KGEB

KGEB is a full-power religious television station serving Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the surrounding market. The station is owned by Oral Roberts University (ORU), a private Christian university in Tulsa, but operates under a commercial television license. Its facilities are located in the Mabee Center arena on ORU's south Tulsa campus, while its transmitting equipment is installed on the central tower of the CityPlex Towers complex immediately south of the university. The station began broadcasting on January 24, 1996, under the call sign KWMJ. Its initial schedule was a 24-hour family-oriented service combining religious programs with a limited amount of classic and public-domain television programming. In November 1999, the station adopted the KGEB call sign and became the originating station for Golden Eagle Broadcasting, later known as GEB America. This change aligned the local station with a broader religious television distribution operation. KGEB's programming subsequently became predominantly religious. The schedule has included services and other programs produced by Oral Roberts University, including weekly chapel broadcasts, as well as syndicated programs associated with nationally distributed religious broadcasters and ministries. The station has also carried a smaller amount of secular programming and children's programming designed to meet the Federal Communications Commission's educational television requirements, including a Saturday children's block. Through GEB America, KGEB programming has been distributed beyond the Tulsa over-the-air market. The network has been available nationally through DirecTV, selected cable systems, additional television stations in major American markets, and an online live stream. This distribution gives KGEB a dual role: it is a local broadcast station and the originating outlet for a religious television network with national reach. KGEB also operates a multiplexed digital television service with several additional subchannels. These have included programming from commercial digital multicast and shopping networks, along with a channel connected to Oral Roberts University's on-campus closed-circuit service. The university-oriented channel has carried chapel services, selected athletic events not covered through other Summit League television arrangements, and programming of interest to ORU students and faculty. The station completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting on June 12, 2009. Its former analog transmission used UHF channel 53; after the transition, its digital signal continued on UHF channel 49 while retaining virtual channel 53. KGEB's overall positioning is therefore centered on Christian and family-oriented television, supported by local institutional programming, multicast distribution, and the national GEB America network.

KGEB began broadcasting in Tulsa on January 24, 1996, using the call sign KWMJ. At launch, the station operated as a 24-hour family-oriented service. Religious programming formed the core of the schedule, supplemented by a limited selection of classic and public-domain television programs. The station was associated with Oral Roberts University, whose campus later became the location of KGEB's studios. In June 1999, the station encountered a compliance issue involving children's programming. During two children's shows, an advertisement for a videocassette containing the episode being broadcast was followed by an advertisement for a toy resembling a character from that episode. Under the Federal Communications Commission's interpretation of the Children's Television Act, the use of character-related merchandise or tie-ins within or adjacent to children's programming can cause the broadcast to be treated as a program-length commercial. The station reported the incident and took steps intended to prevent a recurrence. The matter was attributed to a syndication error rather than an intentional station policy. The FCC later reduced the proposed $8,000 penalty by 20 percent, resulting in a $6,400 forfeiture; public notice of the action did not appear until 2007. On November 29, 1999, KWMJ changed its call sign to KGEB. The new identity accompanied its role as the originating station for Golden Eagle Broadcasting, subsequently branded GEB America. The station's schedule gradually moved toward a stronger religious emphasis. It carried programming produced by Oral Roberts University, including recurring chapel services, together with syndicated religious programs distributed to religious broadcasters and, in some cases, to both religious and commercial stations. The schedule has included programs associated with nationally known religious television personalities and ministries. Secular content became comparatively limited, while children's programming meeting FCC educational requirements remained part of the schedule at selected times. KGEB's facilities are housed in the Mabee Center arena on the ORU campus in south Tulsa. Its transmitter is positioned on the central tower of the CityPlex Towers complex, located just south of the university. This arrangement reflects the station's institutional connection to ORU while allowing it to operate as a full-power local television service. Although owned by a non-profit university, KGEB holds a commercial license, which permits it to carry advertising-supported multicast networks. The station developed a broader distribution role through GEB America. Its programming has reached viewers nationally through DirecTV, selected cable systems, other television stations in major American markets, and an internet live stream. In this structure, KGEB functions both as a Tulsa broadcast station and as the originating outlet for a religious network distributed outside its local signal footprint. KGEB has also used digital multiplexing to provide multiple additional services. Its subchannels have included feeds from commercial digital multicast and shopping networks as well as a channel carrying Oral Roberts University's campus closed-circuit programming. The university channel has featured daily chapel services, selected athletic events not covered by other Summit League television arrangements, and material intended for ORU students and faculty. On June 12, 2009, KGEB shut down its analog UHF channel 53 transmission in accordance with the United States transition to digital broadcasting. The station retained virtual channel 53 while operating its post-transition digital signal on UHF channel 49. Its continuing identity is based on religious and family-oriented programming, university-linked content, digital multicast services, and national distribution through GEB America.

