KPPX-TV

In February 1981, during an open window for low-power TV station applications, San Bernardino, California–based Community Service Television Company applied for a construction permit to build a translator station on channel 51, to serve Phoenix from atop South Mountain.{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=27579 |title=Application Search Details |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=February 4, 1981 |access-date=September 14, 2017}}

Two years later, on March 28, 1983, Saul Dresner filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allot UHF channel 51 to Tolleson, Arizona, for a full power television station. He presented sufficient evidence to support the allotment and expressed interest in applying for a station, and the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on June 9.{{cite web |url=https://cdn.loc.gov/service/ll/fedreg/fr048/fr048121/fr048121.pdf |title=TV Broadcast Stations In Tolleson, Arizona; Proposed Changes In Table of Assignments |work=48 Fed. Reg. 28499 (June 22, 1983) |page=28499 |date=June 22, 1983 |access-date=August 24, 2017}} On May 29, 1984, having received Mexican concurrence, the FCC allotted UHF channel 51 to Tolleson.{{cite web |url=https://cdn.loc.gov/service/ll/fedreg/fr049/fr049108/fr049108.pdf |title=TV Broadcast Station Tolleson, Arizona; Changes Made In Table of Assignments |work=49 Fed. Reg. 23059 (June 4, 1984) |page=23059 |date=June 4, 1984 |access-date=August 24, 2017}}

On November 23, Great Arizona Broadcasting Co., owned in part by Dresner, submitted an application to build a full power television station on the new allocation.{{cite web |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/84-OCR/BC-1984-12-10-OCR-Page-0100.pdf |title=For the Record |work=Broadcasting Magazine |page=100 |date=December 10, 1984 |access-date=August 23, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1985/C-Television-BC-YB-1985.pdf |title=Pending TV Applications |work=Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1985 |page=C-96 |access-date=August 23, 2017}} More than twenty competing applications followed, and the FCC set up a hearing before an administrative law judge to determine which applicant would be the most qualified to build and operate the new station.{{cite web |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1987/C-BC-YB-1987.pdf |title=Pending TV Applications |work=Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1987 |page=C-97 |access-date=August 17, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://cdn.loc.gov/service/ll/fedreg/fr050/fr050131/fr050131.pdf |title=Great Arizona Broadcasting et al.; Hearing |work=50 Fed. Reg. 28083 (July 9, 1985) |page=28023 |date=July 9, 1985 |access-date=August 23, 2017}} Great Arizona Broadcasting subsequently withdrew its application, and on November 18, 1987, Judge Edward Luton released a decision granting the application of Aztec Broadcasting Corp., and denying the nine applications which remained.{{cite web |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-10-21-OCR-Page-0089.pdf |title=For the Record |work=Broadcasting Magazine |page=89 |date=October 21, 1985 |access-date=August 23, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1588/m1/136/ |title=2 FCC Rcd No. 23 (1987) |work=University of North Texas Libraries, Digital Library (UNT Libraries Government Documents Department) |date=November 1987 |format=PDF |pages=6935–6948 |access-date=August 23, 2017}}

