KEYC-TV

KEYC-TV, virtual and VHF digital channel 12, is a dual CBS/Fox-affiliated television station licensed to Mankato, Minnesota, United States and serving southwestern Minnesota. Owned by Gray Television, it is a sister station to low-powered, dual NBC/CW+ affiliate KMNF-LD (channel 7). The two stations share studios on Lookout Drive in North Mankato and transmitter facilities near Lewisville, Minnesota. On cable, KEYC-TV's primary CBS feed can be seen on Charter Spectrum channel 10 and Consolidated Communications channel 12.

Not to be confused with KECY-TV.

KEYC-TV
Mankato, Minnesota
United States
ChannelsDigital: 12 (VHF)
Virtual: 12 (PSIP)
BrandingKEYC CBS (general)
KEYC News Now (newscasts)
KEYC Fox (on DT2)
SloganThis is the Place
Programming
Affiliations12.1: CBS (1961–present)
12.2: Fox (2007–present)
Ownership
OwnerGray Television
(Gray Television Licensee, LLC)
Sister stationsKMNF-LD
History
First air dateOctober 5, 1960 (1960-10-05)
Former channel number(s)Analog:
12 (VHF, 1960–2009)
Digital:
38 (UHF, 2002–2009)
Former affiliationsNBC (1960–1961)
UPN (secondary, 1995–2006)
Call sign meaningKEY City
(city slogan for Mankato)
Technical information
Licensing authorityFCC
Facility ID68853
ClassDT
ERP52.7 kW
HAAT317 m (1,040 ft)
Transmitter coordinates43°56′12.4″N 94°24′38.5″W
Translator(s)See below
Links
Public license informationProfile
LMS
Websitewww.keyc.com

The Mankato market is within reach of some television stations based in the Twin Cities. CBS owned-and-operated station WCCO-TV has an over-the-air signal that reaches just short of Mankato proper. However, the station is offered locally on Spectrum channel 4. Due to the cable presence of WCCO, KEYC can invoke the FCC's network non-duplication rule resulting in Spectrum blacking out programming from the former during network shows. WCCO's newscasts and some of its syndicated programs can be seen, however.

History

KEYC-TV signed on October 5, 1960, just in time to broadcast the first game of the World Series that night from NBC. It was owned by Lee Enterprises which also started nearby KGLO-TV (now KIMT) in Mason City, Iowa. Less than a year later, KEYC switched its affiliation to CBS which has been maintained to this day. Lee Enterprises, intending to purchase KOIN-TV in Portland, Oregon, was forced to sell KEYC to United Communications in 1977 due to ownership limits imposed by the FCC. During UPN's existence, the station carried some of that network's programming through a secondary arrangement.

KEYC was a major beneficiary of an exception to the FCC's "2½ + 1" plan for allocating VHF television bandwidth. In the early days of broadcast television, there were twelve VHF channels available, and 69 UHF channels (which was later reduced to 56 with the removal of high-band channels 70-83 in the early 1980s). The VHF bands were more desirable because signals broadcasting on that band traveled a longer distance. Because there were only twelve VHF channels available, there were limitations as to how closely the stations could be spaced. With the release of the FCC's Sixth Report and Order in 1952, the Commission outlined a new allocation table for VHF licenses and opened up the UHF band. Through these initiatives, almost all of the United States would be able to receive two commercial VHF channels plus one non-commercial allocation. Most of the rest of the country ("1/2") would be able to receive a third VHF channel. Other areas of the country would be designated as "UHF islands," since they were too close to larger cities for VHF service.

However, what would become of the Mankato market was sandwiched between Minneapolis–Saint Paul (channels 2, 4, 5, 9, and 11) to the north, Rochester (channels 3, 6, and 10) to the east, Sioux Falls (channels 2, 5, 7, 11, and 13) to the west, and Des Moines (channels 5, 8, 11, and 13) to the southeast. This created a large "doughnut" in Mankato where there could only be one VHF license. KEYC was fortunate enough to gain that license, and consequently became the only affiliate of a major network to be based in Mankato.

On July 1, 2007, the station signed on a new second digital subchannel and brought Fox programming to the market for the first time; this subchannel replaced Minneapolis stations WFTC (channel 29) and later KMSP-TV (channel 9), which have both been carried on cable systems in southwestern Minnesota since before the Fox network began operations in 1986.[1] KEYC's broadcasts became digital-only effective June 12, 2009.[2] It is the sole commercial station in the area that it serves which is ranked as the 13th smallest (ranked #198) out of 210 in the United States. However, KEYC is not without significant competition because outlets from the Twin Cities, the 15th largest market, cover major news and weather events in the region.

