KCSO-LD
KCSO-LD is a low-power Spanish-language television station serving the Sacramento, California, market as a Telemundo affiliate.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KCSO-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Sacramento, California, and affiliated with the Spanish-language Telemundo network. The station serves the Sacramento television market and extends its effective reach through a combination of over-the-air simulcasts, a Class A translator, and distribution by cable and satellite providers. Its studios are located on Media Place in Sacramento's Woodlake neighborhood, while its transmitter is located in Walnut Grove, California. The station began broadcasting in 1999 under the ownership of country-western performer Chester Smith and his company, Sainte Partners II, L.P. It was the final station operated under the Sainte banner. After Smith's death in 2008, the station continued under Sainte ownership until 2013, when it was sold to Serestar Communications Group. Serestar subsequently acquired KMUM-CD and KMMW-LD, which became related translator and sister operations after changing their programming affiliation from Tr3́s to Telemundo. The acquisition of these stations helped KCSO extend its Spanish-language service beyond the limits of its low-power primary signal. In 2014, KCSO began using a subchannel of KSPX-TV to provide a wider-market simulcast, displayed to viewers as channel 33.2. That arrangement later changed: the KSPX simulcast was discontinued in 2021, a comparable widescreen standard-definition simulcast resumed through KMAX-TV in 2022, and a high-definition simulcast returned to KSPX-TV in March 2025. KCSO continues to appear through both the KSPX high-definition feed and the KMAX standard-definition feed, using virtual channel designations associated with channel 33 and 31.7 respectively. NBCUniversal acquired KCSO-LD, KMUM-CD, and KMMW-LD from Serestar in a transaction agreed in November 2018 and completed on March 5, 2019. The change made KCSO an NBCUniversal-owned station and one of the Sacramento market's network-owned television outlets. The station is also affiliated within the broader NBCUniversal station portfolio and is a sister operation to NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California. KCSO's local news operation has developed in stages. Its original weekday evening program, Noticiero 33, launched after sign-on but was canceled after approximately five years because of low ratings. The station later provided online news briefs under the Telemundo 33 Al Día name and introduced morning news updates in 2014 as Noticias 33 por la mañana. A full weekday 6 p.m. newscast returned on November 6, 2016, initially using the Noticiero Telemundo 33 identity and later evolving into Noticias Telemundo Sacramento and then Noticias Telemundo California. An 11 p.m. weeknight newscast followed in 2017. In March 2020, KCSO added 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts and began simulcasting its news programs on sister Fresno station KNSO. The station also carries selected digital multicast programming. Its channel history has included TeleXitos on 33.3, Light TV and later TheGrio on 33.4, and Oxygen on 33.6. The former KMMW-LD operation in Stockton ceased broadcasting in March 2025, after which its license was returned to the Federal Communications Commission. KCSO-LD remains an active local Telemundo outlet whose core proposition is Spanish-language network entertainment, news, sports, and public-affairs programming for Sacramento-area viewers.
History
KCSO-LD signed on in 1999 as a Sacramento-area low-power television station founded by country-western performer Chester Smith and Sainte Partners II, L.P. The station became a Spanish-language Telemundo outlet and developed a service model designed to overcome the geographic limitations of a low-power broadcast facility. Its primary transmitter is in Walnut Grove, while its studios are in Sacramento's Woodlake neighborhood. Chester Smith died in 2008, but KCSO continued to operate under Sainte ownership. In 2013, Sainte sold the station to Serestar Communications Group. Serestar expanded the operation in 2014 by acquiring KMUM-CD and KMMW-LD from Viacom. Before the transaction closed, those stations changed from the Tr3́s network to Telemundo. They subsequently served as related stations and translators for KCSO, supporting broader Spanish-language coverage in the Sacramento and Stockton areas. Because KCSO is low-power, it has used other full-power or larger-market facilities to improve reception across the region. In 2014, it began a widescreen standard-definition simulcast on KSPX-TV's seventh digital subchannel, where the service was identified as channel 33.2. That simulcast ended on October 8, 2021. In April 2022, a similar service resumed through KMAX-TV, again using a virtual channel presentation associated with channel 33. In March 2025, the HD simulcast moved back to KSPX-TV 33.2, while KMAX-TV retained an SD version on 31.7. Serestar agreed in November 2018 to sell KCSO-LD and its related stations to NBCUniversal. The transaction, reported at $21 million, closed on March 5, 2019. KCSO thereby became an NBCUniversal-owned Telemundo station and joined the company's portfolio of network-owned outlets. It also sits within a wider NBCUniversal station family that includes sister regional sports networks NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California. Local news has been an important but evolving part of the station's identity. The original Noticiero 33 evening newscast aired on weekdays at 6 p.m. but was canceled after roughly five years because of weak ratings. KCSO later supplied online news briefs under the Telemundo 33 Al Día label. In late 2014, the station added short morning updates called Noticias 33 por la mañana during Telemundo's Un Nuevo Día program. On November 6, 2016, KCSO restored a half-hour weekday 6 p.m. newscast. It was initially called Noticiero Telemundo 33, later Noticias Telemundo Sacramento, and eventually Noticias Telemundo California. A weeknight 11 p.m. edition was introduced in 2017. These programs positioned KCSO as a direct Spanish-language news competitor to Univision-owned KUVS, which had maintained a long-established Sacramento-area news operation. After NBCUniversal's acquisition, the station continued building a shared regional news structure. On March 18, 2020, it added 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. broadcasts and began simulcasting its newscasts on Fresno sister station KNSO. KCSO has also carried digital multicast services. TeleXitos occupied subchannel 33.3 after that channel was relaunched in 2017. Light TV launched on 33.4 in 2018 and was replaced by TheGrio in January 2021; TheGrio was removed in March 2024, leaving that subchannel silent. Oxygen was added on 33.6 in October 2023. In March 2025, KMMW-LD ceased operations and returned its license to the FCC. KCSO-LD remains active as Sacramento's Telemundo station, using network programming, original local news, multicast services, and partner-station distribution to reach its market.
