WKTB-CD

WKTB-CD is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to Norcross, Georgia, and serving the Atlanta metropolitan area as a Spanish-language affiliate of Telemundo. The station operates under the Telemundo Atlanta identity and combines network programming with locally produced Spanish-language news and community-oriented broadcasting. Its over-the-air signal uses virtual channel 47.1, and the station's programming is also distributed through a full-power simulcast arrangement on WANF, allowing the Telemundo service to reach a broader portion of the Atlanta market than the low-power transmitter alone could cover. The station traces its regulatory history to April 2, 1990, when John R. Broomall received a construction permit for a new low-power station licensed to Roswell, Georgia, on channel 67. The permit was sold to Korean American TV Broadcasting Co. in April 1991. During the 1990s, the operation developed as a multilingual ethnic broadcaster. By 1996, most of the broadcast day carried Telemundo programming, while Korean-, Chinese-, and Korean-language programming occupied other periods. Korean programming was identified with KTN and included local news, church services, South Korean news, and imported entertainment. In 2001, KTN programming moved to a full-time cable channel on AT&T Broadband systems, while the over-the-air station continued evolving as a service for the region's multilingual and Hispanic audiences. The station's channel identity changed as federal spectrum-clearing requirements affected channels 60 through 69. In 2000, the former channel 67 operation moved to channel 38 and became W38CU. The station's original coverage was limited in central Atlanta but reached portions of Gwinnett and DeKalb counties with substantial ethnic populations. Korean American TV later obtained authorization for a digital companion operation on channel 47, designated W47DN-D. The digital facility provided improved metropolitan coverage. In 2009, the analog station received Class A status and adopted the WKTB-CA call sign; the digital facility was consolidated under the same licensing structure in 2011, resulting in the present WKTB-CD identity. WKTB's relationship with Telemundo became more central over time. The station reaffiliated with Telemundo in 2009, and in 2012 Telemundo Atlanta expanded its local news service from short daily news briefs into full evening newscasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. A 5:30 p.m. newscast was added in 2015. The station later introduced a weekday noon newscast on February 19, 2024. Its local news operation has included anchor Jorge Buzo, while Luis Estrada has been identified as the anchor of Noticiero Telemundo Atlanta. WKTB-CD has also used broadcast partnerships to extend its reach. Beginning in August 2013, its Telemundo feed was carried in standard definition on a subchannel of full-power WPXA-TV, using a virtual-channel arrangement associated with 47.11. In June 2021, the full-power simulcast moved to WSB-TV. After Gray Television acquired the station, the simulcast moved to the spectrum of Gray-owned WGCL-TV, now known as WANF, while remaining mapped to virtual channel 47.1. On February 7, 2022, Gray Television announced an agreement to acquire WKTB-CD and sister company Surge Digital Media, a multicultural advertising agency. The announced transaction value was $30 million and required regulatory approval. The transaction closed on April 1, 2022, making WKTB-CD part of Gray's Atlanta operations alongside WANF and WPCH-TV. WKTB-CD's studios are located on Green River Parkway in Duluth, its transmitter is near the I-85/SR 140 interchange on Goshen Springs Road outside Norcross, and master control and many internal functions are handled from Gray's shared facilities on 14th Street Northwest in Atlanta's Home Park neighborhood.

WKTB-CD began as a low-power television authorization associated with Roswell, Georgia. On April 2, 1990, John R. Broomall received a construction permit for a station on channel 67. The permit was transferred to Korean American TV Broadcasting Co. in April 1991. The operation initially reflected Atlanta's multilingual media environment. By 1996, Telemundo programming occupied most of the broadcast schedule, while Korean-, Chinese-, and Korean-language material filled other time periods. The Korean service, known as KTN, included local news, church services, South Korean news, and imported entertainment. In 2000, the station moved from channel 67 to channel 38 as a result of the reassignment of channels 60 through 69 for telecommunications purposes. It became W38CU. Although its coverage did not fully encompass the Atlanta urban area, the station reached communities in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties with sizable ethnic populations. In 2001, KTN expanded onto a full-time cable channel carried by AT&T Broadband systems, allowing the over-the-air station to develop a more focused relationship with Telemundo and other programming. Korean American TV later received a permit for a digital companion station on channel 47, identified as W47DN-D. The digital facility offered a stronger technical footprint across the metropolitan area. In 2009, W38CU obtained Class A status and became WKTB-CA. The digital transmitter was consolidated under the same license in 2011, producing the digital call sign WKTB-CD. The station reaffiliated with Telemundo in 2009. Its local news operation expanded materially in 2012, when Telemundo Atlanta moved from three daily 90-second news briefs to full 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. A 5:30 p.m. broadcast followed in 2015. The news operation was initially led by local anchor Jorge Buzo, and Luis Estrada has been identified as an anchor of Noticiero Telemundo Atlanta. On February 19, 2024, the station added a weekday noon newscast. WKTB-CD has used full-power broadcast partners to supplement its own low-power signal. In August 2013, a standard-definition version of the Telemundo feed began appearing on a WPXA-TV subchannel under a virtual-channel arrangement. The simulcast moved to WSB-TV in June 2021. Following Gray Television's acquisition, the full-power feed moved to the spectrum of WGCL-TV, which subsequently became WANF, while continuing to use virtual channel 47.1. Gray Television announced the purchase of WKTB-CD and Surge Digital Media on February 7, 2022. The stated transaction value was $30 million, and completion required FCC approval. The transaction closed on April 1, 2022. WKTB-CD consequently became part of Gray's Atlanta cluster with WANF and WPCH-TV. The station's studios are in Duluth on Green River Parkway, its transmitter is near Norcross on Goshen Springs Road, and master control and much of its internal infrastructure operate from Gray's shared Atlanta facilities.

