KQEG-CD

callsign	KQEG-CD
above	Translator of WKBT-DT, La Crosse–Eau Claire, Wisconsin
branding	see WKBT-DT infobox
digital	23 (UHF)
virtual	8
translators	WPDR-LD 35 (UHF) Tomah‡R1R‡ W18FK-D 18 (UHF) Elk Mound‡R2R‡
affiliations	8.1: CBS 8.2: MyNetworkTV for others, see
founded	July 15, 1992
airdate	July 18, 1994
location	La Crescent, Minnesota La Crosse, Wisconsin
country	United States
city	La Crescent, Minnesota
callsign meaning	White Eagle Partnership (former owner)
former callsigns	K50DK (1992–1996) KQEG-LP (1996–2001) KQEG-CA (2001–2015)
former channel numbers	Analog: 50 (UHF, 1994–2001), 23 (UHF, 2001−2015) Virtual: 23 (until 2021)
owner	Morgan Murphy Media‡R3R‡
licensee	QueenB Television, LLC
former affiliations	UPN (1995–2006) Independent (1994–1995, 2006–2021) FamilyNet (secondary, until 2013) Ion Television (secondary, 2009–2015) AMGTV (secondary, 2013–2021)
erp	15 kW
haat	225 m
class	CD
facility id	72207
coordinates	43.74806°N, -91.2975°W
licensing authority	FCC
website	http://www.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 W18FK-D (channel 18, formerly WBDL-LD and WBOO-LP), licensed to Elk Mound, Wisconsin. W18FK-D, then WBDL-LD, was previously 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.[4] Also, equipment delays resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak contributed to the outlet remaining off air.[5][6][7]

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.[8]

The call letters K50DK were changed to KQEG-LP on February 5, 1996. The channel was changed from 50 to 23 in February 2001.[9] The station's license changed from low power to Class A, thus changing the callsign to KQEG-CA on August 28, 2001.[8]

In June 2002, White Eagle Partnership purchased the construction permit for W45CF (channel 45) of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, from Inspiration Television.[10] (The construction permit had been granted to Inspiration Television in October 2001.[11]) 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.[12]

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.[13][14] 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.[15]

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

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;[19] 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, 2021.[20] Its now-duplicative channel position was dropped by Charter Spectrum across the La Crosse–Eau Claire and Rochester service territories soon after.[21]

KQEG-CD

History

Early years

FamilyNet era

Since 2013

Former programming

Technical information

Subchannels

Analog-to-digital transition

External links

References