KUVM-CD
KUVM-CD is a low-power Class A television station serving the Houston, Texas, area from a transmitter near Missouri City.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KUVM-CD is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to Missouri City, Texas, and serving the Houston television market. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional full-power network affiliate, the station has used its digital capacity for a succession of multicast and specialty television services. Its programming history has included Satellite Program Network, Home Shopping Network, Azteca América, MundoMax, LATV, RTV, Telestai, and AMGTV. The station’s identity has therefore changed repeatedly according to the availability of national digital networks and the ownership arrangements affecting low-power broadcasters. The station originated in Victoria, Texas, where a construction permit was granted to Community Television of Victoria. It was initially intended to retransmit programming from San Antonio station KWEX-TV on UHF channel 25, but the authorization was displaced by the creation of full-service station KAVU-TV. The facility was subsequently built on channel 55 and licensed as K55CP on November 30, 1981. By 1982 it was broadcasting programming from the Satellite Program Network. Community Television transferred the station to Number 1 TV, Inc. in 1983, then recovered it from bankruptcy proceedings in 1985. Over the following two decades, the station changed channels, call signs, and geographic focus. The Federal Communications Commission authorized a move to channel 53 in 1988, and the station was licensed as K53CZ in 1989, although it continued operating on channel 55 for part of the 1990s. It later moved to channel 28 and adopted the call sign KVIT-LP. In the early-to-mid 2000s, the facility was relocated from the Victoria area to the Houston region, first associated with DeWalt and later with a transmitter site near Missouri City. During this period it carried Home Shopping Network programming and moved to channel 34. The call sign became KUVM-CA in May 2007. Beginning July 1 of that year, the station carried Azteca América after KUBE-TV stopped airing the Spanish-language network. KUVM-CA ended its analog transmission on October 22, 2009. Because it was a low-power station, it was not subject to the same mandatory analog shutdown date as full-power stations. Azteca América programming subsequently moved to another low-power facility, K10PY-D, now known as KUVM-LD. The station adopted the digital call sign KUVM-CD in April 2010. That year, the FCC consented to its sale to Mako Communications, and KUVM-CD returned to the air from the Missouri City tower site in July. Its digital multiplex then carried a changing mix of services, including RTV on a secondary channel and the Mexican Telestai network on the primary channel. Telestai was removed after its internet-sourced feed proved unstable. AMGTV was later carried on a subchannel from 2011 to 2012. A proposed 2013 sale to Landover 5 LLC, part of a larger transaction involving dozens of low-power stations, did not close and was abandoned in 2016. After MundoMax ended operations on November 30, 2016, KUVM-CD briefly lacked programming before affiliating with LATV at the beginning of 2017. Mako Communications subsequently sold its stations, including KUVM-CD, to HC2 Holdings in 2017. The station is now identified as an Innovate Corp. property and continues to operate as a Houston-area low-power digital television outlet with multiple digital-network affiliations.
History
KUVM-CD began as a construction permit for a proposed television translator in Victoria, Texas. Community Television of Victoria originally planned to retransmit KWEX-TV from San Antonio on UHF channel 25, but the plan was displaced by the authorization of full-service station KAVU-TV. The facility was instead constructed on channel 55 and received its first license as K55CP on November 30, 1981. It was broadcasting Satellite Program Network programming by 1982. Ownership changed in 1983, when Community Television sold the station to Number 1 TV, Inc. The original owner later reacquired the facility from bankruptcy in 1985. The station pursued several technical and geographic changes. An application to move to channel 53 was filed in 1981 and approved in 1988; the facility was licensed as K53CZ on December 29, 1989. Despite that authorization, it continued using channel 55 for a substantial portion of the 1990s. It later moved to channel 28 and adopted the call sign KVIT-LP. During the 2000s, the station was relocated toward the Houston market, with its operations associated first with DeWalt and subsequently with a transmitter site near Missouri City. It carried Home Shopping Network programming during part of this period and moved to channel 34 in 2003. The call sign changed to KUVM-CA on May 16, 2007. On July 1 of that year, KUVM-CA became an Azteca América affiliate after KUBE-TV discontinued the network. The station ended its analog signal on October 22, 2009, although its low-power status meant that it was not required to cease analog broadcasting on the nationwide full-power deadline of June 12, 2009. Azteca América programming later moved to K10PY-D, now KUVM-LD. The station received the digital call sign KUVM-CD on April 26, 2010. The FCC approved its sale to Mako Communications on July 1, 2010. KUVM-CD returned to the air from the Missouri City tower farm later that month. Its digital capacity was used for a succession of multicast networks. RTV was added to a secondary stream on August 26, 2010, while the Mexican Telestai network was placed on the main stream in October. The Telestai feed, apparently supplied through an internet stream, was unreliable and removed in November. AMGTV was carried on a subchannel from April 2011 through April 2012. In 2013, KUVM-CD was included in a proposed sale to Landover 5 LLC involving 51 other low-power television stations. The transaction failed to close and was abandoned in June 2016. MundoMax ceased operations on November 30, 2016, leaving the station temporarily without programming. KUVM-CD subsequently affiliated with LATV at the beginning of 2017. Mako Communications sold its stations, including KUVM-CD, to HC2 Holdings in 2017. The station is currently associated with Innovate Corp. and remains a low-power Class A television facility serving the Houston area.
