KDCU-DT


KDCU-DT, virtual and UHF digital channel 31, is a Univision-affiliated television station serving Wichita, Kansas, United States that is licensed to Derby. Owned by Entravision Communications, it is operated under joint sales and shared services agreements by Gray Television, making it a sister station to Gray's duopoly of Hutchinson-licensed CBS affiliate KWCH-DT and Wichita-licensed CW affiliate KSCW-DT. The three stations share studios on 37th Street in northeast Wichita; KDCU's transmitter is located in rural northwestern Sedgwick County. On cable, the station is available on Cox Communications channel 15 and AT&T U-verse channel 31.

History

The station first signed on the air on August 20, 2009, becoming the first full-power Spanish-language television station to sign on in the state of Kansas; because it signed on after the June 12 digital television transition that year, KDCU was also the first full-power television station in the Wichita–Hutchinson Plus market to sign-on without a companion analog signal.
Prior to the station's sign-on, Entravision entered into a joint sales agreement with KWCH and KSCW owner Schurz Communications, in which Schurz would provide advertising, production and promotional responsibilities as well as back office and master control services for KDCU. Schurz also leased a transmission tower located near Colwich to house the station's transmitter facilities; KSCW, which previously used the tower, moved its transmitter facilities to a tower near Hutchinson in Reno County. Since KDCU is licensed as a full-power station, it is able to mandate carriage on cable and satellite providers in the Wichita–Hutchinson Plus market.
Schurz announced on September 14, 2015 that it would exit broadcasting and sell its television and radio stations, including KWCH-DT, KSCW-DT, and the JSA/SSA with KDCU-DT, to Gray Television for $442.5 million. The FCC approved the sale on February 12, 2016.

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
ChannelVideoAspectPSIP Short NameProgramming
31.11080iUnivisiMain KDCU programming / Univision
31.2480iGrit
31.3480iCourt TV Mystery
31.4480iLaff
31.5480iCourt TV

Newscasts

KDCU-DT presently broadcasts 2½ hours of locally produced newscasts each week ; the station does not air newscasts on Saturdays or Sundays. In April 2011, KWCH began producing a half-hour nightly Spanish-language newscast for KDCU, Noticias Univision Kansas, airing at 10:00 p.m. each weeknight.