KSMI-LD (channel 30) is a low-power television station in Wichita, Kansas, United States, affiliated with several digital multicast networks. Owned by Get After It Media, it is operated by Great Plains Television Network, LLC under a local marketing agreement (LMA), making it sister to Class A Independent and Cozi TV-affiliated station KAGW-CD (channel 26). The two stations share offices on South Greenwood Street in Wichita; KSMI-LD's transmitter is located in rural northwestern Sedgwick County (north-northeast of Colwich).

KSMI-LD
Channels
BrandingKSMI 30
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
OperatorGreat Plains Television Network, LLC
(via LMA)
KAGW-CD
History
First air date
1992 (32 years ago) (1992)
Former call signs
  • K51DN (1990–1995)
  • KSMI-LP (1995–2010)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 51 (UHF, 1990–2010)
  • Digital: 51 (UHF, 2010–2013)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID56518
ClassLD
ERP15 kW
HAAT272.5 m (894 ft)
Transmitter coordinates37°48′0.7″N 97°31′30.2″W / 37.800194°N 97.525056°W / 37.800194; -97.525056
Links
Public license information
LMS
Websitewww.kagwtv.com

History

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Former KSMI-LD logo used from 2013 until 2018.

Channel 51 first signed on in the Wichita area as K51DN "KDN-TV" in late 1992.[2] It was one of two low-power TV stations started by Wichita-based River City Broadcasting (the other station being KCTU-LP) and served as an over-the-air subscription TV station for the Playboy Channel.[3] During the daytime hours, the Cable Video Store movie service was added. On June 14, 1993, it added a separate pay service: the Sci-Fi Channel, a national cable service that was not being carried by Wichita's cable system, replacing Cable Video Store. By this time, there were 200 Playboy subscribers.[4]

In the early 2000s, KSMI-LP became an affiliate of the Spanish-language network Telemundo after previously airing Bloomberg Television, World Harvest Television, and the America One Television Network; it switched to the Hispanic Television Network in 2001, and after that network filed for bankruptcy, KSMI affiliated in 2002 with Azteca América.[5] The next year, it introduced a local newscast, Hechos Wichita—the first Spanish-language local news in the market.[6][7]

Luken Communications purchased the station in 2010 and entered into a local marketing agreement with Great Plains Television Network, LLC to manage the station; that year, the station flash cut its digital signal into operation on UHF channel 51. Luken also began providing the station with affiliations from the company's various networks.

On October 17, 2013, KSMI-LP began transmitting its digital signal (which moved to UHF channel 30) from a new, taller tower near Colwich and increased its effective radiated power to 15 kilowatts.

Subchannels

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The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KSMI-LD[8]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
30.1 720p 16:9 HRTLAND Heartland
30.2 480i 4:3 RTV Retro TV
30.3 REVN Rev'n
30.4 ACTION The Action Channel
30.5 FAMILY The Family Channel
30.6 HSN HSN

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KSMI-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Curtright, Bob (October 1, 1992). "Nostalgia Television ready to bring oldies to life". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. p. 3C. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Curtright, Bob (June 27, 1992). "Playboy signal coming to town". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. p. 5C. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Curtright, Bob (June 12, 1993). "Sci-Fi Channel coming to town on UHF". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. p. 3C. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Curtright, Bob (August 28, 2002). "Wichita low-power KSMI-TV plans local Spanish newscast". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. p. 5C. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Curtright, Bob (February 21, 2003). "Spanish news starts Monday with 1 anchor". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. p. 1B. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Curtright, Bob (May 6, 2003). "Local Spanish newscast changes time, anchors". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. p. 1B. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "TV Query for KSMI-LD". RabbitEars.