post-acquisition developments included the FCC's renewal of KVEO-TV's in 2022, affirming the station's compliance and operational status, with the facility remaining licensed as of July 2022. No major facility upgrades or additional FCC approvals were reported through 2025, though Nexstar continued general investments in its portfolio's digital and programming capabilities.

News and Programming

Local News Operations

KVEO-TV's local news operations began shortly after the station's sign-on in December 1981, with initial newscasts airing in 1981 and 1982 under the ownership of the original licensee. These early efforts featured basic evening programming focused on Rio Grande Valley events, but they were discontinued by 1982 due to operational challenges in the . A second attempt at local news production occurred in 1985–1986 under , the station's owner at the time, which introduced expanded coverage but also proved short-lived, lasting less than two years before a full hiatus set in. Local news remained off-air for over two decades until October 1, 2007, when relaunched programming as "NewsCenter 23," marking the station's first high-definition newscasts in the region. From 2007 to 2010, KVEO-TV operated a full in-house news department, producing a comprehensive schedule that included a morning show, evening newscasts at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., and a late-night broadcast at 10 p.m., emphasizing stories and weather updates for the border region. This period represented a significant in local , with dedicated reporters and anchors covering Harlingen, Brownsville, and McAllen. However, economic pressures led to the closure of the on-site in 2010, with production shifting to out-of-market facilities at another ComCorp station to reduce costs, effectively scaling back original content while maintaining some elements. Local news operations were revived and expanded following Nexstar Media Group's acquisition of KGBT-TV in January 2020, integrating KVEO's resources into shared studios in Harlingen under the unified "ValleyCentral" brand. This partnership allowed for consolidated production across NBC and CBS affiliations, incorporating bilingual Spanish-English segments to serve the diverse Rio Grande Valley audience, including cross-border issues like immigration and trade. The move enhanced coverage without duplicating efforts, drawing on KGBT's established news infrastructure for broader reach. As of November 2025, KVEO-TV's news operations feature anchor teams led by morning and midday anchor Jeremiah Marshall, weekend anchors Frank McCaffrey and Sandy Torres, and reporters including sports anchor/reporter Blake Holland, supported by a weather team including chief Bryan Hale and evening Marcelo Rivera Gonzalez. Recent staff transitions in October 2025, such as the return of Rudy Mireles for digital broadcasts, have further strengthened the team. Programming airs multiple daily newscasts, with a strong emphasis on local and border-related topics like public safety, economic developments, and environmental concerns in the . Digital extensions via the ValleyCentral website and mobile app provide on-demand video, live streams, and interactive features, ensuring 24/7 access to updates for the region's 1.33 million residents.

Network and Syndicated Content

KVEO-TV's primary channel (23.1) carries the full NBC network schedule, including morning programming such as Today and Today with Hoda & Jenna, daytime soaps like Days of Our Lives, and evening news with NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Primetime features NBC's lineup of dramas and sitcoms, such as Chicago Fire and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, alongside late-night shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers. This standard NBC feed has been in place since Nexstar Media Group's acquisition of the station in 2015, providing consistent national content to the Rio Grande Valley audience. On its subchannel (23.2), KVEO-TV has broadcast the complete network schedule since January 28, 2020, following Nexstar's acquisition of the CBS affiliation from Sinclair Broadcasting. Daytime includes CBS staples like and , while evenings feature and primetime series such as NCIS and , with additional coverage of major sports events through . This dual-affiliation setup allows the station to deliver both networks' full lineups without interruption, enhancing viewer access in the market. Syndicated programming on KVEO-TV fills key daytime and access-period slots across its channels, with current staples including talk shows The Drew Barrymore Show and The Kelly Clarkson Show airing weekdays in the early afternoon on the main channel. The CBS subchannel incorporates game shows like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, which air in prime access time before network primetime. Historically, syndication choices have shifted with ownership changes; prior to Nexstar's 2015 purchase, the station emphasized a mix of court shows and older reruns, but the current lineup prioritizes contemporary talk and game formats to complement network feeds. In addition to regular schedules, KVEO-TV integrates special network programming for regional events, such as election coverage from and , major weather alerts during hurricane season, and live sports broadcasts like NFL games on , often preempting regular slots as needed. These specials bridge national content with local relevance, ensuring timely dissemination of critical information to the Rio Grande Valley community.

Technical Information

Transmitter and Coverage Area

KVEO-TV's primary coverage area encompasses the in , extending from Brownsville in the east to McAllen in the west, primarily serving Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. The station's digital signal operates on UHF channel 24 with an () of 1,000 kW from a mounted on a 1,460-foot tower, providing a predicted noise-limited coverage contour of approximately 65.9 miles and reaching an estimated land area of 13,654 square miles. Due to its location at the U.S.- border, KVEO-TV's over-the-air signal extends into northern , , making it receivable in cities such as Matamoros and without additional translators or repeaters. KVEO-TV does not utilize low-power translators or repeaters to extend its signal into rural areas, relying instead on its main transmitter for primary distribution. The station serves the Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen designated market area (DMA), ranked 80th nationally as of the 2024–25 television season, which includes a population of approximately 1.34 million people across 428,240 television households, with a predominantly bilingual audience influenced by the region's strong cultural ties to —over 90% of residents identify as or Latino. This border dynamic shapes programming to address cross-cultural needs, including bilingual content for English- and Spanish-speaking viewers.

Digital Transition and Subchannels

KVEO-TV initiated its operations in June 2005, ahead of the national full-power transition, allowing for early high-definition content delivery while maintaining analog simulcasting. The station conducted pre-transition testing, including analog shut-off simulations in coordination with other Rio Grande Valley broadcasters, to prepare viewers for the impending switch. As mandated by the , KVEO-TV terminated its on UHF channel 23 at 12:01 a.m. on June 12, 2009, completing the conversion to digital-only broadcasts on its assigned RF channel 24; this aligned with the nationwide DTV transition, after which the station's remained 23. Following the digital transition, KVEO-TV's primary subchannel, 23.1, carries programming in resolution at a 16:9 aspect ratio using ATSC 1.0 modulation with H.264 video compression and 5.1 audio. In January 2020, as part of Nexstar Media Group's acquisition and restructuring of local assets, affiliation relocated from the now-defunct standalone signal to KVEO-TV's subchannel 23.2, which broadcasts in matching /16:9 format with H.264 compression and 5.1 audio; this shift freed KGBT's former channel 4 spectrum for multicast services such as and . No additional subchannels or mobile services are currently offered.

References

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