KUNP
An Oregon television station licensed to La Grande and operated alongside Portland ABC affiliate KATU by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KUNP is a full-power television station licensed to La Grande, Oregon, serving eastern Oregon while also participating in the broader Portland television market. The station broadcasts on channel 16 and has historically been associated with Spanish-language network programming, first as a Univision affiliate and later, for a period, with MundoFox and MundoMax programming. Its ownership and operating arrangements have connected it closely with KATU, the Portland-licensed ABC affiliate also owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. The station was established on August 6, 1999, and began broadcasting on December 3, 2001, under the call sign KBPD. It initially operated as a Univision affiliate and was owned by Equity Broadcasting Corporation. The call sign changed to KPOU in May 2002. Fisher Communications acquired the station in November 2006 and aligned it with KATU. Fisher changed the station's call sign to KUNP in December 2006, establishing the identity it uses today. KUNP's geographic configuration is unusual. Its main transmitter is located east of Cove, on Mount Fanny in the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest, roughly 240 miles from downtown Portland. That transmitter cannot provide an over-the-air signal to Portland proper. To extend the station's reach, KUNP programming has been distributed through KUNP-LD, a low-power digital translator transmitting from the Sylvan-Highlands area of Portland, as well as through cable and satellite carriage linked to KATU's retransmission arrangements. KUNP has also been simulcast in high definition on one of KATU's digital subchannels. The station changed network direction in the 2010s. In 2012, Fisher announced an affiliation agreement with MundoFox, a Spanish-language network created by Fox International Channels and Colombia's RCN Television. KUNP and Seattle sister station KUNS-TV were expected to carry MundoFox programming on digital subchannels beginning in late September of that year. MundoFox later became MundoMax in 2015, but the network ceased operations on December 1, 2016. Sinclair acquired Fisher Communications in 2013, bringing KUNP and KATU under common ownership. Sinclair later pursued the acquisition of Tribune Media, a transaction that would have created an ownership conflict involving KUNP and Portland CW affiliate KRCW-TV. The proposed $3.9 billion acquisition, together with assumed debt, was ultimately terminated after regulatory scrutiny and an FCC hearing designation. In September 2024, Sinclair announced that KUNP would participate in the Rip City Television Network, a new arrangement for broadcasting Portland Trail Blazers games, with game broadcasts planned to begin in January 2025. Sinclair also announced that KUNP would end its Univision affiliation in 2025 and shift toward English-language programming. This change was expected to remove the Portland market's over-the-air Univision outlet, marking a significant repositioning of KUNP from a Spanish-language network station toward a broader English-language programming role.
History
KUNP was founded on August 6, 1999, as a proposed television service licensed to La Grande, Oregon. It formally began broadcasting on December 3, 2001, using the call sign KBPD. From its launch, the station was affiliated with Univision and focused on Spanish-language network television. Equity Broadcasting Corporation owned the station during its initial operating period. The call sign changed from KBPD to KPOU on May 14, 2002. The station remained connected to Univision while operating as an eastern Oregon outlet whose market reach extended beyond its licensing community through distribution arrangements. Its principal transmitter was built east of Cove on Mount Fanny, in the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest. Because this site is approximately 240 miles east of central Portland, the full-power signal cannot reach Portland proper over the air. To address that coverage limitation, KUNP programming was made available in the Portland area through a low-power translator, KUNP-LD, and through cable and satellite carriage associated with KATU's retransmission agreements. KUNP has also been simulcast in high definition on KATU's second digital subchannel. These arrangements allowed a station licensed in eastern Oregon to function as part of the wider Portland television ecosystem while retaining its separate call sign and Federal Communications Commission license. Fisher Communications acquired KPOU from Equity Broadcasting on November 3, 2006, in a transaction reported at $19.3 million. Fisher already owned KATU, the Portland ABC affiliate, and subsequently operated the two stations in association with one another. On December 5, 2006, Fisher changed KPOU's call sign to KUNP. The new identity reinforced the station's relationship with the KATU operation while preserving its distinct channel brand. In August 2012, Fisher announced that KUNP would carry MundoFox programming. MundoFox was a Spanish-language network established as a joint venture involving Fox International Channels and Colombian broadcaster RCN Television. The planned change placed KUNP alongside Seattle sister station KUNS-TV as a MundoFox outlet beginning in late September 2012. MundoFox later adopted the name MundoMax in 2015 and ceased operations on December 1, 2016, ending that network affiliation era. Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed to acquire Fisher Communications in April 2013. The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction on August 7, and the sale closed the next day. KUNP therefore became part of Sinclair's national station group while continuing to operate alongside KATU in the Portland market. Sinclair's later attempt to acquire Tribune Media created a potential regulatory and ownership issue in Portland. Tribune owned KRCW-TV, a CW affiliate in the same market. Under the proposed $3.9 billion purchase, plus the assumption of $2.7 billion in Tribune debt, Sinclair would have had to sell either KUNP or KRCW-TV if the transaction had been approved. The FCC designated the acquisition for an administrative-law hearing in 2018, and the transaction was ultimately terminated by the parties. KUNP also underwent changes connected to the United States digital television transition. Because it had not begun broadcasting before the 1997 FCC digital allotment deadline, it did not receive a companion digital channel. It therefore ended its analog transmission and activated a digital signal on UHF channel 16 in a flash-cut process on or before June 12, 2009. KUNP-LP, the Portland low-power translator, continued operating in analog until April 13, 2012, when it converted to digital operation on UHF channel 47 and changed its suffix from LP to LD. The station previously used additional translators. KABH-LP in Bend had been established in 1992 as K15DO and began broadcasting in 1993. Although owned by WatchTV, Inc., it was operated by Sinclair under a local marketing agreement and carried KUNP programming. The FCC canceled the KABH license on March 19, 2015, after the licensee failed to submit a renewal application. KUNP also previously had a relationship with KKEI-CA before the Fisher acquisition; that facility later became a Telemundo station owned by WatchTV. In September 2024, the Portland Trail Blazers announced a deal with Sinclair to create the Rip City Television Network. KUNP was scheduled to carry Trail Blazers games beginning in January 2025. Days later, Sinclair announced that KUNP would end its Univision affiliation in 2025 and transition to English-language programming. The decision represented the station's latest strategic shift, moving it away from its long-standing Spanish-language network identity and toward a combination of English-language programming and regional sports distribution.
- 2025
Planned English-language programming pivot
[1]Sinclair announced that KUNP would drop its Univision affiliation and move toward English-language programming during 2025.
- 2024
Rip City Television Network announced
[1]The Trail Blazers and Sinclair announced a regional television arrangement under which KUNP was expected to carry games beginning in January 2025.
- 2018
Tribune transaction terminated
[1]Sinclair's proposed acquisition of Tribune Media ended after regulatory intervention and an FCC hearing designation.
- 2016
MundoMax ceases operations
[1]MundoMax ended all operations on December 1, 2016.
- 2015
MundoFox becomes MundoMax
[1]The Spanish-language network carried during the preceding affiliation period was rebranded as MundoMax.
- 2015
KABH-LP license canceled
[1]The FCC canceled the KABH-LP license on March 19, 2015, after the license renewal application was not filed.
- 2013
Sinclair acquires Fisher Communications
[1]Sinclair completed its acquisition of Fisher Communications in August 2013, adding KUNP to its station group.
- 2012
Portland translator converts to digital
[1]KUNP-LP converted to digital operation on April 13, 2012, becoming KUNP-LD on channel 47.
- 2012
MundoFox affiliation announced
[1]Fisher announced that KUNP would carry MundoFox programming beginning in late September 2012.
- 2009
Digital flash cut
[1]KUNP transitioned from analog to digital broadcasting on UHF channel 16 during the national digital television conversion.
Products and positioning
A regional broadcast television station using a La Grande license, Portland-area translator coverage, cable and satellite distribution, and its relationship with KATU to serve both eastern Oregon and the Portland market. Its historical positioning centered on Spanish-language network television, while its announced 2025 strategy moves toward English-language programming and regional sports.
Full-power television station · 2001
KUNP channel 16
KUNP's primary broadcast service is a full-power UHF television station licensed to La Grande, Oregon. Its transmitter east of Cove serves eastern Oregon, while the station's broader market presence depends on translator, cable, satellite, and related distribution arrangements.
Low-power television translator · 2012
KUNP-LD
KUNP-LD is the station's Portland-area low-power translator. It extends KUNP's reach into parts of Portland that cannot receive the main transmitter's signal because of the distance between Portland and the station's eastern Oregon transmitter site. The facility converted from analog operation to digital operation in 2012.