Several of the denied applicants appealed the decision, and the FCC scheduled a hearing before a Review Board on May 6, 1988, to present exceptions to the initial decision.{{cite web |url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-04-25.pdf |title=For the Record |work=Broadcasting Magazine |page=79 |date=April 25, 1985 |access-date=August 23, 2017}} After hearing the arguments, the Review Board reversed the initial decision, and granted a permit to Hector Garcia Salvatierra instead.{{cite web |url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-11-07.pdf |title=For the Record |work=Broadcasting Magazine |page=66 |date=November 7, 1988 |access-date=August 23, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1615/m1/145/ |title=3 FCC Rcd No. 22 (1988) |work=University of North Texas Libraries, Digital Library (UNT Libraries Government Documents Department) |date=November 1988 |format=PDF |pages=6330–6338 |access-date=August 23, 2017}} The FCC granted the construction permit on December 21, 1988.{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=76195 |title=Application Search Details |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=December 21, 1988 |access-date=August 23, 2017}} More appeals followed, and on September 5, 1990, the FCC released a Memorandum Opinion and Order upholding the decision of the Review Board.{{cite web |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1654/m1/110/ |title=5 FCC Rcd No. 18 (1990) |work=University of North Texas Libraries, Digital Library (UNT Libraries Government Documents Department) |date=September 1990 |format=PDF |pages=5423–5427 |access-date=August 23, 2017}} The decision was again appealed, this time to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and on October 7, 1991, the Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the FCC Review Board.{{cite web |url=http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/951/1324/257709/ |title=Maricopa Media, Inc., Appellant, v. Federal Communications Commission, Appellee, Hector Garcia Salvatierra, Limited Partnership, Intervenor, 951 F.2d 1324 (D.C. Cir. 1991) |date=October 7, 1991 |access-date=August 23, 2017}}

The new station was originally proposed for bilingual operations using stereo and separate audio program, but activity on the construction permit stopped.{{cite web |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1993-TV-Factbook/Television-Factbook-1993-ALL-OTHER.pdf |title=Construction Permits |work=TV & Cable Factbook No. 61 |page=85 |access-date=August 23, 2017}} In March 1993, while the full power construction permit remained inactive, the FCC issued a construction permit for the low power translator station that had submitted an application twelve years earlier. The permit was valid until September 1994, and the new station received the call sign K51EI. K51EI was not constructed in the allotted time, and shortly before the permit expired, Community Service Television Company requested a six-month extension, which was granted in December 1994.{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=202368 |title=Application Search Details |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=September 12, 1994 |access-date=September 14, 2017}} However, in January 1995, Salvatierra secured a site license to build his station's facilities on South Mountain, then requested and received the call letters KAJW the following month.{{cite web |url=http://www.techagreements.com/agreement-preview.aspx?search=lawfirm&lawFirmID=276&num=83877&title=Paxson%20Communications%20-%20Purchase%20Agreement%20-%20Channel%2051 |title=Purchase Agreement by and among America 51, L.P., Paxson Communications of Phoenix-51, Inc., Hector Garcia Salvatierra, L.P. and Hector Garcia Salvatierra for Television Station Channel 51 Tolleson, Arizona |work=TechAgreements |page=6 |date=July 31, 1996 |access-date=August 24, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=26655&Callsign=KPPX-TV |title=Call Sign History |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |access-date=August 24, 2017}} The K51EI permit was allowed to expire in June 1995, and in February 1996, the permit was canceled and call sign deleted.{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=13023 |title=Station Search Details |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=February 4, 1996 |access-date=September 14, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=13023&Callsign=DK51EI |title=Call Sign History |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=February 5, 1996 |access-date=September 14, 2017}}

On July 31, 1996, Salvatierra entered into an agreement with Paxson Communications (now Ion Media). Under terms of the agreement, Salvatierra created a new ownership entity called America 51, L.P., sold 49% interest of the new company to Paxson for $5.4 million, transferred the construction permit and site license to Paxson to build the television station, and gave them the right to purchase the remainder of the company for $6.6 million once the TV station had been on air for one year.{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/923877/000095014400003149/0000950144-00-003149.txt |title=Paxson Communications Corp. 10-K Annual Report |work=SEC Archives |date=March 4, 2000 |access-date=August 17, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1997/BC-1997-02-03.pdf |title=Station and Cable Trading |work=Broadcasting & Cable |page=24 |last=Rathbun |first=Elizabeth |date=February 3, 1997 |access-date=August 18, 2017}} Salvatierra filed the pro forma application the following week to assign the construction permit from Hector Garcia Salvatierra to America 51, L.P.{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=230739 |title=Application Search Details |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=August 7, 1996 |access-date=August 17, 2017}}

