KRVU-LD, virtual and UHF digital channel 21, is a low-powered MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station licensed to Redding, California, United States. Owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, it is sister to ABC affiliate KRCR-TV (channel 7, also licensed to Redding) and three other low-power stations: Chico-licensed Antenna TV affiliate KXVU-LD (channel 17); Chico-licensed Univision affiliate KUCO-LD (channel 27); and Chico-licensed UniMás affiliate KKTF-LD (channel 30). Sinclair also operates Paradise-licensed Fox affiliate KCVU (channel 20) through a local marketing agreement (LMA) with owner Cunningham Broadcasting. However, Sinclair effectively owns KCVU as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. The stations share studios on Auditorium Drive east of downtown Redding and maintain a news bureau and sales office at the former Sainte Television Group facilities on Main Street in downtown Chico (for FCC and other legal purposes, the Chico/Paradise-licensed stations still use the Chico address and Redding-licensed stations use the Redding address). KRVU-LD's transmitter is located near Shasta, California.
History[]
KRVU/KZVU was founded by Sainte Partners II, L.P., owned by country-western singer Chester Smith and hit the air in 1993, seven years after the founding of KCVU. It became an affiliate of the fledgling new UPN network in 1997 and would change affiliations to MyNetworkTV following the creation of The CW in 2006. Smith remained owner until his death in 2008.
Merger with Eureka Television Group[]
On April 27, 2009, KRVU/KZVU merged its operations with sister station KEMY in Eureka, California, and both stations were rebranded "Northern California's My TV". The Eureka station, now known as KVIQ-DT 17.2, has essentially become KRVU's repeater station. In the near future, the Spanish-language stations will also start translators in Redding and Eureka. The Eureka Television Group has unveiled a new website, but the company itself is in the process of merging with the Chico stations to form the "Sainte Television Group."
Sale to Bonten Media Group[]
KRVU and its sister stations were sold to Bonten Media Group in 2012. (The flagship station of Sainte, KCVU FOX 20, was sold to Esteem Broadcasting, but is operated by Bonten.)
The station was formerly known as MyTV Northern California, but reverted to its original call letters upon the station's purchase in 2012.
Sale to Sinclair[]
On April 21, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced its intent to purchase the Bonten stations (including KRVU-LD) for $240 million. The deal came immediately following the re-instatement of the "UHF discount", which reduces the calculated "reach" of a station for the purposes of national ownership limits if it broadcasts on a UHF channel. The sale was completed September 1.
Programming[]
Local programming[]
The Moriss Taylor Show (1997–2015)[]
KRVU began airing reruns of The Moriss Taylor Show, claimed to be the longest-running locally produced television program in television history, in 1997 after the show's parent station KHSL-TV cancelled it following that station's purchase by Catamount Broadcasting. Shows from the late 1980s through 1995, produced and taped at the KHSL-TV studios, aired on Saturday mornings at 10:00am on My 21, but was cancelled by new owners Bonten Media Group a few years after their purchase of the station in 2015. Reasoning for the cancellation was that the show had been produced by KHSL-TV and Bonten's (now Sinclair's) ownership of KRCR prevents ANY programs from the rival competitor to air.
The show also aired Saturday afternoons at 1:30pm on sister station KFBI-LD My 48 in Medford before being replaced by Celebrate Jesus with Arbee Freeman.
So You Want To Be A Star (2005)[]
KRVU debuted a new local version of American Idol called So You Want To Be A Star, hosted by actress/singer Linda Regan, in 2005. The show was an instant smash with Redding resident Kim Walker winning the competition and getting a chance to sing the Star-Spangled Banner at a Sacramento Kings NBA game at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California in February 2005. She was interviewed by Kings broadcaster Jim Kozimor during halftime for the UPN 21 audience only. However, commentators Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds plugged the show and the station during the broadcast which also aired on KXTV in Sacramento. A second season of So You Want To Be A Star was planned, but the primary sponsors backed out and the project was abandoned. (Sister station KCVU Fox 20 holds a local contest called "Northern California Idol", where the winner gets a bid to audition for American Idol, thus was the inspiration for the series).
