KXTU-LD

KXTU-LD (channel 57) is a low-power television station in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, serving as the CW outlet for Southern Colorado. It is owned and operated by network majority owner Nexstar Media Group alongside Fox affiliate KXRM-TV (channel 21). The two stations share studios on Wooten Road in Colorado Springs; KXTU-LD's transmitter is located on Cheyenne Mountain.

The station is simulcast in high definition on KXRM-TV's second digital subchannel. This signal increases KXTU's broadcasting radius; KXTU did not convert to digital until 2010, and even in digital, its coverage area is effectively limited to El Paso and Pueblo counties.

History

The station signed on as KXTU-LP on November 5, 1999,[1] as a UPN affiliate under the brand of "UPN57". For the first 4 years, UPN programming was available via Denver's KTVD.

When UPN left the air on September 17, 2006, KXTU switched to The CW, which was created by the merger of The WB (which had been available in the market by way of Denver's KWGN-TV) and UPN.

Unlike most other low-power stations, KXTU is available to viewers on DirecTV and Dish Network, as well as on cable systems throughout southern Colorado. This is because under the retransmission consent portion of the must-carry rules, KXRM has the right to require cable and satellite providers to carry KXTU as part of the compensation for carrying KXRM.

On August 30, 2010, KXTU-LP flash-cut from analog to digital on channel 57.[2] On October 27, 2010, it changed its call sign to KXTU-LD.[1]

In early 2012, the station moved from channel 57 to channel 20 and rebranded from "CW 57" to "SOCO CW".

On February 28, 2013, Barrington Broadcasting announced the sale of its entire group, including KXTU-LD, to Sinclair Broadcast Group.[3] The sale was completed on November 25.[4]

On August 20, 2014, Sinclair announced that it would sell KXRM-TV and KXTU-LD, along with WTTA in Tampa Bay and WHTM in Harrisburg, to Media General in a swap for WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island, WLUK-TV and WCWF in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and WTGS in Savannah, Georgia. The swap is part of Media General's merger with LIN Media.[5][6] WHTM's sale of Media General was explored nearly two months earlier, and it was completed, nearly three months before the Media General/LIN deal was completed.[7][8] The sale was completed on December 19.[9] A condition of the sale maintained the station's affiliation with Sinclair's American Sports Network package of college sports.[10]

Local programming

Unlike its sister station, KXTU does not air newscasts, but during a breaking news event or weather bump, it simulcasts KXRM's coverage. Since 2023, KXTU has served as the local television home for Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey.[11]

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

External links

• SOCO CW