KQEG-CD
Translator of WKBT-DT,
La Crosse–Eau Claire, Wisconsin
CityLa Crescent, Minnesota
Channels
Brandingsee WKBT-DT infobox
Programming
Affiliations8.1: CBS
8.2: MyNetworkTV
for others, see § Subchannels
Ownership
Owner
History
FoundedJuly 15, 1992
First air date
July 18, 1994 (1994-07-18)
Former call signs
K50DK (1992–1996)
KQEG-LP (1996–2001)
KQEG-CA (2001–2015)
Former channel number(s)
Analog:
50 (UHF, 1994–2001)
23 (UHF, 2001−2015)
Virtual:
23 (until 2021)
UPN (1995–2006)
Independent (1994–1995, 2006–2021)
FamilyNet (secondary, until 2013)
Ion Television (secondary, 2009–2015)
AMGTV (secondary, 2013–2021)
Call sign meaning
White Eagle Partnership (former owner)
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID72207
ClassCD
ERP15 kW
HAAT225 m (738 ft)
Transmitter coordinates43°44′53″N 91°17′51″W / 43.74806°N 91.29750°W / 43.74806; -91.29750
Translator(s)WPDR-LD 35 (UHF) Tomah[3]
WBDL-LD 18 (UHF) Elk Mound[4]
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.news8000.com

KQEG-CD (channel 23) is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to La Crescent, Minnesota, United States. It is a translator of La Crosse, Wisconsin–licensed CBS affiliate WKBT-DT (channel 8) which is owned by Morgan Murphy Media. KQEG-CD's transmitter is located near Hokah, Minnesota; its parent station maintains studios on South 6th Street in downtown La Crosse.

KQEG-CD has two translators of its own: WPDR-LD (channel 35, formerly WEZY-LP), located in Tomah, Wisconsin; and WBDL-LD (channel 18, formerly WBOO-LP), licensed to Elk Mound, Wisconsin. WBDL-LP was silent due to the station's former frequency (UHF 45) placement in the 600 MHz band that was cleared during the 2016 FCC spectrum auction.[5] Also, equipment delays resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak contributed to the outlet remaining off air.[6][7][8]

History

Early years

KQEG was started by White Eagle Partnership (Eleanor St. John, Perry St. John, and Richard Wilson) in 1994 as K50DK (channel 50). The original construction permit was dated July 15, 1992.[9]

The call letters K50DK were changed to KQEG-LP on February 5, 1996. The channel was changed from 50 to 23 in February 2001.[10] The station's license changed from low power to Class A, thus changing the callsign to KQEG-CA on August 28, 2001.[9]

In June 2002, White Eagle Partnership purchased the construction permit for W45CF (channel 45) of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, from Inspiration Television.[11] (The construction permit had been granted to Inspiration Television in October 2001.[12]) W45CF would operate as a translator station of KQEG-CA.

In September 2004, the community of license for W45CF was changed from Chippewa Falls to Elk Mound, Wisconsin.[13]

FamilyNet era

For some years, KQEG's primary network affiliation had been with UPN, and the station maintained a secondary affiliation with FamilyNet. Following the January 24, 2006, announcement that UPN and The WB would merge into a new network called The CW to launch fall 2006, KQEG gained a bit of national notoriety when it was apparently the first station to its affiliation due to the merger on January 27, 2006.[14][15] CBS affiliate WKBT-TV would swiftly launch UPN La Crosse/Eau Claire on their second subchannel on January 30, 2006, later affiliating with MyNetworkTV upon UPN's demise.[16]

On January 30, 2006, KQEG began airing a rebroadcast of WXOW's 6 p.m. newscast at 7 p.m. weekday evenings.[16]

KQEG-CA and W45CF were purchased by Magnum Radio Inc. (David R. Magnum et al.) from White Eagle Partnership (Eleanor St. John) on January 19, 2009.[17][18] Magnum Radio Inc. already owned WIBU-LP channel 51 of Tomah, Wisconsin.

In May 2009, KQEG's programming was revamped as the station began a part-time affiliation with Ion Television; this included the discontinuation of the 7 p.m. airing of WXOW's 6 p.m. newscast. Also, WIBU-LP began broadcasting as a translator station of KQEG-CA.

On September 16, 2010, the call letters for W45CF were changed to WROE-LP; WMBZ-LP on July 18, 2014; WBWI-LP on February 18, 2015; WMKQ-LP on June 12, 2015; WZRK-LP on February 22, 2017; and then to WBOO-LP on July 3, 2017.[19]

KQEG Logo
Station logo used until 2021.

