KZUP-CD (channel 20) is a low-power, Class A independent television station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Fox affiliate WGMB-TV (channel 44) and CW owned-and-operated station WBRL-CD (channel 21); Nexstar also provides certain services to NBC affiliate WVLA-TV (channel 33) under joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA) with owner White Knight Broadcasting. The four stations share studios on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge; KZUP-CD's transmitter is located near Addis, Louisiana.

KZUP-CD
ATSC 3.0 station
Channels
BrandingZ-TV
Programming
AffiliationsIndependent
Ownership
Owner
WVLA-TV, WGMB-TV, WBRL-CD
History
First air date
  • 1999; 25 years ago (1999) (on cable)
  • November 26, 2002; 21 years ago (2002-11-26) (over-the-air)
Former call signs
  • W19AW (1994–1995)
  • KBTR-LP (1995–2002)
  • KZUP-CA (2002–2010)
  • UPN (1999–2003)
  • Independent (2003–2008)
  • RTV (2008–2012)
Call sign meaning
UPN (former affiliation)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID24975
ClassCD
ERP10 kW
HAAT212.8 m (698 ft)
Transmitter coordinates30°19′34.6″N 91°16′36.1″W / 30.326278°N 91.276694°W / 30.326278; -91.276694
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.brproud.com

While KZUP-CD is the station's official call sign, it uses "KZUP-TV" for promotional purposes.

History

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The station signed on the air in 1999 as a WZUP,[2] a UPN affiliate available only on cable (TCI and later Cox channel 13). It was the second UPN affiliate (of three) in the Baton Rouge area. When the station went over the air on November 26, 2002, it changed its call sign to KZUP-CA; originally it was going to air on channel 21 and WB affiliate WBRL-CA was on channel 19, but this assignment was short-lived.[3] Channel 19 was once used as a translator station for local station and original UPN affiliate WBTR, and when KZUP went on the air, WBTR moved to previously-unused channel 41.[4] It became an independent station after losing UPN to Raycom Media's WBXH-CA in 2003. As an independent, it called itself "Z-19," and it primarily aired African-American-oriented programming like Good Times, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and The Jeffersons. For brief periods in 2005, KZUP was used to simulcast WVLA and WGMB over analog as their individual transmitter towers were turned off to allow upgrades for their digital television channels.[5] KZUP became an affiliate of the Retro Television Network on September 15, 2008.[citation needed] In 2012, White Knight Broadcasting dropped RTN and resumed carrying syndicated programming.

On April 24, 2013, Communications Corporation of America announced the sale of its entire group to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. WVLA and KZUP were to be sold to Mission Broadcasting, but on August 13, 2014, Mission withdrew its application.[6] The sale was completed on January 1, 2015.[7] Nexstar would continue to operate WVLA and KZUP under a shared services agreement, with sister stations WGMB and WBRL.[8]

KZUP was the official station of the Southern University athletic department.

On January 4, 2016, Nexstar agreed to exercise its option to purchase KZUP-CD. Nexstar also decided to enter KZUP-CD into the FCC's broadcast incentive auction, but the station's spectrum was never sold.[9] The sale was approved by the FCC on February 19[10] and completed on March 17.[11]

Subchannels

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Subchannel provided by KZUP-CD on the WBRL-CD multiplex (ATSC 1.0)[12]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
20.1 1080i 16:9 KZUP-CD Independent

ATSC 3.0 lighthouse service

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Subchannels of KZUP-CD (ATSC 3.0)[13]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
20.1 720p 16:9 KZUP-TV Independent
21.1 WBRL-CW The CW (WBRL-CD)
33.1 WVLA-TV NBC (WVLA-TV)
44.1 WGMB-TV Fox (WGMB-TV)

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KZUP-CD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Information Please," Baton Rouge Advocate, September 12, 1999
  3. ^ "2 Cable Stations Go Over the Air," Baton Rouge Advocate, December 15, 2002
  4. ^ ":: Baton Rouge Business Report :: Woody Jenkins to sell TV holdings". Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  5. ^ The Advocate, October 6, 2005
  6. ^ Application Info, CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  7. ^ Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  8. ^ https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101552312&qnum=5040&copynum=1&exhcnum=1 [bare URL]
  9. ^ Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License - Federal Communications Commission
  10. ^ Application Search Details - Federal Communications Commission
  11. ^ Consummation Notice - Federal Communications Commission
  12. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for WBRL". www.rabbitears.info.
  13. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KZUP-CD