Television programming · 2001
Spanish-language network programming
KUNP began as a Univision affiliate and later carried MundoFox programming, with the latter network subsequently becoming MundoMax. This programming history made Spanish-language television the station's defining commercial and editorial orientation for much of its existence.
Sports television programming · 2025
Rip City Television Network broadcasts
Under Sinclair's announced agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers, KUNP was scheduled to carry team games through the Rip City Television Network beginning in January 2025. The arrangement forms part of the station's announced transition toward English-language programming.
Brand decisions
2024
English-language and regional sports pivotStrategyBackground
KUNP had historically been associated with Spanish-language network television, while Sinclair was developing a new regional sports distribution arrangement with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Action taken
Sinclair announced that KUNP would carry Trail Blazers games through the Rip City Television Network beginning in January 2025 and would end its Univision affiliation in 2025 in favor of English-language programming.
Aftermath
The announced changes were expected to reposition KUNP as an English-language and sports-oriented station and to leave the Portland market without a Univision outlet.
2017
Proposed Tribune Media acquisitionM&ABackground
Sinclair's proposed purchase of Tribune Media would have placed Sinclair in a position involving both KUNP and Tribune-owned KRCW-TV in the Portland market.
Action taken
Sinclair agreed to pursue the Tribune acquisition and would have been required to divest one of the two Portland-area stations if regulators approved the transaction.
Aftermath
The FCC designated the transaction for an administrative-law hearing in 2018, and the deal was later terminated.
Proposed purchase price. 3.9 billion USD, plus assumption of 2.7 billion USD in Tribune debt (May 2017 proposal)
2013
Sinclair acquisition of Fisher CommunicationsM&ABackground
Fisher Communications owned KUNP and KATU when Sinclair pursued the acquisition of the company.
Action taken
Sinclair obtained FCC approval on August 7, 2013, and completed the acquisition the following day.
Aftermath
KUNP and KATU became stations within Sinclair Broadcast Group.
2012
Move toward MundoFox programmingStrategyBackground
Fisher operated KUNP as a Spanish-language Univision affiliate while a new Spanish-language network, MundoFox, was entering the United States television market.
Action taken
Fisher signed an affiliation agreement to carry MundoFox on KUNP and Seattle sister station KUNS-TV through digital-subchannel distribution.
Aftermath
MundoFox later rebranded as MundoMax in 2015 and ceased operations in 2016, ending the network's presence on the station.
2006
Fisher acquisition and KATU alignmentM&ABackground
KPOU was an Equity Broadcasting station operating as a Univision affiliate. Fisher Communications already operated Portland ABC affiliate KATU and sought to add the La Grande-licensed station to its portfolio.
Action taken
Fisher acquired the station on November 3, 2006, and associated it with KATU. The call sign changed to KUNP in December of that year.
Aftermath
KUNP became part of a shared Portland-area operating structure despite retaining its La Grande license and eastern Oregon transmitter.
Acquisition price. 19.3 million USD (November 3, 2006)
Recent events
- 2024
KUNP joins planned Rip City Television Network[1]
Product launch
The Portland Trail Blazers announced a television arrangement with Sinclair under which KUNP was expected to carry games through the Rip City Television Network beginning in January 2025.
- 2024
KUNP to leave Univision and move toward English-language programming[1]
Leadership change
Sinclair announced that KUNP would end its Univision affiliation in 2025 and pivot toward English-language programming, potentially leaving the Portland market without a Univision outlet.
- 2018
Sinclair and Tribune terminate proposed transaction[1]
M&A · Regulation
The proposed Tribune transaction was terminated after the FCC designated the deal for an administrative-law hearing and the parties did not complete the acquisition.
- 2017
Sinclair announces proposed acquisition of Tribune Media[1]
M&A · Regulation
Sinclair announced a proposed acquisition of Tribune Media. Because of the resulting Portland ownership overlap, Sinclair would have needed to divest either KUNP or KRCW-TV if the transaction had proceeded.
- 2013
Sinclair completes acquisition of Fisher Communications[1]
M&A
Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Fisher Communications after regulatory approval, adding KUNP and KATU to its station portfolio.
- 2012
Fisher Communications agrees to affiliate KUNP with MundoFox[1]
Product launch
Fisher Communications announced an affiliation agreement under which KUNP and Seattle sister station KUNS-TV would carry MundoFox programming beginning later in 2012.
Sources2 sources
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