The station changed its call letters to KPPX in March 1998 to reflect its pending affiliation with Paxson's new Pax TV network (now Ion), and the station signed on the air February 15, 1999, broadcasting under Program Test Authority until its license was granted on April 20, 2000.{{cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/1999/02/22/story8.html |title=New Valley television station eyes share of family market |work=Phoenix Business Journal |last=Gabriel |first=Angela |date=February 21, 1999 |access-date=August 17, 2017}} Salvatierra sold the remaining interest in the company to Paxson Communications in November 2000.{{cite web |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/145711-TVs.php |title=TVs |work=Broadcasting & Cable |date=November 27, 2000 |access-date=February 16, 2009}}{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=100532726&formid=315&fac_num=26655 |title=Application for Consent to Transfer Control of Entity Holding Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=November 16, 2000 |access-date=August 17, 2017}}

On September 24, 2020, the Cincinnati-based E. W. Scripps Company (owner of KNXV-TV and KASW) announced that it would purchase Ion Media for $2.65 billion, with financing from Berkshire Hathaway. With this purchase, Scripps divested 23 Ion-owned stations, including KPPX-TV, allowing the merged company to fully comply with the FCC local and national ownership regulations. Scripps sold those stations to Inyo Broadcast Holdings, continuing a long-term affiliation agreement with Ion Television and its networks.{{cite web |title=Scripps Creates National Television Networks Business with Acquisition of ION Media |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/09/24/scripps-creates-national-television-networks-business-with-acquisition-of-ion-media-395300/20200924scripps01/ |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=September 25, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Cimilluca |first1=Dana |title=E.W. Scripps Agrees to Buy ION Media for $2.65 billion in Berkshire-Backed Deal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/e-w-scripps-nears-2-65-billion-takeover-of-ion-media-in-berkshire-backed-deal-11600937323?mod=hp_lead_pos4 |access-date=September 24, 2020}}[https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN26F1HA E.W. Scripps scales up with $2.65 billion Berkshire-backed deal for ION Media] Inyo closed on the station on January 7, 2021.

On March 12, 2007, during a 9 p.m. airing of an Ion Life rebroadcast of a Tom Brokaw-hosted NBC special, State of U.S. Health Care, a station employee inserted about 30 seconds of a pornographic film into the broadcast, prompting telephone calls to local news media outlets and the local cable provider, Cox Communications.{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11497287 |title=Hard-Core porn interrupts Brokaw broadcast |work=NBC News |date=March 17, 2007 |access-date=September 12, 2017}} Parent company Ion Media Networks conducted a rigorous investigation into what they called "an intolerable act of human sabotage", and shortly thereafter, announced that the employee found to be responsible had been fired, threatening further legal action.{{cite web |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/108234-KPPX_Sacks_Porn_Prankster.php |title=KPPX Sacks Porn Prankster |work=Broadcasting & Cable |last=Malone |first=Michael |date=March 21, 2007 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}

{{see|KPNX#Newscasts}}

From 2001 until 2005, when NBC entered into a shared services agreement with Pax TV, KPPX aired rebroadcasts of KPNX's 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts at 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

The station's signal is multiplexed:

In 1997, the FCC specified UHF channel 52 as the transition digital channel for KPPX-TV and granted a construction permit to build transition facilities on March 1, 2001.{{cite web |url=https://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Orders/1997/fc97115a.pdf |title=DTV Table of Allotments |work=FCC Media Bureau Orders |page=B-9 |date=April 3, 1997 |access-date=September 7, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=418554 |title=Application Search Details |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=March 1, 2001 |access-date=September 7, 2017}} The station began digital operations pursuant to Program Test Authority on November 1, 2002, and the FCC granted the license to cover digital operations on December 20.{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=100616817&formid=2&fac_num=26655 |title=Application for Digital Television Broadcast Station License |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=November 8, 2002 |access-date=September 7, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=616817 |title=Application Search Details |work=FCC CDBS Public Access Database |date=December 20, 2002 |access-date=September 7, 2017}} Because its pre-transition digital channel was outside the range of core frequencies designated by the FCC (channels 2-51)—the high band UHF channels (52-69) being removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition—KPPX-TV chose channel 51 for its permanent digital television operations, where it would move at the end of the digital transition, which, at the time, was scheduled for February 17, 2009. Although the DTV Delay Act became law on February 11, 2009, postponing the required analog shutoff until June 12, 2009, KPPX made the decision to proceed with final conversion on February 17, which was approved by the FCC.{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A5.pdf |title=Appendix B: All Full-Power Television Stations By DMA |work=FCC CDBS database |date=February 11, 2009 |access-date=February 16, 2009}}

