KNIC-DT

KNIC-DT is a full-power Spanish-language television station licensed to Blanco, Texas, and serving the San Antonio, Texas, television market. The station carries UniMás, TelevisaUnivision's Spanish-language network focused on entertainment, sports, movies, series, and other programming for U.S. Hispanic audiences. Although its city of license is Blanco, which lies geographically within the Austin television market, the station is operated as part of the San Antonio broadcast group and is paired with Univision affiliate KWEX-DT. The station's lineage begins with K17BY, a low-power station associated with UHF channel 17. Clear Channel Communications received a construction permit for the facility in March 1988, but sold the station to Nicolas Communications in March 1991, around the time of its sign-on. In November 1997, the station adopted the call sign KNIC-LP, reflecting its ownership by Nicolas Communications. Nicolas Communications later sold the station to Univision Communications. The transaction was approved in November 2001 and completed in January 2002, when the station became an early affiliate of TeleFutura, Univision's secondary Spanish-language network. TeleFutura was relaunched as UniMás on January 7, 2013. KNIC-DT consequently became part of the UniMás network, giving the network a San Antonio-area outlet while Univision programming remained available through KWEX-DT. The station's full-power development followed a separate licensing process. Univision had applied in 2000 for a full-power allocation on UHF channel 52 in Blanco. After receiving the license at auction, the company requested that the allocation be moved to channel 17, a change approved by the Federal Communications Commission in February 2003. KNIC-TV was established on July 13, 2005, making it one of the relatively few stations built and signed on directly by Univision Communications rather than acquired as an existing full-power outlet. The full-power authorization required changes to the earlier low-power operation. KNIC-CA temporarily moved to channel 34 under special temporary authority before ending operations on September 28, 2006. Its surviving license became KCOR-CD, a translator of KNIC-DT. The station's digital transition also differed from that of many older broadcasters because its original construction permit was issued after the FCC's 1997 digital television allotment plan. It therefore did not receive a separate companion digital channel. KNIC ended regular analog programming on UHF channel 17 on June 12, 2009, and performed a flash-cut to digital operation on UHF channel 18 while retaining virtual channel 17. KNIC-DT operates from TelevisaUnivision's San Antonio broadcast facilities on Network Boulevard, while its transmitter is located on Hogan Drive in Timberwood Park. Its role is primarily that of a network distribution outlet: it extends UniMás programming across the San Antonio area and complements the locally focused Univision service provided by KWEX-DT. The station's brand identity is therefore closely tied to the UniMás network and to TelevisaUnivision's broader portfolio of Spanish-language media properties.

KNIC-DT developed from a low-power television operation on UHF channel 17 into a full-power Spanish-language station serving the San Antonio market. Clear Channel Communications received a construction permit for the original facility on March 23, 1988. The station signed on in March 1991 as K17BY after being sold to Nicolas Communications. In November 1997, it changed its call sign to KNIC-LP. Nicolas Communications sold the station to Univision Communications in November 2001, with the transaction closing in January 2002. At that point, the station became a charter affiliate of TeleFutura, Univision's secondary Spanish-language network. TeleFutura was later renamed UniMás on January 7, 2013, and KNIC-DT continued as a UniMás outlet. Univision pursued a separate full-power license for Blanco. The company initially applied in 2000 for UHF channel 52. Following an FCC auction award, Univision requested that the allocation be moved to UHF channel 17; the FCC approved the change in February 2003. KNIC-TV was founded on July 13, 2005. The full-power station was one of the relatively uncommon television facilities constructed and launched by Univision rather than obtained through the acquisition of an established full-power broadcaster. The earlier low-power service was required to move as part of the full-power development. KNIC-CA operated temporarily on channel 34 under special temporary authority and ceased operations on September 28, 2006. The associated license survived as KCOR-CD, which became a translator of KNIC-DT. Because the station received an original construction permit after the FCC finalized its digital television allotment plan in 1997, it did not receive a separate companion channel for digital broadcasting. KNIC ended analog programming on June 12, 2009, and moved directly to digital operation through a flash-cut. Its digital signal uses UHF channel 18 and continues to identify virtually as channel 17. Today, KNIC-DT is licensed to Blanco but functions as part of the San Antonio television market. It shares studios at the Univision Broadcast Center on Network Boulevard in Northwest San Antonio with KWEX-DT, the market's Univision station. KNIC's transmitter is located on Hogan Drive in Timberwood Park. The station distributes UniMás programming to Spanish-speaking viewers in the area, complementing TelevisaUnivision's other broadcast and media services.

