KVDA
KVDA is the Telemundo-affiliated television station serving the San Antonio, Texas market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KVDA is a full-power television station in San Antonio, Texas, operating as the local outlet of the Spanish-language Telemundo network. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 60 and is owned and operated by the Telemundo Station Group, part of NBCUniversal. Its studios are located on San Pedro Avenue in north-central San Antonio, near Olmos Park, while its transmitter is situated northeast of Elmendorf near U.S. Route 181. KVDA serves Spanish-speaking audiences across the San Antonio market and surrounding portions of South Texas through a mixture of national Telemundo programming, locally produced news, weather, public-affairs coverage, syndicated or acquired programming, and digital subchannels. The station emerged from a lengthy Federal Communications Commission licensing process for San Antonio's channel 60 allocation. In 1985, the FCC designated 13 applications for comparative hearing. After several applicants withdrew, seven groups remained. The commission ultimately selected Nueva Vista Productions, led by David A. Dávila and associated with local media figures including former KENS-TV investigative reporter Ed Gonzalez. Appeals delayed the final grant, but the project moved forward after Nueva Vista reached a financing and affiliation arrangement with Telemundo in 1988. Telemundo helped finance construction in return for an agreement that KVDA would affiliate with the network when it launched. KVDA began broadcasting on September 10, 1989. Telemundo exercised a contractual right to acquire the station soon afterward, and the FCC approved the transfer in August 1990 after determining that Dávila, rather than Telemundo, had retained primary responsibility for key construction and staffing decisions before the sale. The station therefore became part of Telemundo's owned-station portfolio at an early stage of its history. In 2002, NBC completed its acquisition of Telemundo from Sony and Liberty Media, bringing KVDA into the NBCUniversal corporate family. ZGS Communications operated KVDA under a time brokerage agreement from May 2009 until NBCUniversal reassumed direct operations in 2014. Local news has been central to KVDA's identity but has also been shaped by competitive and financial pressures. The station introduced a 10 p.m. newscast in February 1990 and later expanded into early-evening and morning programming. Several cost reductions, schedule changes, and periods of centralized production reduced the amount of locally originated news. KVDA relaunched an in-house news operation in May 2012 with weekday 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. broadcasts, followed by additional afternoon, weekend, and midday editions during a series of Telemundo network expansions between 2014 and 2018. A regional Texas morning program originating from Fort Worth was added in 2022, while the Texas regional program Noticias Telemundo Texas was discontinued on November 1, 2024. KVDA operates in a highly competitive Spanish-language television market. Its principal local rival is Univision affiliate KWEX-DT, which has generally led KVDA in local news ratings. Despite that competitive disadvantage, KVDA remains an important Spanish-language broadcast outlet in San Antonio, combining national Telemundo content with local reporting and community-oriented programming. The station completed the United States digital television transition in 2009 and moved its digital transmission from RF channel 38 to RF channel 15 in May 2020 as part of the nationwide repacking resulting from the federal wireless spectrum auction.
History
KVDA's history began with the FCC's allocation of UHF channel 60 to San Antonio and a competitive licensing proceeding. In April 1985, the commission designated 13 applications for comparative hearing. Six applicants withdrew, leaving seven groups. The FCC's initial decision in November 1986 eliminated several applications because their proponents could not demonstrate reasonable assurance of suitable tower sites. It also found San Antonio Video Corporation unqualified because of misrepresentations concerning its financial qualifications. Nueva Vista Productions was selected over Vela Broadcasting because the commission judged its ownership and management structure to be more integrated. Appeals delayed the final license grant until 1988. In June of that year, Nueva Vista agreed to receive financing from the Telemundo network in exchange for affiliating the future station with Telemundo. The arrangement was announced publicly in October. Construction planning proceeded through the appointment of station management and the selection of facilities. By May 1989, the station had chosen a studio site and transmitter location. Its approximately 21,000-square-foot studio building on San Pedro Avenue had previously been occupied by an office-furniture business. KVDA signed on September 10, 1989. Telemundo sought to purchase the station soon afterward through a right of first refusal that could be exercised within 18 months of the launch. The proposed acquisition was challenged by Ed Gonzalez, who argued that Telemundo's construction loans and purchase option amounted to an unauthorized transfer of control before the comparative hearing process had concluded. In August 1990, the FCC approved the transfer, finding that David A. Dávila had remained the principal decision-maker on matters such as studio and transmitter selection and personnel hiring during construction. The station built its early identity around Telemundo programming and local Spanish-language news. It began a 10 p.m. newscast in February 1990 and later developed an early-evening program. In 1997, weak ratings and cost pressure led to the replacement of the 10 p.m. broadcast with a repeat of the 5 p.m. edition and the dismissal of approximately one-third of the news staff. In 1998, the station restored two live newscasts. A 2000 relaunch under the name Sesenta Directo included an experiment with community journalists equipped with computers and webcams, followed by a morning newscast in early 2001. Further cutbacks in July 2001 eliminated the morning and 5 p.m. broadcasts and reduced the news department. Later, some local programming returned, but Telemundo also used centralized production from KXTX-TV in Fort Worth to replace or supplement local newscasts at several western stations. NBC's acquisition of Telemundo, announced in 2001 and completed in April 2002, placed KVDA under NBC ownership. From May 2009, ZGS Communications operated KVDA through a time brokerage agreement; NBCUniversal retained the license and resumed operations in 2014. KVDA re-established a substantial in-house news operation on May 21, 2012, launching weekday 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. half-hour broadcasts from its San Pedro Avenue facility. The station then participated in Telemundo's broader local-news expansion, adding a 4:30 p.m. program in 2014, a 4 p.m. edition in 2016, weekend news in 2017, and a midday broadcast in January 2018. A regional morning program, Noticiero Telemundo Texas, began in September 2022 from Fort Worth and aired across Telemundo stations in Texas. That regional program was discontinued on November 1, 2024. Technically, KVDA ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated digital transition. Its digital service initially used RF channel 38 while retaining virtual channel 60. On May 1, 2020, the station moved to RF channel 15 under the national spectrum-repacking process following the 2016 wireless spectrum auction. KVDA continues to operate as Telemundo's San Antonio outlet, although its local news ratings have generally trailed those of Univision competitor KWEX-DT.
