KQCK

KQCK is a full-power religious television station licensed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and serving viewers in the Cheyenne and Denver, Colorado, television markets. The station broadcasts under the Christian Television Network (CTN) brand and is owned by the Christian Television Corporation, CTN's parent organization. Its studios are located on Yates Street in Westminster, a Denver suburb, while its main transmitter is located on Horsetooth Mountain near Fort Collins, Colorado. This arrangement allows the station to serve a geographically broad area spanning southeastern Wyoming and northern Colorado. The station received its original license assignment under the call letters KDBJ in 1985 and began broadcasting on August 28, 1987, as KKTU. In its first operating period it functioned as a satellite of KTWO-TV in Casper, Wyoming, carrying NBC programming. Its launch gave the Cheyenne market a full-time local outlet for NBC, complementing the market's existing network services. During the 1990s, KKTU also carried programming from The WB for a period. KQCK's affiliation and ownership history changed repeatedly during the late 1990s and 2000s. In 2003, following a change in the Casper NBC affiliation, KKTU shifted to ABC and used the on-air identity "ABC 8," reflecting its cable channel placement in the Cheyenne area. The station later adopted the KDEV call sign and was developed with an expanded signal aimed at the Denver market. Its programming subsequently moved through several formats and network relationships, including the Retro Television Network, AMGTV, @SportsTV, VasalloVision, and MundoFox. These changes reflected both ownership transitions and the instability affecting smaller broadcast networks and station groups during that period. In 2008, the station adopted the KQCK call sign. A dispute between Equity Broadcasting and Luken Communications in early 2009 caused KQCK to lose its Retro Television Network programming, after which it moved to other network services. KQCK and its Denver-area digital translator, now known as KQDK-CD, were sold through a series of financially difficult transactions. KQCK entered the Spanish-language VasalloVision network in 2010 and later joined MundoFox in 2012. After leaving MundoFox in late 2014, the station became affiliated with CTN, establishing its current religious-broadcasting identity. Casa Media Partners, which had acquired KQCK in 2012, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2015. CTN's parent company reached an agreement to purchase KQCK in January 2017, followed by an agreement to acquire KQDK-CD. Both transactions were completed in 2017. Since then, KQCK has operated as part of CTN's religious television network, with KQDK-CD serving as a low-power, Class A digital translator in Denver. The station's modern identity is therefore less that of a conventional local commercial network affiliate and more that of a regional outlet for CTN's faith-oriented programming.

KQCK originated as a television station intended to serve Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Federal Communications Commission first assigned the station the call letters KDBJ on August 14, 1985. It signed on the air on August 28, 1987, using the KKTU call sign and operating as a satellite of KTWO-TV in Casper. At launch, the station carried NBC programming. Its operation helped complete Cheyenne's access to full-time affiliations with the three major broadcast networks, since NBC programming had previously been available locally only through limited clearances on another station, while Denver network stations were also accessible through cable. KKTU later carried The WB as a secondary affiliation for part of the 1990s. A major change occurred in September 2003, when the NBC affiliation in Casper moved from KTWO-TV to KCWY. KKTU then became an ABC affiliate and promoted itself as "ABC 8," referring to its position on local cable systems. The change gave Cheyenne a local ABC outlet after years in which Denver stations supplied ABC programming through cable or translators. On May 31, 2005, the station changed its call letters to KDEV. Its owners pursued a larger service area and constructed a digital transmission facility near Fort Collins, within the Denver market. In 2006, Equity Broadcasting sold KTWO-TV while retaining KDEV and arranged for KDEV to be operated under a local marketing agreement as a satellite of KTWO. Equity later moved ABC programming to a low-power repeater, KKTU-LP, and assigned KDEV to Equity's Retro Television Network. In June 2008, KDEV resumed carrying the ABC service on its analog signal and a digital subchannel, and nine days later it became KQCK. KQCK's network identity changed again in 2009. A contract dispute between Equity Broadcasting and Luken Communications, which had acquired Retro Television Network, removed RTN programming from Equity-owned affiliates, including KQCK and KQDK. KQCK subsequently affiliated with AMGTV in March 2009 and @SportsTV in October. Ownership also became unsettled. On April 16, 2009, Valley Bank purchased KQCK, KQDK, and two other stations at auction for a reported $7 million. Valley Bank later filed to sell the stations to an ownership group associated with Fusion Communications. In January 2010, KQCK and KQDK joined VasalloVision, a Spanish-language network. Casa Media Partners acquired KQCK in April 2012, and the station switched to MundoFox on August 13 of that year. KQDK began digital operation as a Class A outlet on February 12, 2013, and changed its call sign to KQDK-CD. In late 2014, KQCK and KQDK left MundoFox and began carrying Christian Television Network programming. The financial position of Casa Media Partners deteriorated, and the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 14, 2015. CTN's parent company, the Christian Television Corporation, agreed to acquire KQCK in January 2017 and subsequently agreed to purchase KQDK-CD as well. The KQCK transaction closed on June 30, 2017. KQCK has since operated as a CTN religious station, while KQDK-CD has served as its low-power, Class A digital translator in Denver. KQDK's city of license was changed from Aurora to Denver sometime in 2019. KQCK's technical history also reflects the transition from analog to digital television. An equipment failure ended its analog transmission on UHF channel 33 on June 27, 2008. Because repairing the analog facilities was considered uneconomic so close to the national digital transition, the station requested permanent discontinuation of analog service. Its digital signal continued on VHF channel 11 while retaining virtual channel 33. KQDK-CD ended analog broadcasting on UHF channel 39 on February 12, 2013, and began digital operation on its pre-transition channel.

