KCSO-LD
KCSO-LD, virtual channel 33 (VHF digital channel 3), is a low-powered Telemundo owned-and-operated television station licensed to Sacramento, California, United States. The station is owned by the Telemundo Station Group subsidiary of NBCUniversal (itself a subsidiary of Comcast). KCSO-LD's studios are located on Media Place in the Woodlake neighborhood of Sacramento, and its transmitter is located in Walnut Grove.
 | |
| Sacramento, California United States | |
|---|---|
| Channels | Digital: 3 (VHF) Virtual: 33 (PSIP) |
| Branding | Telemundo 33 (general) Noticias Telemundo California (newscasts) |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Telemundo Station Group (a subsidiary of NBCUniversal) (NBC Telemundo License LLC) |
| Sister stations | KMUM-CD / KMMW-LD |
| History | |
| First air date | 1999 |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog: 33 (UHF, 1999–2012) |
| Former affiliations | |
| Call sign meaning | K Chester Smith Owner |
| Technical information | |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 18998 |
| Class | LD |
| ERP | 5 kW |
| HAAT | 516.9 m (1,696 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 38°16′18″N 121°30′22″W |
| Links | |
| Public license information | Profile LMS |
| Website | telemundo33 |
Due to its low-power status, KCSO's programming is simulcast in widescreen standard definition on Ion Television owned-and-operated station KSPX-TV digital channel 29.7 (displayed as channel 33.2) to reach the entire market. KCSO also operates translator stations KMUM-CD and KMMW-LD in Sacramento and Stockton.
On cable, KCSO-LD is available locally on Comcast Xfinity channels 25 and 714 in HD, AT&T U-verse channels 25 and 1025 in HD, Consolidated Communications channel 25, Charter Spectrum channels 22 and 790 in HD and Wave Broadband channels 610 and 704 in HD in Placer County and channels 15 and 715 in HD in Yolo County. The station is also available on satellite television providers Dish Network and DirecTV channel 33 throughout the Sacramento market.
History
The station was founded by country-western performer Chester Smith and his company Sainte Partners II, L.P. and first signed on the air in 1999. It was the last station to be owned by his company. On August 8, 2008, Chester Smith died of heart failure at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California.[1] The station continued operating under the Sainte banner until it was sold to Serestar Communications Group in 2013. Sainte folded shortly thereafter.
Serestar agreed to sell KCSO-LD, KMUM-CD, and KMMW-LD to NBCUniversal on November 28, 2018, as part of a $21 million deal.[2] The sale was completed on March 5, 2019.[3]
Digital television
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | KCSO-LD | Main KCSO-LD programming / Telemundo |
| 33.3 | 480i | 4:3 | Telex | TeleXitos |
| 33.4 | 16:9 | LIGHTtv | Light TV | |
| 33.5 | NBCLX | Lx |
On September 3, 2012, MeTV was moved to KCRA 3.2 (replacing the MoreTV format); 33.3 became silent afterward. 33.3 was re-launched on January 21, 2017, broadcasting TeleXitos.
In 2018, KCSO affiliated with Light TV on newly launched subchannel 33.4.
News operation
KCSO launched a local news department (with newscasts branded as Noticiero 33) following its sign-on. The half-hour local evening news program was broadcast every Monday through Friday at 6:00 p.m. However, it had low ratings and was canceled after five years.
Later, news briefs were aired online (branded as Telemundo 33 Al Día). In late 2014, it started airing morning news briefs called Noticias 33 Por la mañana, which aired at :25s and :55s from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. during Telemundo's Un Nuevo Dia morning news program.
On November 6, 2016, KCSO re-launched a weekday half-hour long newscast at 6:00 p.m. (initially branding as Noticiero Telemundo 33, later as Noticias Telemundo Sacramento, now as Noticias Telemundo California after the purchase by NBCUniversal), 11 years after its initial newscast was cancelled. It directly competes with Univision owned-and-operated KUVS's long-established (and for several years, the Sacramento area's only) Spanish-language newscast.
In 2017, a weeknight 11:00 p.m. newscast (branded as Noticias Telemundo California) was launched, further competing with KUVS. Noticias Telemundo California is simulcast on Fresno sister station KNSO.
On March 18, 2020, one year after the purchase by NBCUniversal, the station launched 5 and 5:30 newscasts, and began simulcasting all of their newscasts on KNSO. The station does not air any local newscasts on the weekends.
References
- TV station owner Chester Smith dies Archived 2012-10-20 at the Wayback Machine (Chico Enterprise Record: August 11, 2008)
- "Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License". December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- Miller, Mark K. (March 6, 2019). "NBCU Closes On Serestar Stations". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheckMedia LLC. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
- RabbitEars TV Query for KCSO