Corpus Christi Caller-Times TV/Radio by Elaine Liner, media critic

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Elaine Liner is Caller-Times' media critic. Her columns are published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. She has been known to occasionally gossip with her readers in the Elaine Liner Forum. Elaine can be reached at linere@caller.com

Tuesday, November 23, 1999

United Paramount Network picks up new Corpus Christi affiliate

KTMV will replace its UPN programming with more Tejano music videos

The United Paramount Network has a new Corpus Christi affiliate. KTOV, seen over-the-air on channel 7, begins carrying the primetime programs of five-year-old UPN starting Dec. 1.
   Former affiliate KTMV will no longer carry UPN shows and will fill its primetime hours with more of the Tejano music videos it airs the rest of the day. KTMV is seen on broadcast channel 8 and on AT&T cable channel 6.
   So far AT&T cable has not picked up KTOV, meaning the cable system will be without any UPN affiliate for the time being. It will continue carrying KTMV without UPN programming.
   Owners of KTOV are Fred Hoffmann, who's owned several radio stations in this area, and Don Gillis, stepson of KIII owner Mike McKinnon. Gillis is employed by KIII as programming and general sales manager. Gillis and Hoffmann also own KXPX, the PAX-TV affiliate seen locally on broadcast channel 14. (It also is not carried on local cable systems.)
   UPN is a still-struggling network whose biggest show to date is "WWF Smackdown!" seen on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. and top-rated among teen male viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
   It's also the network that airs the cult-fave "Star Trek: Voyager" (8 p.m. Wednesdays). KTMV often upset Trekkers by pre-empting "Voyager" to air Tejano videos.
   KTOV will air UPN shows as they're scheduled, said station spokesperson Deidre Gillis. Those include "Moesha" (7 p.m. Mondays) and "Blockbuster Video's Shockwave Cinema" at 7 p.m. Fridays.
   UPN currently airs primetime shows only Monday through Friday, with no programming on weekends.
   KTOV will fill daytime hours with newscasts and stock reports from the American Independent Network and reruns of classic sitcoms. The station has also purchased rights to air Big 12 football and basketball games and the Big 12 basketball championship games.
   Frustrated Trek fans who want to see "Voyager" should know that "until we get on cable, all you have to have is an antenna to see KTOV," said Gillis.
   Carlos Lopez, owner of KTMV, said losing the UPN affiliation will allow his station to program more Tejano videos.
   "UPN's programming and ours were not mixing," said Lopez. "I was getting a half and half audience. It was a no-win situation."
   Lopez still owns the UPN affiliate in Victoria, KVHM, seen over-the-air on channel 31 and on cable channel 12.
   Lopez has also recently launched KHCC, seen in Corpus Christi only on UHF channel 35 (it's not on cable). The English-language KHCC is an affiliate of the American One Network, which airs classic movies, variety show reruns and Houston Rockets and Astros games.

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