• 2013

  TeleFutura becomes UniMás

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The network carried by the station was rebranded from TeleFutura to UniMás on January 7, 2013.

• 2009

  Digital flash-cut

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  KNIC ended analog service on June 12, 2009, and began digital operation on UHF channel 18 with virtual channel 17.

• 2006

  Low-power predecessor ceases operation

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  KNIC-CA ended operations on September 28, 2006, after temporarily operating on channel 34.

• 2005

  KNIC-TV is established

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The full-power KNIC-TV authorization was established on July 13, 2005.

• 2003

  FCC approves channel reallocation

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC approved Univision's request to move the Blanco full-power allocation from UHF channel 52 to UHF channel 17.

• 2002

  Univision ownership begins

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Univision Communications completed its acquisition of the station in January 2002, and the outlet became a charter TeleFutura affiliate.

• 1997

  Station adopts the KNIC-LP call sign

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station changed its call sign from K17BY to KNIC-LP in November 1997.

• 1991

  K17BY signs on

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The channel 17 low-power station began broadcasting in March 1991 after being sold to Nicolas Communications.

• 1988

  Construction permit issued for the channel 17 facility

  [1]KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Clear Channel Communications received a construction permit on March 23, 1988, for a low-power television station on UHF channel 17.

A Spanish-language UniMás network outlet serving Hispanic and broader Spanish-speaking audiences in the San Antonio area, operated alongside TelevisaUnivision's Univision station KWEX-DT.

• Spanish-language television network affiliate · 2013

  UniMás San Antonio

  KNIC-DT's principal service is the local over-the-air distribution of UniMás, TelevisaUnivision's Spanish-language network. The station provides network entertainment and other scheduled programming to viewers in the San Antonio area and operates as a complement to the market's Univision outlet, KWEX-DT.

• Digital broadcast television · 2009

  KNIC-DT digital broadcast service

  The station's digital service operates on UHF channel 18 while using virtual channel 17. It replaced the former analog channel 17 transmission through a June 2009 flash-cut and remains the technical platform for KNIC-DT's broadcast service.

• 2013

  Network rebrand from TeleFutura to UniMásStrategy

  Background

  Univision repositioned its secondary Spanish-language network as part of its broader network portfolio.

  Action taken

  TeleFutura was relaunched under the UniMás name on January 7, 2013, and KNIC-DT adopted the new network identity.

  Aftermath

  KNIC-DT continued serving the San Antonio area as a UniMás affiliate.

  Source

• 2002

  Univision acquires the low-power stationM&A

  Background

  Nicolas Communications owned the low-power channel 17 operation that had evolved from K17BY and KNIC-LP.

  Action taken

  Univision Communications acquired the station, completing the transaction in January 2002.

  Aftermath

  The station became a charter affiliate of TeleFutura, Univision's secondary Spanish-language network.

  Source

• 2000

  Univision pursues a full-power Blanco stationStrategy

  Background

  Univision sought to strengthen its broadcast presence by applying for a full-power television license in Blanco, initially proposing UHF channel 52.

  Action taken

  After receiving the license at auction, Univision asked the FCC to move the allocation to UHF channel 17, aligning it with the existing channel 17 lineage.

  Aftermath

  The FCC approved the channel change in February 2003, and the full-power station was subsequently established as KNIC-TV.

  Source

1. 1KNIC-DTen.wikipedia.org