KUIL-LP (AMC 4 @ 101w) to drop Fox affiliation

[alebowgm]

Hey all,

Just came across an article today (Nexstar's KBTV to Drop NBC Affiliation for Fox) and it looks as if KUIL-LP is going to be losing its Fox affiliation. The article does not say what KUIL will be picking up, if anything in place of losing its Fox affilation, but there may be an NBC affilation now open. Regardless, I am disappointed by the news as I always relied on KUIL to have either a Cowboys or Texans game every Sunday.

Hopefully whatever they pick up has some sort of sports package.

 

[Mr Tony]

KUIL is owned by the same folks who own the Fox in Lake Charles, LA. The reason KUIL was built was for Cowboys games.....I have a feeling it will go dark. I may be wrong but I dont see NBC going to a LP channel...I could see it going to a digital subchannel in the market.

 

[Diamond Jim]

KUIL is how I found Satellite Guys. It was on AMC 6, I think and it disappeared. I when to Yahoo and typed in KUIL and this site popped up and told me that it moved to AMC 4. Ten minutes later, I was a member. If memory serves me right, it was your post Tony, for that, I thank you. :up :up :up

 

[empiretc]

fingers crossed it ends up on g18!

 

[scottc98]

I'd take a change to NBC.....be nice to have a KU source

 

[Mr Tony]

it wont end up on G18 but maybe they will keep it going..from reading wiki they already have a DT ststaion so they probably will keep it going

KUIL-LP is a low-powered FOX affiliate, broadcasting on analog channel 64 and digital channel 36 (K36ID-D) for the Beaumont / Port Arthur, Texas area. KUIL is also available nationwide as a free to air broadcast, via satellite on AMC 4 (101º W).

KUIL-LP is owned by National Communications, who also owns Fox affiliate KVHP in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Prior to 2003, KVHP served Beaumont and Port Arthur, in addition to Lake Charles. In 2003, KVHP established KUIL-LP, as a way to provide local programming just for that region, plus alternate coverage of sports that are more relevant to the Beaumont market (such as Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys football).

When KUIL signed on, it had a secondary affiliation with UPN. When UPN and The WB merged into The CW, KFDM added the CW to its digital subcarrier channel. KUIL reverted back to just simply being a Fox affiliate.

In November 2007, KUIL signed on its digital signal on channel 36 (K36ID-D), one of several low-powered stations to have both analog and digital signals. ([1])

On October 24, 2008, it was announced that KBTV-TV will become a Fox affiliate on January 1, 2008[1], indicating that KUIL will lose the affiliation at that time; it is currently unknown what the station will program after that date.

 

[Diamond Jim]

it is currently unknown what the station will program after that date.

My bet is that it picks up MY TV or the CW......like we don't have enough of those already.

 

[Mr Tony]

Jim
probably not...checked the market and as of right now here are their channels (courtesy of wiki)

KBTV 4 (NBC) • KFDM 6 (CBS/ CW on DT2) • KBMT 12 (ABC) • KUMY-LP 22 (MNTV) • KITU 34 (TBN) • KUIL-LP 64 / K36ID-D 36 (Fox)

so CW & MY are taken...but after reading that My station (KUMY) is even lower powered than KUIL. They have 2 other translators in Beaumont alone for My (channel 9 & 69) but they're on Directv right now (but not cable)

I hope it doesnt go as religious channel

 

[Tron]

Sorry to see KUIL drop Fox... It was nice having a Fox affiliate that was close to home and yet far enough away

 

[Diamond Jim]

I hope it doesnt go as religious channel

I don't have anything religous channels, if that's what you are into, but they like the other nets I mentioned are becoming over populated.

 

[alebowgm]

Just got the following e-mail from KUIL-LP about the impeding network affilation change. It reads as follows

Thank you for your email. We are disappointed also in the loss of our Fox affiliation in Beaumont effective January 1st, 2009. We are currently exploring several other avenues for programming and affiliation, and while I cannot go into specifics at this time, rest assured that the direction we take the station will be in the best interest of KUIL and its viewers. There are no plans for the station to disappear from the market, and as we narrow down the possibilities in front of us, we will be informing our viewers of the exciting new programming on KUIL 64.

Thank you for being a loyal viewer, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have other questions.

Thanks,

John S. Rockweiler III
Director of Web Operations
KVHP Fox 29 Lake Charles / KUIL Fox 64 Beaumont

 

[Mr Tony]

removed the personal information of the e-mail

Kinda nice they aint going away. Wonder what they'll change to? (RTN possibly......)

 

[voomvoom]

If the NBC affiliate is going to become Fox, my guess is there will be some shuffling of the other locals. The others may like where they are, or one of them could change to NBC? Everyone of them could wind up changing to something different, but probably not? I don't expect KUIL to become an RTN affiliate, but I don't expect them to become NBC either. My guess would be the MyNet or CW.... we'll just have to sit back and see what happens.
The bigger question is not about it going off the air, but whether it leaves the Satellite spot? Hopefully it stays put? I would like to see it become an Independant with slightly different programming than is found elsewhere...

 

[Mr Tony]

since ownership isnt changing I can see it still on AMC4 (ok...hoping)

 

[Tron]

Good to see they aren't going away. Possible that they could become a Telemundo or Univision affiliate and go all digital, like the new KGLA-DT New Orleans. Since they are a low power (LP) OTA station, they are not forced to go digital in February of next year. Wonder what they'll do...

 

[Mr Tony]

Tron
They do have a DT station they have up there too. They are exempt from the shutoff but ya never know if they will turn off the transmitter on 2/17/09

In November 2007, KUIL signed on its digital signal on channel 36 (K36ID-D), one of several low-powered stations to have both analog and digital signals.

 

[alebowgm]

since ownership isnt changing I can see it still on AMC4 (ok...hoping)

I replied asking that same information but so far have yet to get a response. However, looking back at old threads here about KUIL that we have had in the past, it appears that the AMC 4 feed is used by the cable companies in Beaumont, TX to recieve the station and distribute at the head end, so I would think that unless that winds up changing it will maintain its status.

But like you, that is more hope than anything (plus, I have hope it will continue to air what I consider to be compelling content).

 

[chapelrun]

I check it this morning - Test Pattern

I checked the signal this AM and it just had a Test Pattern.

I also hope it stays on AMC 4 as something worth watching - - - I mainly used this one to "time shift" but I have others on 123W which I can still do that on.

As for Dallas Cowboy football - - No worries - - - I'm a Redskin Fan

 

[alebowgm]

I checked the signal this AM and it just had a Test Pattern.]

Works fine right now, so must have been an early morning thing, perhaps they didn't have something scheduled because of the time falling back this morning.

I also hope it stays on AMC 4 as something worth watching - - - I mainly used this one to "time shift" but I have others on 123W which I can still do that on.]

Same here with the time shifting, but the one thing I like about AMC 4 and the TP KUIL is on is that I can use an eleptical dish to get a reliable signal.

As for Dallas Cowboy football - - No worries - - - I'm a Redskin Fan

No one said I was a Cowboys fan either! I am just saying I like the ability to know that on any given Sunday I could get those games, as they often showed them where as the affiliates on 123w show other games. More of variety.

 

[Mr Tony]

I checked the signal this AM and it just had a Test Pattern.

According to their site they dont sign on on Sundays until 6:00 AM Central time