KEYC-TV logo until 2020

On February 8, 2019, Gray Television announced it was purchasing the United stations, including KEYC. In advance of the purchase, Gray assumed control of the station via a local marketing agreement (LMA) on March 1.[3] KEYC would be Gray's first station in Minnesota.[4] The sale was completed on May 1.[5]

KEYC-DT2

KEYC-DT2, branded on air as KEYC Fox, is the Fox-affiliated second digital subchannel of KEYC-TV, broadcasting in 720p high definition on virtual and VHF channel 12.2. On cable, the station can be seen on Charter Spectrum channel 19 and Consolidated Communications channel 13. Although the main over-the-air signal of KMSP-TV does not reach Mankato proper, it is simulcast over K35KI-D in nearby St. James[6] through the local municipal-operated Cooperative TV (CTV) network of translators;[7][8] KMSP-TV is also offered locally in Mankato on channel 9 on both Charter Spectrum and Consolidated Communications.

In November 2017, KEYC-DT2 was upgraded to 720p HD; it had previously been in 480i widescreen standard definition.

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP short name Programming [9]
12.11080i16:9KEYC-HDMain KEYC-TV programming / CBS
12.2720pFOX12HDKEYC-DT2 / Fox

Programming

KEYC-TV airs the entire CBS schedule but does not clear the CBS News program known as the CBS Overnight News. Also, KEYC did not air either of that program's predecessors: Up to the Minute from 1992 to 2015, or CBS News Nightwatch from 1982 to 1992. The station signs off at around 1 each morning with cable viewers in Mankato and some surrounding areas receiving the CBS Overnight News from WCCO. KEYC is one of very few broadcast stations to still sign off nightly as opposed to on weekends, once a week, or not at all (KEYC-DT2 does the same thing). Syndicated programming on KEYC-DT1 includes Wheel of Fortune, Live with Kelly and Ryan, Dr. Phil, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show among others. Syndicated programming on KEYC-DT2 includes The Dr. Oz Show, Jeopardy!, and The People's Court among others.

KEYC-TV maintains a highly local focus such as through its production of the long-running music series Bandwagon. Another program that have aired almost throughout the station's history was a local religious program, I Believe in Miracles, which first aired on February 19, 1961. Miracles aired for the last time on KEYC on February 8, 2015. Various other local programs have aired over the years as well as a variety of specials such as on holiday music or major community issues.

Newscasts

On January 15, 2018, KEYC debuted a new weekday morning newscast. KEYC News Now This Morning airs for one hour starting at 6 a.m.[10] On February 25, 2019, it was expanded to 1½ hours starting at 5:30 a.m. There are local news and weather cut-ins during CBS This Morning from 7 until 9. KEYC News Now offers local newscasts weekdays at noon for a half-hour, Monday through Friday at 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday nights at 6, and every night at 10. KEYC News Now at 9 airs seven nights a week on KEYC-DT2.

The current nightly news team for KEYC News Now consists of Dion Cheney, Stacy Steinhagen, Mark Tarello, and Rob Clark.

Former translator stations

The broadcast signal of KEYC was extended by way of three digital translators in southern Minnesota until December 22, 2017, when United Communications could not negotiate a new leasing agreement with tower owner BENCO/CTV.[11]

The Frost and Jackson translators were located in the Minneapolis–St. Paul market, while the St. James translator was in the Mankato market.

gollark: Interesting! Initiating viewing.
gollark: I *also* have 16lc, it's not much.
gollark: I don't have enough for that to be remotely viable.
gollark: ↑ still coral
gollark: ↑ wrong person

References
  1. Mankato Fox station to launch July 1, Mankato Free Press, June 6, 2007
  2. KEYC Switching To Digital Signal In June, KEYC-TV 12, February 12, 2009
  3. "Gray Television Announces Purchase of KEYC-TV". KEYC-TV. February 8, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  4. "Gray Enters New York State and Minnesota with Purchase of United's Strong Television Stations" (PDF). Gray Television. February 8, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  5. "Consummation Notice", CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  6. RabbitEars - Digital TV Market Listing for K35KI-D
  7. The Webpage of Cooperative TV (CTV)
  8. CTV Channel Listing via the Cooperative TV (CTV) Website
  9. RabbitEars TV Query for KEYC
  10. http://www.keyc.com/story/36513437/keyc-news-12-to-launch-morning-news-in-2018
  11. Keegan, Mitch (December 20, 2017). "Translator Changes May Impact Some Over-the-Air Viewers of KEYC News 12". KEYC.com. United Communications. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
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