KMVU-DT (channel 26) is the local Fox Television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. The station serves the 5 southern most Oregon counties, plus Siskiyou County California. The station is owned by Northwest Broadcasting, as a sister station to low-powered MyNetworkTV affiliate KFBI-LD (channel 48) and low-powered Sonlife Broadcasting Network affiliate KMCW-LD (channel 14).
History
It was founded in 1994 by Bob and June Sheehan, and the station's start-up was funded by Salmon River Communications under a Leased Management Agreement between the Sheehans and Salmon River's CEO, Robert J. Hamaker. KMVU signed-on Friday August 8, 1994. Prior to the station's sign on, Medford residents could only receive Fox programming via the national Foxnet service. Hamaker appointed Peter Rogers as the station's original General Manager in July 1994 once the transfer of control of the station from the Sheehans to Salmon River was approved by the Federal Communications Commission. Rogers came from KRON-TV, San Francisco's then-NBC Television affiliate, where he had established his credentials in television station programming, operations, production and administration. Rogers managed KMVU FOX26 from 1994 to 2004. Salmon River sold the station to Northwest Broadcasting in 1998.
In 2006, the station began broadcasting Fox 26 First At Ten, a 10 o'clock local news program produced by KMVU competitor KOBI-TV. The newscast is currently anchored by Jennifer Elliott, with meteorologist Adam Colpack handling weather.
On January 10, 2011, FOX 26 launched a new morning news program called FOX 26 Morning News Live at Seven. The newscast is currently anchored by Bianca Peters, Taelor Rian, and meteorologist Jeff Heaton.
Only a 10 p.m. newscast is produced and aired on the weekends. It is anchored by Kyle Aevermann and weather forecaster Matt Jordan.
Digital television
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
Analog-to-digital conversion
KMVU shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 26, on February 17, 2009, the original target date in which full-power television stations in the United States were to transition from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate (which was later pushed back to June 12, 2009). The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 27 to channel 26.
Translators
KMVU-DT is rebroadcast on the following translator stations:
- K31GP-D Channel 31 Brookings
- K32LQ-D Channel 32 Yreka, California
- K44DZ Channel 44 Klamath Falls
- K44JB-D Channel 44 Grants Pass (Digital)
Cable and satellite carriage disputes
Northland Cable TV (2007-2008)
On May 6, 2007, KMVU was replaced by Chico, California Fox affiliate KCVU-TV on Northland Cable Television channel 13 in both Mt. Shasta and Yreka, California, when KMVU and Northland could not come to an agreement to remain on the cable system. (Northland also carries KCVU's sister station KRVU-LD My 21 on cable channel 2.) However, Northland has been blocked from airing Fox Network programming as a result.
On May 14, 2008, the FCC issued two Notice of Apparent Liability and Forfeitures to Northland for failing to provide thirty days notice to KMVU and cable customers that KMVU would be moved to a different channel and eventually dropped altogether. The two NAL's total $40,000. As is standard procedure, Northland was given thirty days to either pay the fine or ask for a reduction or cancellation.
In November 2008, KMVU won the contract dispute with Northland Cable and was returned to its previous channels on both Mt. Shasta and Yreka, thus forcing KCVU to be removed.
DirecTV (2010-2012)
Like Northland Cable, KMVU is currently undergoing a carriage dispute with DirecTV, similar to a recent dispute between Dish Network and KDRV before that situation was resolved. However, this may take longer to resolve. This dispute threatened to black out the 2010-2011 NFC Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears on January 23, 2011, as well as the 2011 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLV. The dispute was temporarily resolved.
However, on August 13, 2012, DirecTV dropped KMVU from its service and its line-up, prompting station owners Northwest Broadcasting to issue a statement regarding the issue. As a result, KMVU has started airing promos asking viewers to find other alternatives, like over-the-air for free, to watch their station and essentially make their feelings known about the controversy.
On October 25, 2012, KMVU returned to DirecTV service.
References
External links
- KMVU website
- History of Television in Southern Oregon
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KMVU
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KMVU-DT
