KPSP-CD

KPSP-CD is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to Cathedral City, California, and serving the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley television market. The station operates as a CBS affiliate and is owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company, which also owns ABC affiliate KESQ-TV and several other low-power stations serving the same region. The group’s stations share facilities on Dunham Way in Thousand Palms, while KPSP-CD’s transmitter is located on Edom Hill northeast of Cathedral City and Interstate 10. The station began broadcasting on October 5, 1997, as an independent outlet. Its initial schedule consisted largely of movies, syndicated programs, and locally produced content. At that point, the Coachella Valley did not have its own over-the-air CBS affiliate. CBS programming was instead available through Los Angeles station KCBS-TV, either by cable or, in some areas, by antenna. KPSP became the market’s first locally based CBS affiliate on September 2, 2002. Following the transition, local cable systems replaced KCBS-TV with KPSP at CBS’s request, giving the new affiliate a stronger position in the regional television lineup. Although its over-the-air assignment is channel 38, KPSP has historically emphasized its cable position in its on-air identity. It initially used the “CBS 2” brand and later adopted “KPSP Local 2.” The practice reflected the unusually high cable penetration in the Palm Springs market, where cable distribution has been particularly important to station reach. The station is also carried in standard definition on KESQ-TV’s second digital subchannel, 42.2, from the same Edom Hill transmitter facility. KPSP’s ownership and operating structure changed substantially in the early 2010s. On January 31, 2012, Desert Television sold the station and related assets to the News-Press & Gazette Company. The transaction made KPSP a sister station to KESQ-TV and temporarily consolidated KPSP’s operations with KESQ. The original channel 38.1 transmission went silent at midnight on March 1, 2012, while the station’s license was initially excluded from the transaction. CBS programming continued through KESQ’s digital subchannel during the interim period. News-Press & Gazette subsequently acquired the KPSP-CD license, along with KYAV-LD, in January 2013. The Class A digital transmitter resumed operation on February 7, 2013, restoring an over-the-air KPSP signal and enabling CBS programming to be transmitted in 1080i high definition. The broader acquisition of Desert Television assets was completed on April 26, 2013. The station has also undergone several changes in local-news presentation. When operating as a more distinct service, KPSP aired an early-evening weekday newscast that was promoted as a continuous 90-minute program. The scheduling arrangement placed the CBS Evening News at 6:30 p.m.; the network newscast was later moved to 5:30 p.m. After the station’s integration with KESQ, personnel and production resources were incorporated into the wider local-news operation. On December 2, 2018, the CBS Local 2 news identity was retired, and KPSP’s local newscasts were placed under the unified News Channel 3 branding used by the group. KPSP therefore functions both as a CBS network outlet and as part of a multi-station local-news operation rather than as a fully independent newsroom brand.

KPSP-CD signed on October 5, 1997, as an independent television station licensed to Cathedral City, California. Its original programming mix included films, syndicated series, and local programming. The station broadcast on analog UHF channel 38 and served the Palm Springs area, which at the time received CBS programming primarily through Los Angeles station KCBS-TV rather than through a dedicated local affiliate. On September 2, 2002, KPSP became the Coachella Valley’s first CBS affiliate. The launch gave the market a locally based outlet for CBS network programs and led area cable operators to replace KCBS-TV with KPSP at CBS’s request. KPSP promoted itself as CBS 2, reflecting its cable channel placement rather than its over-the-air channel 38 assignment. The cable-oriented branding was especially significant in a market characterized by high cable penetration. In April 2008, the station changed its principal identity to KPSP Local 2, although the previous CBS 2 visual identity continued to appear for a period. Ownership changed in 2012 when News-Press & Gazette Company purchased KPSP from Desert Television and made it part of a local station group centered on ABC affiliate KESQ-TV. KPSP’s channel 38.1 signal ceased broadcasting at midnight on March 1, 2012. The license was not initially included in the transaction, and CBS programming was carried temporarily through KESQ’s second digital subchannel, 42.2. News-Press & Gazette later acquired the KPSP-CD license, together with KYAV-LD, in January 2013. The Class A digital transmitter resumed service on February 7, 2013, restoring KPSP’s terrestrial signal and providing CBS programming in 1080i high definition. The larger acquisition of Desert Television assets was completed on April 26, 2013. KPSP’s facilities and news operations have evolved alongside the ownership changes. The station’s operations were temporarily combined with KESQ’s facility after the acquisition, and the two stations subsequently operated from the Dunham Way site in Thousand Palms, using separate studios for a period. KPSP’s transmitter remains at Edom Hill northeast of Cathedral City. The station’s CBS service is also simulcast in standard definition on KESQ-TV’s 42.2 digital subchannel. Before full integration into the group’s unified local-news operation, KPSP carried an early-weeknight newscast promoted as a 90-minute block from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. The CBS Evening News was initially scheduled at 6:30 p.m. and later moved to 5:30 p.m. On December 2, 2018, the CBS Local 2 news identity was discontinued. KPSP’s local-news output was folded into the News Channel 3 branding and production structure used across the group’s stations. The former KPSP news-set space was later adapted for Spanish-language newscasts from the group’s Telemundo outlet. Today, KPSP-CD is a low-power Class A CBS affiliate serving the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley area. It combines CBS network programming with local-news and weather coverage produced through the News-Press & Gazette station group. Its service is distributed through its own digital signal and through KESQ-TV’s digital subchannel, while its familiar channel-2 identity reflects the importance of cable distribution in the market.