• 2009

  Digital television transition

  [1]KGEBen.wikipedia.org

  KGEB ends analog broadcasting on UHF channel 53 and continues digital operations on UHF channel 49 with virtual channel 53.

• 2007

  FCC children's advertising forfeiture is announced

  [1]KGEBen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC announces a reduced $6,400 forfeiture connected with a 1999 children's programming advertising violation.

• 1999

  Call sign changes to KGEB

  [1]KGEBen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopts the KGEB call sign on November 29 and becomes the originating outlet for Golden Eagle Broadcasting, later known as GEB America.

• 1996

  Station launches as KWMJ

  [1]KGEBen.wikipedia.org

  KWMJ begins broadcasting in Tulsa on January 24 with a 24-hour family-oriented schedule centered on religious programming and supplemented by classic and public-domain television.

A Christian and family-oriented television broadcaster that combines local Tulsa service, Oral Roberts University programming, religious syndicated content, digital multicast channels, and national distribution through GEB America.

• Broadcast television station · 1996

  KGEB local television service

  The station's primary Tulsa-area broadcast service, built around Christian religious programming, Oral Roberts University content, selected family-oriented material, and a limited amount of secular programming. KGEB operates as a commercial-licensed station despite its ownership by a non-profit university.

• Religious television network · 1999

  GEB America

  The national distribution identity originating from KGEB. GEB America extends the station's religious programming through satellite distribution, selected cable systems, partner television stations, and online streaming.

• Digital television subchannels

  Digital multicast services

  KGEB's digital multiplex includes additional programming services, including commercial digital multicast and shopping networks and an Oral Roberts University campus channel carrying chapel services, selected athletics, and university-oriented programming.

• 2009

  Complete the federally mandated digital transitionOther

  Background

  The United States required full-power television stations to end analog broadcasting as part of the nationwide digital television transition.

  Action taken

  KGEB discontinued its analog UHF channel 53 signal and continued digital broadcasting on UHF channel 49 while retaining virtual channel 53.

  Aftermath

  The station continued as a digital broadcast service with a multiplexed lineup of additional subchannels.

  Source

• 1999

  Rebrand as KGEB and originate Golden Eagle BroadcastingStrategy

  Background

  The station was initially operating as KWMJ with a broad family-oriented schedule. Oral Roberts University and the station subsequently aligned the local service with a wider religious broadcasting operation.

  Action taken

  The call sign changed to KGEB on November 29, and the station became the originating outlet for Golden Eagle Broadcasting, later called GEB America. Its schedule increasingly emphasized religious programming.

  Aftermath

  KGEB developed a dual local-and-national role, combining Tulsa broadcasting with distribution of GEB America programming through satellite, cable, partner stations, and online streaming.

  Source

• 2009

  KGEB completes analog-to-digital television transition[1]KGEBen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  KGEB ended its analog transmission on UHF channel 53 as part of the United States nationwide full-power television transition. Its digital signal remained on UHF channel 49 and continued using virtual channel 53.

• 2007

  KGEB receives reduced FCC fine for children's programming advertising violation[1]KGEBen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  The Federal Communications Commission announced a $6,400 forfeiture involving a 1999 children's programming broadcast in which an advertisement for a videocassette of an episode was followed by an advertisement for a toy linked to a character in that episode. The sequence was treated under the Children's Television Act as a prohibited program-length commercial. The proposed penalty was reduced after the station self-reported the incident, took corrective action, and argued that the sequence resulted from a syndicator error.

1. 1KGEBen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KGEB official websitekgebamerica.com