- 2017
LATV affiliation and HC2 ownership
[1]The station began carrying LATV and was included in Mako Communications’ sale of stations to HC2 Holdings.
- 2016
MundoMax ceases operations
[1]MundoMax shut down, temporarily leaving KUVM-CD without programming.
- 2010
KUVM-CD call sign adopted
[1]The station received the KUVM-CD call sign, indicating Class A digital operation.
- 2010
Mako Communications acquisition
[1]The FCC consented to Mako Communications’ acquisition of the station.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]KUVM-CA ceased its analog signal and moved toward digital-only operation.
- 2007
Azteca América affiliation
[1]Under the KUVM-CA call sign, the station began carrying Azteca América after KUBE-TV dropped the network.
- 2003
Move to channel 34
[1]The station moved to channel 34 during its transition into the Houston television market.
- 1989
Licensed as K53CZ
[1]The station received a license for channel 53 under the call sign K53CZ.
- 1985
Reacquisition after bankruptcy
[1]Community Television reacquired the station from bankruptcy proceedings.
- 1983
Sale to Number 1 TV, Inc.
[1]Community Television of Victoria sold the station to Number 1 TV, Inc.
Products and positioning
A Houston-area low-power digital television station using its terrestrial broadcast signal to distribute national multicast, Spanish-language, and specialty programming.
Digital terrestrial television · 2010
KUVM-CD over-the-air television service
KUVM-CD is a low-power, Class A digital television service transmitting from near Missouri City, Texas, to the Houston area. Its broadcast capacity has been used for a changing combination of primary and secondary digital streams rather than a single permanent program format.
Spanish-language multicast network · 2017
LATV affiliation
LATV became the station’s programming affiliation after MundoMax ended operations. The affiliation illustrates KUVM-CD’s role as a local outlet for national and Spanish-language multicast programming in the Houston market.
Brand decisions
2017
Transition from MundoMax to LATVStrategyBackground
MundoMax ceased operations on November 30, 2016, leaving the station without a network feed.
Action taken
KUVM-CD affiliated with LATV at the beginning of 2017.
Aftermath
The change restored regular network programming while preserving the station’s role as a Houston-area multicast outlet.
2013
Proposed Landover 5 transactionM&ABackground
KUVM-CD was included in a proposed package sale involving 51 other low-power television stations.
Action taken
The proposed sale to Landover 5 LLC was pursued but did not close.
Aftermath
The transaction fell through in June 2016, and KUVM-CD remained with Mako Communications until the 2017 sale to HC2 Holdings.
2010
Transfer to Mako CommunicationsM&ABackground
KUVM-CD was part of the market for low-power television facilities and was subject to an ownership transfer reviewed by the FCC.
Action taken
The FCC consented to the sale of the station to Mako Communications.
Aftermath
The station returned to the air from Missouri City and continued experimenting with digital multicast affiliations.
2007
Adoption of Azteca América programmingStrategyBackground
KUBE-TV discontinued its Azteca América affiliation, creating an opening for another Houston-area station.
Action taken
KUVM-CA began carrying Azteca América programming on July 1, 2007.
Aftermath
The Azteca América service later moved to K10PY-D after KUVM-CA ended analog broadcasting.
Recent events
- 2017
KUVM-CD joins LATV[1]
Product launch
KUVM-CD began carrying LATV programming after the end of MundoMax operations.
- 2017
Mako Communications sells KUVM-CD to HC2 Holdings[1]
M&A
KUVM-CD was included in Mako Communications’ sale of its television stations to HC2 Holdings.
- 2016
MundoMax shuts down, leaving KUVM-CD without programming[1]
Other
The closure of MundoMax temporarily left KUVM-CD without a programming service before the station later affiliated with LATV.
- 2010
KUVM-CD changes call sign to reflect digital operation[1]
Other
The station changed its call sign from KUVM-CA to KUVM-CD after transitioning from analog to digital operation.
- 2010
FCC approves transfer of KUVM-CD to Mako Communications[1]
M&A
The FCC consented to the sale of KUVM-CD to Mako Communications, which later operated the station as part of its low-power television portfolio.
- 2010
KUVM-CD returns to the air from Missouri City[1]
Product launch
After its ownership transition, the station resumed broadcasting from the Missouri City tower site and began carrying several digital multicast services.
Sources1 sources
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