KPPX-TV shut down its analog signal on February 17, 2009, the original target date for full-power television stations in the United States to transition from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate (which Congress had moved the previous month to June 12). The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 52, which was among the high band UHF channels (52-69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to its analog-era UHF channel 51.{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 }}{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101296914&formid=387&fac_num=26655 |title=DTV Transition Status Report |work=FCC CDBS Database |format=PDF |date=February 18, 2009 |access-date=August 16, 2017}}

In January 2016, KPPX-TV submitted a petition to the FCC to change RF channel from 51 to 31 as part of an agreement to allow T-Mobile to begin service in the adjacent 700 MHz band. Finding that the petition warranted consideration, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in April, and approved the Tolleson allotment change in June.{{cite web |url=https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-404A1.pdf |title=Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |work=FCC Electronic Document Management System |date=April 14, 2016 |access-date=August 16, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-713A1.pdf |title=Report and Order |work=FCC Electronic Document Management System |date=June 28, 2016 |access-date=August 16, 2017}} The following month, KPPX-TV submitted an application to change channels, which was immediately approved by the FCC.{{cite web |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/draftcopy/DTV/25076ff3552699ef0155988519e83cb9 |title=Modification of a Licensed Facility for DTV Application |work=FCC Licensing and Management System |format=PDF |date=July 11, 2016 |access-date=August 16, 2017}} The station completed the move to channel 31 in October.{{cite web |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/draftcopy/DTV/25076f91571f5d140157b94f2cb13b8e |title=License to Cover for DTV Application |work=FCC Licensing and Management System |format=PDF |date=October 17, 2016 |access-date=August 16, 2017}}

KPPX-TV was assigned channel 14 in the FCC Spectrum Repack, and was scheduled to change channels in Phase 10, to be completed by July 3, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.rabbitears.info/repackchannels.php |work=RabbitEars.info |title=Repack Plan |access-date=August 16, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initiatives/incentive-auctions/transition-schedule |work=FCC website |title=Transition Schedule |date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=August 16, 2017}} However, citing concerns of signal interference between channel 14 and the adjacent land mobile band at 460 MHz - 470 MHz, the station asserted that it was unable to construct facilities that would not cause prohibited interference.{{cite web |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f915c132a1b015c6a8c2bbe40c6 |title=Initial Report on Land Mobile Interference Analysis |work=FCC Licensing and Management System |date=June 12, 2017 |access-date=September 11, 2017}} The FCC agreed, and allowed KPPX-TV to request alternate facilities during the first priority filing window.{{cite web |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f915cef74ed015cf09d6a53008d |title=RE: Request for Waiver of Initial Construction Permit Filing Deadline |work=FCC Licensing and Management System |date=June 28, 2017 |access-date=September 11, 2017}} The station has requested to remain on channel 31.{{cite web |url=https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-724A1.pdf |title=Public Notice |work=FCC Electronic Document Management System |date=July 31, 2017 |access-date=August 16, 2017}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://iontelevision.com/}}

{{PHX TV}}

{{Arizona English TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kppx-Tv}}

Category:1999 establishments in Arizona

Category:Bounce TV affiliates

Category:Court TV affiliates

Category:Grit (TV network) affiliates

Category:Ion Plus affiliates

Category:Ion Television affiliates

Category:Laff (TV network) affiliates

Category:