KHLM-LD

KHLM-LD is a low-power television station serving the Houston, Texas, market. The station's transmitter is located near Missouri City in unincorporated northeastern Fort Bend County. Although its present identity is associated with Christian Television Network, KHLM-LD has had several distinct phases in its operating history, including an unusual early period in which it did not carry a conventional television service. In its early years, the facility was used to support AccelerNet, an Internet service provider. The service used the station's UHF channel 43 signal for downstream delivery, while customers returned data through conventional dial-up modem or ISDN connections. This made the facility part of an early hybrid broadcast-and-telecommunications arrangement rather than a traditional local television outlet. Before 2021, KHLM-LD was best known as the Houston-area American flagship of Multimedios, the Mexican media network. In that role, it carried Multimedios programming for viewers in Houston and helped extend the network's presence into the broader southern Texas market. The station also coordinated appearances by Multimedios talent in the Houston area and carried locally produced material on the network's American feed. That feed was distributed through cable and satellite systems and used local Houston programming in place of content intended specifically for viewers in Mexico. The station temporarily stopped over-the-air transmission on December 1, 2018, as part of preparations for the federal broadcast-spectrum repack and the planned move from UHF channel 43 to VHF channel 10. During the interruption, the Multimedios Houston service remained available through many local cable systems as a basic-tier offering, preserving some distribution despite the loss of the terrestrial signal. In June 2021, Lotus Communications announced an agreement to sell KHLM-LD to Christian Television Network for $1.1 million. The transaction closed on August 18, 2021. The change in ownership marked the end of the station's Multimedios-era role as the network's principal U.S. outlet and shifted the station toward religious programming under its new owner. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate corporate headquarters, founding year, executive roster, or current detailed schedule for KHLM-LD. Its importance is primarily local: it is a Houston low-power broadcast facility whose history illustrates the use of low-power television spectrum for Internet distribution, international network expansion, local programming, and religious broadcasting.

KHLM-LD is a Houston-area low-power television station whose history differs from that of a conventional network-affiliated broadcaster. In its early operating period, the facility was not used to transmit a normal television service. Instead, it supported AccelerNet, an Internet service provider that used the station's UHF channel 43 signal for downstream data delivery. The return path relied on a customer's dial-up modem or ISDN connection, creating a hybrid system that combined broadcast transmission with traditional telecommunications infrastructure. The station later became associated with Multimedios, a Mexican media network seeking an American outlet for its programming. Before 2021, KHLM-LD served as Multimedios' American flagship in Houston. In addition to carrying network programming, the station helped coordinate appearances by Multimedios personalities in the Houston area and across southern Texas. Local material produced for Houston was also incorporated into the network's American feed, where it replaced programming aimed specifically at Mexican viewers. The service therefore functioned both as a local television station and as a bridge between Multimedios' Mexican operations and audiences in the United States. KHLM-LD's terrestrial service was interrupted on December 1, 2018. The interruption was connected with preparations for the broadcast-spectrum repack and a planned migration from UHF channel 43 to VHF channel 10. While the over-the-air signal was unavailable, the station's Multimedios Houston programming remained accessible through most local cable providers as a basic service. This distribution arrangement allowed the station to retain a local audience while its terrestrial facilities were being prepared for the channel transition. A major ownership change followed in 2021. Lotus Communications announced in June that it would sell KHLM-LD to Christian Television Network for $1.1 million. The transaction closed on August 18. The acquisition ended KHLM-LD's role as the American flagship of Multimedios and placed the station within Christian Television Network's religious broadcasting operation. Reference material identifies the station as a low-power religious television outlet after the transaction, but does not provide a detailed current schedule, a separately published executive list, or a confirmed corporate headquarters for the station itself. The station's historical significance is consequently tied to several different uses of low-power television infrastructure: experimental or hybrid Internet delivery, cross-border media distribution, local television production, cable carriage, and religious broadcasting. Its coverage remains centered on Houston, with the transmitter located near Missouri City in Fort Bend County.

• 2021

  Christian Television Network acquires KHLM-LD

  [1]KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Lotus Communications agreed to sell the station to Christian Television Network for $1.1 million in June, with the transaction completed on August 18.

• 2018

  Over-the-air transmission is suspended for repack preparations

  [1]KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org

  KHLM-LD temporarily stopped broadcasting over the air on December 1 as it prepared for the broadcast-spectrum repack and a planned move from UHF channel 43 to VHF channel 10.

• Facility is used for AccelerNet Internet delivery

  [1]KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org

  In its early years, the facility supported AccelerNet rather than a conventional television service. UHF channel 43 was used for downstream delivery, while upstream traffic traveled through dial-up modem or ISDN connections.

• KHLM-LD becomes Multimedios' American flagship

  [1]KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station became the Houston-based American flagship of Multimedios, carrying network content and local programming while supporting talent appearances in Houston and southern Texas.

A Houston-area low-power television outlet serving a local audience, currently associated with Christian religious broadcasting and formerly positioned as Multimedios' principal U.S. station.

• Low-power television station

  KHLM-LD channel 12

  KHLM-LD is a low-power television facility serving the Houston, Texas, market. Its transmitter is near Missouri City in northeastern Fort Bend County. The station is currently associated with Christian religious programming and has previously carried Multimedios programming.

• International television service

  Multimedios Houston

  The former Multimedios Houston service used KHLM-LD as its American flagship. It combined Multimedios network programming with Houston-focused material and was also distributed through local cable and satellite systems.

• 2021

  Sale from Lotus Communications to Christian Television NetworkM&A

  Background

  Lotus Communications owned KHLM-LD during its Multimedios period and announced a transaction that would transfer the low-power station to Christian Television Network.

  Action taken

  The parties announced a $1.1 million sale in June 2021, and the transaction closed on August 18.

  Aftermath

  KHLM-LD shifted away from its role as Multimedios' American flagship and became associated with Christian religious broadcasting.

  Purchase price. $1.1 million (2021 transaction)

  Source

• 2018

  Temporary suspension of terrestrial transmissionStrategy

  Background

  The station needed to prepare for the U.S. broadcast-spectrum repack and a planned transition from UHF channel 43 to VHF channel 10.

  Action taken

  KHLM-LD stopped over-the-air broadcasting on December 1, 2018, while its Multimedios Houston programming remained available through many local cable systems.

  Aftermath

  The station's cable distribution preserved access to its programming during the interruption, although the reference material does not specify the date of restored terrestrial service.

  Source

• 2021

  Lotus Communications agrees to sell KHLM-LD to Christian Television Network[1]KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  Lotus Communications announced the sale of KHLM-LD to Christian Television Network for $1.1 million, ending the station's period as the American flagship of Multimedios.

• 2021

  Christian Television Network completes acquisition of KHLM-LD[1]KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  The KHLM-LD ownership transaction was completed on August 18, 2021. The station subsequently operated under Christian Television Network ownership.

• 2018

  KHLM-LD temporarily leaves the air during broadcast-spectrum repack preparations[1]KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  The station ceased over-the-air broadcasting on December 1, 2018, in preparation for the federally coordinated repack and a planned channel transition. Its Multimedios Houston programming continued to be carried by many area cable providers.

1. 1KHLM-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Multimedios television websitemultimedios.com