- 2020
Digital frequency repack
[1]KVDA moved its digital transmission from RF channel 38 to RF channel 15.
- 2014
NBCUniversal resumes station operations
[1]NBCUniversal reassumed direct operational control after the ZGS brokerage period.
- 2012
In-house news relaunch
[1]KVDA restored locally produced weekday 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts.
- 2009
Digital transition
[1]KVDA ended regular analog broadcasting and continued digital service using virtual channel 60.
- 2002
NBC acquires Telemundo
[1]NBC completed its acquisition of Telemundo, bringing KVDA into the NBC corporate portfolio.
- 1990
FCC approves transfer to Telemundo
[1]The commission approved Telemundo's acquisition after reviewing allegations concerning pre-licensing control.
- 1990
First 10 p.m. local newscast
[1]KVDA began its first regular late-evening local newscast.
- 1989
KVDA signs on
[1]KVDA began broadcasting on September 10 as San Antonio's Telemundo station.
- 1988
Telemundo financing and affiliation agreement
[1]Nueva Vista arranged Telemundo financing for construction and committed the planned station to the network.
- 1986
Nueva Vista selected for channel 60
[1]The FCC's initial decision selected Nueva Vista Productions after rejecting or disqualifying several competing applications.
Products and positioning
A Spanish-language network television station focused on San Antonio and South Texas audiences, combining Telemundo's national entertainment and news schedule with locally produced journalism and community coverage.
Television broadcasting · 1989
KVDA broadcast service
KVDA's primary service is a full-power Spanish-language television broadcast for the San Antonio market. It carries Telemundo's national schedule alongside local programming and is identified over the air by virtual channel 60. The station's transmission facilities are northeast of Elmendorf, and its signal serves San Antonio and nearby South Texas communities.
Local television news · 1990
KVDA local news
KVDA's local news operation provides Spanish-language reporting, weather, traffic, and community coverage. The schedule has changed repeatedly, ranging from early-evening, late-evening, morning, midday, weekend, and afternoon editions to periods of centralized production. Locally produced weekday evening broadcasts returned in 2012, followed by further schedule expansions through 2018.
Regional television news · 2022
Noticias Telemundo Texas
This regional Texas morning newscast originated in Fort Worth and aired on KVDA and other Telemundo stations in the state beginning in September 2022. It supplemented rather than replaced all local programming and was discontinued on November 1, 2024.
Brand decisions
2024
Regional Texas news program discontinuedStrategyBackground
Telemundo reviewed its regional Texas news schedule after the 2022 expansion.
Action taken
Noticias Telemundo Texas was taken off the schedule on November 1, 2024.
Aftermath
KVDA continued its other Telemundo network and local news services.
2022
Regional Texas morning news launchProduct launchBackground
Telemundo expanded regional news coverage across its Texas station group.
Action taken
KVDA began airing Noticiero Telemundo Texas, produced from Fort Worth and distributed to Telemundo stations across Texas.
Aftermath
The regional program was discontinued on November 1, 2024.
2012
In-house news operation relaunchProduct launchBackground
KVDA sought to restore a stronger local presence after periods of reduced and centralized news production.
Action taken
The station launched half-hour weekday newscasts at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. from its San Antonio studios.
Aftermath
The relaunch became the base for subsequent afternoon, midday, and weekend news expansions.
2001
Local news cost reductionStrategyBackground
KVDA faced weak ratings and broader cost pressures in the Spanish-language television business.
Action taken
The station canceled its morning and 5 p.m. newscasts in July 2001 and reduced staffing, while later relying in part on centralized production for some local news output.
Aftermath
KVDA's locally originated news schedule was reduced before later rebuilding its in-house operation.
1990
Telemundo exercises acquisition optionM&ABackground
Telemundo had financed construction of KVDA and held a contractual right connected to acquiring the station after its launch. The proposed purchase was challenged as an alleged pre-licensing transfer of control.
Action taken
The FCC reviewed the arrangement and approved the transfer in August 1990, concluding that local licensee David A. Dávila had retained primary control during construction.
Aftermath
KVDA became part of Telemundo's owned-station portfolio.
Sources1 sources
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