UH expanding KUHT's reach

[editor]

Looks like the University of Houston is expanding KUHT's signal.

It's applied for channel 24 in Beaumont to use as a digital translator, which means it will relay the video of another station, most likely KUHT.

The new signal is substantial. As powerful as any of the network affiliate stations in Beaumont:

I wonder if UH is eyeing KUHT expansion to the north or west, too.

[editor]

Looks like the answer is "yes." The University of Houston has applied for channel 29 in Victoria:

[editor]

And it looks like UH is trying to beef up its main signal.

Here's what it's currently licensed for:

But it actually has a temporary waiver to go a little farther than that.

UH has applied to expand KUHT's signal to this:

[crunchtastic]

Cool!

Too bad KUHT produces next to no programming. It's lack of local presence is shameful for being affiliated with a major university (with a graduate level comm department) in a city this size. I wonder if the grab means they're up to something?

[TheNiche]

Cool!

Too bad KUHT produces next to no programming. It's lack of local presence is shameful for being affiliated with a major university (with a graduate level comm department) in a city this size. I wonder if the grab means they're up to something?

If I had to guess, I'd think that it might have to do with trying to capture a higher distance ed. enrollment. I'd imagine that the margins are pretty good as compared to a traditional course.

The expansion to Victoria makes particular sense, since UH has a campus there. Beaumont is a head-scratcher, though.

[editor]

If the two new translators get built, the result should be something like this:

[citykid09]

If I had to guess, I'd think that it might have to do with trying to capture a higher distance ed. enrollment. I'd imagine that the margins are pretty good as compared to a traditional course.

The expansion to Victoria makes particular sense, since UH has a campus there. Beaumont is a head-scratcher, though.

Here in Bryan/College Station we get KUHT on cable as well as our own PBS, KAMU (from Texas A&M).

Also I thought KUHT produced some national shows. I know in the past they have had national TV specials. Also the Carrabas had a show Mary Lues Flip Flop Shop, several cooking shows. But no where on the level of what WGBH in Boston produces.

[editor]

Here in Bryan/College Station we get KUHT on cable as well as our own PBS, KAMU (from Texas A&M).

Also I thought KUHT produced some national shows. I know in the past they have had national TV specials. Also the Carrabas had a show Mary Lues Flip Flop Shop, several cooking shows. But no where on the level of what WGBH in Boston produces.

In most of the cities I've lived, it's always the independent PBS stations that do almost all of the original local programming (WTTW, WNET, WGBH, etc...) while the college PBS stations just carry other station's stuff. I'm not sure why this is, considering that the college TV stations should have no shortage of eager young people willing to help.

There are exceptions, of course. WCET in Cincinnati is the market's leading PBS station, but produces no local content. And WNDU in South Bend, Indiana produces a TON of local programming, even though until just recently it was owned by Notre Dame University. Of course, WNDU was pretty bad-ass because it was college owned, but NOT a PBS station -- it was a full NBC affiliate.