Since 2013

In 2013, KQEG dropped its part-time affiliation with FamilyNet; it would maintain a part-time affiliation with AMGTV.

On January 13, 2015, WIBU-LP changed its call letters to WEZY-LP;[20] the WEZY call letters were previously used by WVTY in Racine, a radio station also owned by Magnum.

By fall of 2015, KQEG dropped its part-time affiliation with Ion; its part-time affiliation with AMGTV continued.

In 2021, Magnum filed to sell the stations to Morgan Murphy Media, allowing WKBT to address its signal issues with its physical VHF channel 8 within La Crosse by repeating the station on UHF within the city. Magnum retained the WBOO call letters by swapping them with its radio station in Reedsburg, which became WBOO; WBOO-LP became WBDL-LP. The sale was completed on November 30.[21] Its now-duplicative channel position was dropped by Charter Spectrum across the La Crosse–Eau Claire and Rochester service territories soon after.[22]

On November 18, 2021, WEZY-LP was licensed for digital operations as WPDR-LD.

Former programming

KQEG featured much of the main programming schedule (non paid-programming) of AMGTV. Times when AMG programming was seen generally included weekdays from 1 to 6 a.m. and from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Saturdays from 1 to 10 a.m., and Sundays from 1 to 8 a.m. The above network programming blocks were regularly preempted with syndicated home shopping or KQEG original programs.

Original local programming produced by KQEG included local high school sports, Knights of Thunder (La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway coverage), Seven Rivers Sports, Seven Rivers Racing, Seven Rivers Health, Seven Rivers Spotlight, selected parades, Little Britches Rodeo, La Crosse County government meetings, and in conjunction with UW-La Crosse, the annual Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon.[23]

Technical information

Subchannels

This station rebroadcasts the subchannels of WKBT-DT:[24][25][26]

Subchannels of WKBT-DT[27]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
8.1 1080i16:9WKBT-HDCBS
8.2 720pWKBT-DTMyNetworkTV
8.3 480iIONIon Television
8.4 Dabl
8.5 4:3QVC
8.6 HSN

Analog-to-digital transition

On September 25, 2009, Magnum Radio was granted a construction permit by the FCC for a digital flash cut of KQEG-CA channel 23 (UHF analog) to KQEG-CD channel 23 (UHF digital).[28] The station carried out its digital flash cut over a period of several weeks beginning in May 2015.[29]

References

  1. ↑ "Assignments". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KQEG-CD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "Licensing and Management System".
  4. ↑ "Licensing and Management System".
  5. ↑ "Station Search Details". licensing.fcc.gov.
  6. ↑ Relief Letter fcc.gov
  7. ↑ "FCC/CRTC Monitor: 2 TV Translators, 6 LPTV Permits Canceled – Upper Midwest Broadcasting". July 19, 2021.
  8. ↑ "FCC Monitor: Final Approval for Neb. TV Move, More Details of Shoreview Plan – Upper Midwest Broadcasting". Northpine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting. September 6, 2021.
  9. 1 2 http://www.recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?facid=72207
  10. ↑ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3652/is_200101/ai_n8951202/%5B%5D
  11. ↑ "Broadcasting News-June 2002". www.northpine.com.
  12. ↑ "Broadcasting News-October 2001". www.northpine.com.
  13. ↑ "Broadcasting News-October 2004". www.northpine.com.
  14. ↑ "The CW Television Network Set to Launch in September 2006". www.kten.com.
  15. ↑ Cahalan, Steve (January 26, 2006). "Local station drops UPN shows". Chippewa Herald.
  16. 1 2 Cahalan, Steve (January 27, 2006). "Local stations to compete for CW". La Crosse Tribune.
  17. ↑ "Radio Business Report/Television Business Report - Voice of the Broadcasting Industry". Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  18. ↑ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3652/is_20081219/ai_n31207426/%5B%5D.
  19. ↑ "Call Sign History (WBOO-LP)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Call Sign History (WPDR-LD)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Notification of Consummation". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  22. ↑ "KQEG Channel Drop notice" (PDF). Charter Communications. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  23. ↑ Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon fcc.gov
  24. ↑ "RabbitEars TV Query for KQEG". rabbitears.info.
  25. ↑ "RabbitEars TV Query for WPDR". rabbitears.info.
  26. ↑ "RabbitEars TV Query for WBDL". rabbitears.info.
  27. ↑ "RabbitEars TV Query for WKBT". rabbitears.info.
  28. ↑ "Application Search Details". licensing.fcc.gov.
  29. ↑ "LaCrosse / Wausau, WI - HDTV". AVS Forum. June 2, 2023.
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