XHILA-TV

XHILA-TV, identified in its digital-era designation as XHILA-TDT and commonly associated with Canal 66, is an independent Spanish-language television station based in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Its terrestrial signal and cable distribution serve the Mexicali Valley, while its cross-border reach extends into the southern Imperial Valley of California, including El Centro, and to communities along the Colorado River in Sonora and Arizona, including San Luis Río Colorado and Yuma. The station is positioned as a full-service local broadcaster rather than as a national network outlet, combining local information, news, political and public-affairs programming, variety content, films, comedy, and other general-interest programs. The station conducted experimental broadcasts in 1997 and began commercial operations in October 1998. It has been associated with Intermedia de Mexicali since its creation. Intermedia de Mexicali is a subsidiary of Ciudad Juárez-based Grupo Intermedia, and the station's license is held by Arnoldo Cabada de la O, identified in reference material as the group's president. During its early operation, XHILA carried independent programming during the day and, at night, programming from CNI. From 2008 through 2015, it was affiliated with cadenatres, a Mexican broadcast network that operated during that period. XHILA has also participated in public-television distribution. In 2015, Intermedia entered into an agreement with the Sistema Público de Radiodifusión del Estado Mexicano to carry the Una Voz con Todos network on its Mexicali and Ciudad Juárez stations. The arrangement brought national public television service to Mexicali for the first time, according to the station's reference history. The broadcaster was an early participant in Mexico's digital television transition. After obtaining approval from Cofetel, it shut down its analog signal at 11:30 p.m. on March 6, 2013, ahead of the then-planned mandatory deadline. This made XHILA the first station in Mexicali to end analog transmission and the second in Mexico to become digital-only, after XHUNAM-TDT. In 2018, it was assigned digital channel 20 as part of the national effort to clear the 600 MHz band. The repack was completed on November 27, 2018, making XHILA the last Mexicali station to complete that change. The station's border orientation is reinforced by U.S. relay facilities controlled by the Cabada family through Broadcast Group, Ltd. A Yuma-area translator, originally K28FM, was later supplemented by digital translator K33MD-D. In the Calexico area, the former analog K07ZF facility was succeeded by K42KZ-D, later renamed K29LS-D after a channel reassignment related to the 600 MHz repack. These facilities relay XHILA and its subchannels, helping preserve access for viewers who receive the station from the United States. In October 2024, XHILA became the focus of national attention after political-satire host Gustavo Macalpin was dismissed on air during Ciudadano 2.0 by station director Luis Arnoldo Cabada Alvídrez. The incident generated criticism over the public and unexpected manner of the termination, while Macalpin characterized it as intimidating and humiliating. Political figures, including Baja California governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda and incoming president Claudia Sheinbaum, commented publicly on the event. Sheinbaum said that the manner of the dismissal would be inappropriate if censorship had been involved. The station nevertheless remains an active local broadcaster with a distinctive role in the media environment of the Mexico–United States border.

XHILA-TV's history is rooted in the development of independent television in Mexicali and the expansion of broadcasting across the Mexico–United States border. The station began experimental transmissions in 1997 and entered commercial service in October 1998. From its inception it was operated by Intermedia de Mexicali, a company within Grupo Intermedia, which is based in Ciudad Juárez. Arnoldo Cabada de la O has been identified as the station's licensee and as the group's president. During its first years, XHILA followed a mixed schedule. It broadcast independent programs during the day and initially carried CNI news programming at night. This gave the station a combination of locally oriented content and externally supplied news. Between 2008 and 2015, it was affiliated with cadenatres, a Mexican broadcast network that provided network programming while XHILA continued serving its local market. The station's service area has consistently extended beyond Mexicali. Its audience includes communities in the Mexicali Valley and the southern Imperial Valley of California, as well as San Luis Río Colorado in Sonora and Yuma in Arizona. Cable systems in the principal communities have carried the station, and U.S. translators have provided additional over-the-air access. The Cabada family-controlled Broadcast Group, Ltd. has operated relay facilities in Yuma and Calexico. K28FM was an earlier analog Yuma translator, while K33MD-D later provided a digital relay. In the Calexico area, K07ZF was replaced by K42KZ-D, which was later reassigned and became K29LS-D in 2021. The FCC cancelled K28FM's license on July 19, 2021. In 2013, XHILA took an early step in Mexico's digital transition. Cofetel authorized the station to end analog transmission before the national deadline then being considered. At 11:30 p.m. on March 6, 2013, it switched off its analog service. It was the first Mexicali station to do so and the second in Mexico to become digital-only, following XHUNAM-TDT's earlier transition. The station was later assigned digital channel 20 in 2018 as part of the process of clearing channels 38 through 51 from the 600 MHz band. It completed the move on November 27, 2018, after the other principal Mexicali stations had already repacked. XHILA also broadened its programming role through a 2015 agreement between Intermedia and the Sistema Público de Radiodifusión del Estado Mexicano. Under the agreement, the station carried Una Voz con Todos, bringing national public television programming to the Mexicali market. This complemented XHILA's local news, information, variety, movie, comedy, and general-interest schedule. The station's most prominent recent controversy concerned the October 7, 2024 dismissal of Gustavo Macalpin, presenter of the political-satire program Ciudadano 2.0. Luis Arnoldo Cabada Alvídrez appeared on the program and initially led Macalpin to believe that he might participate in a sketch. Instead, Cabada thanked Macalpin for six years leading the program and then announced that his employment was ending. Macalpin accepted the decision and continued through the final broadcast. The episode was criticized as intimidating and humiliating because it was conducted on air. Macalpin had criticized Morena politicians and public figures, including Baja California governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, her husband Carlos Alberto Torres Torres, former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and members of his family, and Claudia Sheinbaum. Ávila expressed surprise and wished Macalpin well, while Sheinbaum said the manner of the termination would be improper if it had been motivated by censorship. XHILA continues to operate as an independent Spanish-language station serving a binational regional audience.

