KRTN-LD (channel 39) is a low-power television station in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, affiliated with the digital multicast network TBD. Owned by the Telemundo Station Group subsidiary of NBCUniversal, it is sister to Telemundo owned-and-operated station KASA-TV (channel 2), KTEL-CD (channel 15), and KUPT-LD (channel 16). KRTN-LD's transmitter is located at Sandia Crest.

KRTN-LD
Channels
Programming
AffiliationsSee below
Ownership
Owner
KASA-TV, KTEL-CD, KUPT-LD
History
First air date
1994 (30 years ago) (1994)
Former call signs
K56FB (1994–2007)
KFAC-LP (2007–2009)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 56 (UHF, 1994–2007), 39 (UHF, 2007–2009)
  • Digital: 39 (UHF, 2009-2020)
  • Virtual: 33 (2011–2017), 47 (2009–2017)
Call sign meaning
Retro Television Network (former affiliation)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID55059
ERP15 kW
Links
Public license information
LMS

KRTN-TV

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KRTN-TV is the full powered satellite station based in Durango, Colorado that broadcasts on channel 33. This station is also seen throughout the Albuquerque–Santa Fe market on Dish Network and DirecTV channel 33.

Station City of license Channels First air date ERP HAAT Facility ID Transmitter Coordinates
KRTN-TV Durango, Colorado 33 (UHF) March 29, 2001 32 kW 83 m (272 ft) 82613 37°15′46″N 107°54′0.2″W / 37.26278°N 107.900056°W / 37.26278; -107.900056 (KTLL-TV)

Many local commercials on this station are from businesses in Durango and Albuquerque. KRTN also features "Durango TV" a local half-hour community show.

Additionally, KRTN is also shown on digital subchannels of these stations:

  • KTEL-TV in Carlsbad/Artesia, New Mexico
  • KUPT in Hobbs, New Mexico
  • K47MQ in Santa Fe/Espanola, New Mexico

History

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The low-powered station in Albuquerque signed on in the Summer of 1994 as K56FB on UHF channel 56. It aired programming from The Box a music video network programmed by viewer request. The Box was purchased by Viacom the parent company of MTV in 2000 and on January 1, 2001, Viacom merged The Box into a "relaunched" version of MTV2. MTV2 aired on channel 56 for about a year and a half but ended in 2002 as MTV2 dropped broadcast affiliates after contracts expired. After re-broadcasting sister station KTEL-LP for about two years the station carried shopping programming from Jewelry Television in 2004. Jewelry TV aired until the end of analog operations in 2009. However Jewelry TV re-affiliated with the station in the Fall of 2013 on a digital subchannel.

The analog station moved to channel 39 from channel 56 in fall 2007 with power upgrades which gives the channel a much better signal than it had on channel 56.

KRTN-TV was previously KTLL-TV which had been the Telemundo satellite for Durango beginning in 2001.

Classic TV programming

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In November 2008, the station signed with the Retro Television Network (then known as RTN) which would air reruns of classic TV shows. RTN was also to be carried on sister station KRTN-TV (formerly KTLL) channel 33.1 in the four corners area.[2] In September 2009 the stations changed their call-letters to KRTN-TV and KRTN-LD matching the planned affiliations. However RTN had never signed on this station. The network (now called Retro TV) has been available locally since July 2014 on KYNM-CD channel 21.3.

In August 2011, the station added MeTV a similarly formatted network from Weigel Broadcasting in Chicago which airs popular shows such as M*A*S*H, Hogan's Heroes, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Cheers.[3]

In early July 2015, KRTN-LD added the game show network Buzzr from FremantleMedia on channel 33.2 while moving Jewelry TV to 33.3. On January 16, 2017 KRTN-LD added an all infomercial channel that originated on KUPT-LD channel 16.2.

In early April 2017, KRTN-LD switched its display channel from 33 to 39.

Technical information

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Subchannels

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The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming[4]
2.2 480i 16:9 TeleX TeleXitos
39.1 COZI SD TBD
39.6 TBD

KRTN-LD began running in digital in late May 2009, rebroadcasting KTEL-LP analog on KRTN-LD on digital 39 (displayed as 47.1). KTEL-LP channel 47 continued broadcasting in analog until September 2014. Beginning in late 2011 KTEL programming was shown in HD until mid 2015. In April 2017 Telemundo was dropped from the signal.

In October 2014, KRTN-LD upgraded its over-the-air signal from 8.4 kW to the maximum power level for low power TV stations at 15 kW with a new antenna pattern that allows for the station to be viewed in areas surrounding Albuquerque.

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KRTN-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Web Page Under Construction".
  3. ^ Where to Watch Me-TV: KRTN
  4. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for KRTN". www.rabbitears.info. Retrieved 2023-11-07.