1. 2024Weekday noon newscast launched

   Telemundo Atlanta added a weekday midday local newscast beginning February 19.

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2. 2022Acquisition by Gray Television completed

   Gray Television completed its purchase of WKTB-CD and Surge Digital Media on April 1.

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3. 20155:30 p.m. newscast added

   The station expanded its local news schedule with an additional early-evening broadcast.

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4. 2012Full local evening news service launched

   Telemundo Atlanta expanded from short news briefs to full 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. local newscasts.

   Source
5. 2011Digital operation consolidated

   The digital transmitter was consolidated under the station's licensing structure, leading to the WKTB-CD identity.

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6. 2009Class A status and Telemundo reaffiliation

   The station became WKTB-CA after receiving Class A status and reaffiliated with Telemundo.

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7. 2000Station moves to channel 38

   The operation changed from channel 67 to channel 38 and adopted the W38CU call sign during spectrum clearing.

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8. 1996Telemundo programming becomes a major schedule component

   Most of the broadcast day carried Telemundo programming alongside Korean-, Chinese-, and other multilingual content.

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9. 1991Permit transferred to Korean American TV Broadcasting Co.

   Ownership of the construction permit moved to Korean American TV Broadcasting Co.

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10. 1990Construction permit issued

    John R. Broomall received a permit for a new low-power station on channel 67, licensed to Roswell, Georgia.

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A locally focused Spanish-language television service for Hispanic and multilingual audiences in the Atlanta metropolitan area, combining Telemundo network content with Atlanta-produced news and broad-market distribution through a full-power simulcast.

• Telemundo network programmingSpanish-language television1996

  WKTB-CD carries programming from Telemundo, including Spanish-language entertainment, news, and network content. The service forms the core of the station's identity and is distributed through the station's local broadcast signal and full-power simulcast arrangements.

• Noticiero Telemundo AtlantaLocal television news2012

  The station's local Spanish-language news brand provides Atlanta-area reporting and is scheduled through evening and weekday midday broadcasts. The operation expanded from brief news updates into full newscasts in 2012 and later added a noon edition.

• 2024Weekday midday newscast expansionProduct launch

  Telemundo Atlanta had established evening local newscasts and sought to extend its local Spanish-language news schedule.

  What changed. The station launched a weekday noon newscast on February 19, 2024.

  Aftermath. The newscast broadened the station's scheduled local-news offering beyond the 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. broadcasts.

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• 2022Gray Television acquisitionM&A

  WKTB-CD was operated as a local Telemundo affiliate and was marketed for sale together with Surge Digital Media, an agency serving multicultural clients.

  What changed. Gray Television announced a $30 million acquisition agreement on February 7, 2022, subject to FCC approval, and completed the transaction on April 1.

  Aftermath. WKTB-CD joined Gray's Atlanta station group alongside WANF and WPCH-TV. Its full-power simulcast subsequently used WANF's spectrum while retaining virtual channel 47.1.

  Announced transaction value. $30 million (Announced February 7, 2022)

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• 2024Telemundo Atlanta launches weekday midday newscast

  WKTB-CD introduced a weekday noon local newscast on February 19, expanding its Spanish-language news schedule beyond its established evening broadcasts.

  Product launch
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• 2022Gray Television agrees to acquire WKTB-CD and Surge Digital Media

  Gray Television announced an agreement to purchase WKTB-CD and affiliated multicultural advertising agency Surge Digital Media for $30 million, subject to Federal Communications Commission approval.

  M&A
  Source
• 2022Gray Television completes acquisition of WKTB-CD

  The acquisition closed on April 1, bringing WKTB-CD into Gray's Atlanta station group alongside WANF and WPCH-TV.

  M&A
  Source

1. WKTB-CD
2. Telemundo Atlanta official website