Following the end of an FCC freeze on channel changes by low-power TV stations, two Twin Cities-area stations have filed competing applications for the same channel.
The freeze ended on Aug. 20. That day, Edge Spectrum’s KTCJ-LD/13 (virtual 48.1) and Digital Networks-Midwest’s KKTW-LD/19 both applied to move to channel 24.
The FCC uses a “first-come, first-served” system for competing applications. The FCC filing system does not publicly list the exact time applications were submitted.
KTCJ-LD would remain at its current transmitter site in Maple Plain, which just began broadcasting last summer, and move to channel 24 with 15kW. It would use a directional antenna pointed towards Minneapolis.
KKTW-LD would remain at its current transmitter site in Plymouth (above), moving to channel 24 and upgrading from 8.75kW to 15kW. The change would also include a switch in KKTW-LD’s directional antenna pattern to point to the east, rather than west, giving it coverage of the full metro.
DTV America’s KMQV-LD also filed an application to move from channel 36 to 24 on Aug. 20, but withdrew it the next day.