• 2017

  CTN acquisition closes

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  The Christian Television Corporation completed its purchase of KQCK on June 30, 2017.

• 2014

  Move to CTN programming

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  KQCK left MundoFox in late 2014 and began carrying Christian Television Network programming.

• 2012

  Casa Media Partners acquires KQCK

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  Casa Media Partners acquired the station in April 2012, before its move to MundoFox.

• 2008

  Station becomes KQCK

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  KDEV changed its call sign to KQCK on June 17, 2008.

• 2008

  Analog transmission ends

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  An equipment failure ended KQCK's analog service on June 27, 2008; the station subsequently continued digitally using virtual channel 33.

• 2005

  Call sign changes to KDEV

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopted the KDEV call letters as part of an effort to expand its service toward the Denver market.

• 2003

  KKTU becomes an ABC affiliate

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  After the Casper NBC affiliation moved to another station, KKTU switched to ABC and used the "ABC 8" identity in Cheyenne.

• 1987

  KKTU signs on

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  KKTU began broadcasting on August 28, 1987, as a satellite of Casper NBC affiliate KTWO-TV.

• 1985

  Original license assignment

  [1]KQCKen.wikipedia.org

  The station was first assigned the call letters KDBJ by the Federal Communications Commission on August 14, 1985.

A regional Christian television outlet delivering CTN religious programming to viewers in southeastern Wyoming and northern Colorado through a full-power station and a Denver-area digital translator.

• Digital broadcast television · 1987

  KQCK over-the-air television service

  KQCK is a full-power digital television station licensed to Cheyenne and identified by virtual channel 33. Its coverage reaches Cheyenne and extends into northern Colorado and the Denver market through its transmission facilities and distribution relationships.

• Religious television programming · 2014

  CTN religious programming

  The station's current programming service consists of Christian Television Network content. This positions KQCK as a regional religious broadcaster rather than as a local affiliate of a general-interest commercial network.

• Digital translator · 1990

  KQDK-CD translator service

  KQDK-CD is a low-power, Class A digital translator associated with KQCK. It serves Denver and provides a companion signal for the CTN service in the metropolitan market.

• 2017

  Acquisition by Christian Television CorporationM&A

  Background

  Casa Media Partners had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2015, and CTN pursued ownership of the station.

  Action taken

  The Christian Television Corporation agreed to purchase KQCK and completed the transaction on June 30, 2017.

  Aftermath

  KQCK became part of CTN's owned station group and continued as a CTN religious outlet.

  Source

• 2014

  Transition to Christian Television Network programmingStrategy

  Background

  KQCK and KQDK ended their MundoFox affiliation in late 2014.

  Action taken

  The stations adopted Christian Television Network programming.

  Aftermath

  This established the religious-broadcasting positioning that continues under CTN ownership.

  Source

• 2012

  Move to MundoFoxStrategy

  Background

  After Casa Media Partners acquired KQCK, the station revised its network affiliation.

  Action taken

  KQCK joined MundoFox on August 13, 2012.

  Aftermath

  The station operated as a Spanish-language network affiliate until moving to CTN in late 2014.

  Source

• 2009

  Replacement of Retro Television Network programmingStrategy

  Background

  A contract dispute between Equity Broadcasting and Luken Communications disrupted RTN service on Equity-owned stations.

  Action taken

  KQCK dropped RTN programming and moved first to AMGTV and later to @SportsTV.

  Aftermath

  The station continued operating with alternative network affiliations while its ownership and programming arrangements were reorganized.

  Source

• 2008

  Adoption of the KQCK identityStrategy

  Background

  The station had been operating under the KDEV call sign while its ownership pursued broader coverage toward Denver.

  Action taken

  The station changed its call sign to KQCK on June 17, 2008.

  Aftermath

  KQCK became the station's continuing broadcast identity through subsequent affiliation and ownership changes.

  Source

• 2008

  Permanent discontinuation of analog serviceOther

  Background

  An equipment failure stopped the analog UHF transmission, and the national digital television transition was approaching.

  Action taken

  KQCK requested permanent termination of its analog operation and continued broadcasting digitally on VHF channel 11 with virtual channel 33.

  Aftermath

  The station remained available through its digital signal and cable distribution without restoring the failed analog facilities.

  Source

• 2003

  Switch from NBC satellite service to ABC affiliationStrategy

  Background

  The NBC affiliation in Casper moved from KTWO-TV to KCWY, changing the programming relationship that had supported KKTU.

  Action taken

  KKTU adopted ABC programming and promoted itself as "ABC 8" in the Cheyenne area.

  Aftermath

  The change gave Cheyenne a local ABC outlet after Denver stations had supplied ABC programming through cable and translator arrangements.

  Source

1. 1KQCKen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KQCK official websiterockymountainctn.com