1. 2019Former CBS Local 2 studio space repurposed

   On April 24, the former CBS Local 2 news-set area is launched as a studio supporting Spanish-language newscasts for the group’s Telemundo affiliate.

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2. 2018Local news moves to News Channel 3 branding

   The CBS Local 2 news identity is discontinued on December 2, with local-news programming integrated into the group’s unified News Channel 3 operation.

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3. 2013Class A digital signal returns

   After the license transfer, the channel 38 digital transmitter resumes operation on February 7, restoring over-the-air CBS service in high definition.

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4. 2012Acquired by News-Press & Gazette Company

   The station is sold by Desert Television to News-Press & Gazette Company and becomes a sister station to KESQ-TV.

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5. 2008Rebrands as KPSP Local 2

   The station changes its primary on-air identity from CBS 2 to KPSP Local 2 on April 1.

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6. 2002Becomes the Coachella Valley's first CBS affiliate

   KPSP launches CBS service on September 2, replacing the market’s prior reliance on Los Angeles station KCBS-TV for CBS programming.

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7. 1997Station signs on as an independent

   KPSP begins broadcasting on October 5 as an independent station on analog UHF channel 38, carrying movies, syndicated programs, and local content.

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A locally focused CBS affiliate serving the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley market, with distribution shaped by the region’s strong cable penetration and integration with the News-Press & Gazette Company’s KESQ-led station group.

• CBS network serviceBroadcast television affiliation2002

  KPSP-CD’s principal offering is CBS network programming for the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley market. The service includes the network’s entertainment, news, sports, and special-event schedule. CBS programming is transmitted through KPSP’s digital signal and is also simulcast in standard definition on KESQ-TV’s 42.2 digital subchannel.

• Local news and weatherLocal television news2002

  KPSP has historically offered local news, weather, and related community coverage for the Coachella Valley. Its news operation was once promoted under CBS Local 2, but since 2018 the station’s local-news output has been incorporated into the News Channel 3 branding and production structure shared across the News-Press & Gazette station group.

• Digital broadcast television signalTelevision transmission2013

  The station operates as a low-power Class A digital television service associated with virtual channel 38 and cable channel 2. Its transmitter is located on Edom Hill northeast of Cathedral City. Following the 2013 restoration of the digital facility, CBS programming returned to the station’s own over-the-air signal in 1080i high definition.

• 2018Unify local-news brandingStrategy

  KPSP had previously presented local news under the CBS Local 2 identity while operating within a broader station group.

  What changed. The CBS Local 2 brand was retired and KPSP’s local-news offerings were placed under the News Channel 3 brand.

  Aftermath. News staff and production were consolidated into the group-wide News Channel 3 operation serving multiple local stations.

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• 2013Restore the KPSP-CD digital facilityStrategy

  The initial 2012 transaction did not include the KPSP license, leaving CBS programming dependent on carriage through KESQ’s digital tier.

  What changed. News-Press & Gazette acquired the KPSP-CD license and returned the Class A channel 38 digital transmitter to service on February 7.

  Aftermath. KPSP regained its own over-the-air CBS signal and resumed high-definition transmission.

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• 2012Sell the station to News-Press & Gazette CompanyM&A

  Desert Television transferred KPSP as part of a broader asset transaction involving the Coachella Valley television group.

  What changed. News-Press & Gazette acquired KPSP on January 31 and aligned it with KESQ-TV and other local stations.

  Aftermath. KPSP’s operations were integrated with KESQ, while the channel 38.1 transmission temporarily went silent and CBS service continued through KESQ’s digital subchannel.

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• 2002Launch a local CBS affiliationStrategy

  Before KPSP joined CBS, viewers in the Coachella Valley generally received CBS programming from Los Angeles station KCBS-TV through cable or antenna reception.

  What changed. KPSP began carrying CBS programming on September 2 and adopted a channel-2-oriented identity based on its cable position.

  Aftermath. The station became the market’s first locally based CBS affiliate, and cable systems replaced KCBS-TV with KPSP at CBS’s request.

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• 2018CBS Local 2 news identity retired

  On December 2, KPSP discontinued the CBS Local 2 news brand. Its local-news programming and staff were incorporated into the broader News Channel 3 presentation used across the station group.

  Leadership change
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• 2013KPSP-CD license acquired and digital transmitter restored

  News-Press & Gazette acquired the KPSP-CD license and restarted the Class A digital transmitter on February 7. The station returned to over-the-air service with CBS programming in 1080i high definition.

  M&AProduct generation
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• 2012News-Press & Gazette acquires KPSP-related Desert Television assets

  News-Press & Gazette Company acquired KPSP from Desert Television on January 31, making it a sister station to KESQ-TV. KPSP’s original channel 38.1 transmission later went silent while the licensing and operating transition proceeded.

  M&A
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• 2008KPSP adopts the KPSP Local 2 identity

  On April 1, KPSP changed its on-air branding from CBS 2 to KPSP Local 2, although elements of the CBS 2 logo remained in use for several months.

  Other
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• 2002KPSP becomes the Coachella Valley's first CBS affiliate

  KPSP began carrying CBS programming on September 2, making it the first locally based CBS affiliate in the Coachella Valley. Local cable systems replaced Los Angeles CBS station KCBS-TV with KPSP in the market.

  Other
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1. KPSP-CD
2. KESQ-TV