- 2025
KSPX HD simulcast returns
[1]The high-definition simulcast returns to KSPX-TV 33.2, while KMMW-LD ceases operations and returns its license.
- 2023
Oxygen added to multicast lineup
[1]Oxygen is added on digital subchannel 33.6.
- 2022
KMAX simulcast resumes
[1]A widescreen standard-definition KCSO simulcast returns through KMAX-TV.
- 2021
TheGrio replaces Light TV
[1]Digital subchannel 33.4 changes from Light TV to TheGrio.
- 2020
Expanded local news schedule
[1]KCSO adds early-evening newscasts and begins sharing its news output with KNSO in Fresno.
- 2019
NBCUniversal ownership begins
[1]The acquisition closes on March 5, making KCSO an NBCUniversal-owned Telemundo station.
- 2018
NBCUniversal acquisition announced
[1]Serestar agrees to sell KCSO-LD and two related stations to NBCUniversal.
- 2017
Late-night newscast launches
[1]The station adds a weeknight 11 p.m. newscast and relaunches programming on digital subchannel 33.3 as TeleXitos.
- 2016
Local evening news returns
[1]KCSO launches a weekday 6 p.m. half-hour newscast after an extended absence.
- 2014
Translator acquisition and KSPX simulcast
[1]Serestar acquires KMUM-CD and KMMW-LD, and KCSO begins a market-wide simulcast on KSPX-TV 33.2.
Products and positioning
A local Spanish-language Telemundo station serving Sacramento and nearby Central Valley communities, combining national network programming with locally produced news and extended-market distribution.
Television broadcasting · 1999
KCSO-LD channel 33
The station's primary low-power over-the-air television service for Sacramento, carrying Telemundo's Spanish-language network schedule together with locally produced programming and news.
Local news · 2016
Noticias Telemundo California
KCSO's local Spanish-language news operation, developed from the station's earlier Noticiero 33 and Noticias Telemundo Sacramento identities. It includes evening and late-night broadcasts and is simulcast with Fresno sister station KNSO.
Television distribution · 2014
KSPX-TV 33.2 simulcast
A high-definition simulcast that extends KCSO's Telemundo service through KSPX-TV. The feed returned in March 2025 after an earlier simulcast arrangement ended in 2021.
Television distribution · 2022
KMAX-TV 31.7 simulcast
A widescreen standard-definition simulcast used to extend KCSO's coverage. The service resumed in April 2022 and remains available alongside the KSPX high-definition feed.
Multicast television · 2017
Digital multicast services
KCSO has carried additional services on its digital multiplex, including TeleXitos on 33.3, Light TV and later TheGrio on 33.4, and Oxygen on 33.6. The 33.4 service became silent after TheGrio was dropped in 2024.
Brand decisions
2025
Reconfigure market-wide simulcast distributionStrategyBackground
KCSO's low-power status requires partner facilities and other distribution methods to reach the full Sacramento market.
Action taken
KCSO returned to an HD simulcast on KSPX-TV 33.2 while retaining an SD simulcast through KMAX-TV 31.7.
Aftermath
Viewers received both high-definition and standard-definition partner-station feeds, while the former KMMW-LD Stockton translator ceased operations.
2020
Expand local news and regional sharingStrategyBackground
KCSO had rebuilt its local news presence after the cancellation of its original evening newscast.
Action taken
The station added 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts and began simulcasting its news programming on Fresno sister station KNSO.
Aftermath
The change strengthened the shared regional identity of the Sacramento and Fresno Telemundo news operations.
2018
Sell KCSO-LD to NBCUniversalM&ABackground
Serestar owned KCSO-LD and the related KMUM-CD and KMMW-LD operations. NBCUniversal sought to bring the Telemundo station and its translators into its owned-station group.
Action taken
Serestar agreed to sell the three stations to NBCUniversal in a transaction reported at $21 million.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on March 5, 2019, making KCSO an NBCUniversal-owned Telemundo station.
Reported transaction value. $21 million (2018 agreement; completed March 5, 2019)
Recent events
- 2025
KCSO high-definition simulcast returns to KSPX-TV[1]
Product generation
KCSO returned to an HD simulcast on KSPX-TV subchannel 33.2, while an SD simulcast continued on KMAX-TV subchannel 31.7.
- 2025
KMMW-LD ceases operations[1]
Other · Regulation
Former KCSO translator KMMW-LD in Stockton stopped operating and its license was returned to the FCC.
- 2020
KCSO expands local news schedule[1]
Product launch
The station added 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts and began simulcasting its news programs on Fresno sister station KNSO.
- 2019
NBCUniversal completes acquisition of KCSO-LD and related stations[1]
M&A
The acquisition of KCSO-LD, KMUM-CD, and KMMW-LD was completed, making KCSO an NBCUniversal-owned Telemundo station in the Sacramento market.
- 2018
Serestar agrees to sell KCSO-LD stations to NBCUniversal[1]
M&A
Serestar Communications agreed to sell KCSO-LD, KMUM-CD, and KMMW-LD to NBCUniversal in a transaction valued at $21 million.
Sources1 sources
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