• 2024

  On-air dismissal of Gustavo Macalpin

  [1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  The host of Ciudadano 2.0 is dismissed during a live broadcast, generating criticism and political discussion.

• 2018

  Digital channel repack completed

  [1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  XHILA moves to assigned channel 20 as part of the 600 MHz clearance and completes the repack on November 27.

• 2015

  Public television carriage agreement

  [1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  Intermedia agrees to carry Una Voz con Todos from Mexico's public broadcasting system on its Mexicali and Ciudad Juárez stations.

• 2013

  Analog signal switched off

  [1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  XHILA ends analog broadcasting on March 6, becoming the first Mexicali station to operate exclusively in digital television.

• 2008

  cadenatres affiliation begins

  [1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  XHILA begins carrying cadenatres programming.

• 1998

  Commercial launch

  [1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins commercial broadcasting in October as an independent Spanish-language service.

• 1997

  Experimental broadcasts begin

  [1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  XHILA begins experimental television transmissions in Mexicali.

Independent Spanish-language, full-service local television station with a cross-border audience and a strong focus on Mexicali-area information, news, commentary, and general entertainment.

• Digital terrestrial television · 1998

  XHILA-TDT terrestrial television service

  The station's principal broadcast service is a Spanish-language digital terrestrial television signal from Mexicali. Its schedule combines local information, news, public-affairs and variety programs with films, comedy, and other general-interest content. The service is designed for viewers in the Mexicali Valley and neighboring communities on both sides of the international border.

• Political satire and commentary

  Ciudadano 2.0

  Ciudadano 2.0 was a political-satire and commentary program hosted by Gustavo Macalpin. It became widely known outside the station's immediate market after Macalpin's termination was announced during a live broadcast on October 7, 2024.

• Public television programming · 2015

  Una Voz con Todos carriage

  Through a 2015 agreement with Mexico's Sistema Público de Radiodifusión del Estado Mexicano, XHILA carried Una Voz con Todos. The arrangement added national public television programming to the station's Mexicali schedule.

• 2024

  On-air dismissal of Gustavo Macalpin

  On October 7, 2024, station director Luis Arnoldo Cabada Alvídrez dismissed Ciudadano 2.0 host Gustavo Macalpin during the program. The unexpected public termination was criticized as intimidating and humiliating. Because Macalpin had criticized Morena politicians and other prominent Mexican public figures, the incident also prompted public debate over whether political censorship might have been involved, although the reference material does not establish that censorship occurred.

  Source

Read more

• 2024

  Termination of Ciudadano 2.0 hostOther

  Background

  Gustavo Macalpin had hosted Ciudadano 2.0 for approximately six years and had criticized multiple Morena politicians and national public figures.

  Action taken

  Station director Luis Arnoldo Cabada Alvídrez announced Macalpin's dismissal during a live broadcast.

  Aftermath

  The presentation of the dismissal drew broad criticism. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda expressed surprise, and Claudia Sheinbaum said the manner would be inappropriate if censorship had motivated the decision.

  Source

• 2018

  600 MHz channel repackGeneration change

  Background

  Mexico's television spectrum was being reorganized to clear the 600 MHz band for other uses.

  Action taken

  XHILA was assigned channel 20 and completed its repack on November 27, 2018.

  Aftermath

  The move allowed the station to continue digital operations after channels 38 through 51 were cleared.

  Source

• 2015

  Agreement to carry Una Voz con TodosStrategy

  Background

  Intermedia sought to add Mexico's national public television service to its stations in Mexicali and Ciudad Juárez.

  Action taken

  Intermedia signed a carriage agreement with the Sistema Público de Radiodifusión del Estado Mexicano for Una Voz con Todos.

  Aftermath

  The agreement marked the first availability of national public television service in Mexicali, according to the station's published history.

  Source

• 2013

  Early conversion to digital-only broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  Mexican television stations were preparing for the national analog-to-digital transition, and XHILA sought permission to end analog service before the applicable deadline.

  Action taken

  After receiving Cofetel approval, XHILA shut down its analog signal at 11:30 p.m. on March 6, 2013.

  Aftermath

  The station became the first in Mexicali and the second in Mexico to operate solely with digital transmission.

  Source

• 2018

  XHILA completes its 600 MHz television repack[1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Product generation

  After being assigned channel 20, XHILA completed its digital-channel repack on November 27 to facilitate clearance of the 600 MHz band.

• 2015

  Intermedia adds Una Voz con Todos to its Mexicali service[1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Intermedia signed an agreement with Mexico's public broadcasting system to carry Una Voz con Todos on its Mexicali and Ciudad Juárez stations.

• 2013

  XHILA-TDT completes early analog television shutdown[1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product generation

  XHILA shut down its analog signal on March 6, becoming the first television station in Mexicali to transition to digital-only broadcasting.

• 2008

  XHILA becomes affiliated with cadenatres[1]XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The station began carrying cadenatres programming, an affiliation that continued until 2015.

1. 1XHILA-TDTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Canal 66 official websitecanal66.tv