CA Shotguns (2011)[]
A hunting show in Northern CA. originally produced by Corbett Productions of Redding CA. With local, Dan Corbett no longer in business, in 2012 the former Crew members went to form the successful video production Company "Digital Motion Factory".
Technical information[]
Subchannels[]
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
| Virtual Channel | Physical RF Channel | Video | Aspect | Short Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.1 | 21.3 | 720p | 16:9 | KRVU-LD | Main KRVU-LD/KZVU-LD programming / MyNetworkTV |
| 38.2 | 21.4 | 480i | Comet | Simulcast of KCVU-DT2 / Comet | |
| 46.1 | 21.5 | 720p | KUCO-HD | Simulcast of KUCO-LD / Univision |
Former Subchannels[]
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
| Virtual Channel | Physical RF Channel | Video | Aspect | Short Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.1 | 21.3 | 720p | 16:9 | KRVU-LD | Main KRVU-LD/KZVU-LD programming / MyNetworkTV |
Early switch[]
KCVU, along with KHSL-TV and KNVN ceased analog operations on December 22, 2008. KCVU ceased analog operations early because the post-transition tower is complete and has been up and running for at least seven months; same case with KHSL. In the case of KBVU and its sister stations, the transition for some was much later as KUCO-LP, KXVU-LP, KKTF-LD, and both KBVU and MyTV's analog translators remained analog through late 2009/early 2010 when the Sainte Television Group ended all of its analog operations.
KVIQ and KBVU already made the switch on November 28, 2008.
High Definition[]
Most Fox programs on KCVU broadcast from 8 PM, are broadcast in HD, including most sporting events on weekends such as Major League Baseball, NASCAR and NFL Football. Most MyNTV programs on KRVU that are a part of its normal programming hours (8-10 PM) which are normally broadcast in HD, are broadcast on KRVU in SD, but will be broadcasting in HD soon since MyTV is now on its own channel. Still in SD, and all sporting programs on KRVU are blurry and terrible to watch
Translators[]
| City of license | Callsign | Channel | ERP | HAAT | Facility ID | Transmitter coordinates | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico | KZVU-LD | 22 | 0.36 kW | m ( ft) | 58612 | 39° 57' 45", W 121° 42' 44" | Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| Palermo | K04QC-D | 4 | 23.5 kW | m ( ft) | 51500 | 39° 27' 46", W 121° 34' 53" |
Cable and satellite availability[]
| Provider | Area | 21.1 (MNT) |
|---|---|---|
| Comcast | Chico-Redding DMA | 13 (HD/SD) |
| DirecTV | Chico–Redding DMA | 21 (HD/SD) |
| Dish Network | Chico–Redding DMA | 21 (HD/SD) |
| TV stations in California |
|---|
| KCOP, Los Angeles KEYT-DT2, Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo |
| Broadcast television in the Shasta Cascade Region of California, including Chico, Redding, Corning, Red Bluff and Paradise | |
|---|---|
| Chico, California: | Redding, California: |
| KRCR 7 (ABC) | KIXE 9 (PBS) |
| KHSL 12 (CBS) | KMCA-LD 10 (Punch) |
| K15HV-D 15 (3ABN) | KRVU-LD 21 (MNTV) |
| KXVU-LD 17 (Antenna) | KGEC-LD 26 (Retro) |
| KCVU 20 (Fox) | K15KO-D 27 (Uni) |
| KZVU-LD 22 (MNTV) | KRHT-LD 41 (AZA) |
| KNVN 24 (NBC) | |
| KUCO-LD 27 (Uni) | |
| KKTF-LD 30 (UMas) | |
| Religious stations | |
| KVFR-LD 8 (IBN) | |
| KKRM-LD 11 (RDI) | |
| K33HH-D 33 (3ABN) | |
| Defunct stations | |
| KRDN-LP 5 (Daystar) | |
| K46DQ 46 (N1) | |
| KBIT-LD 50 (Estrell) | |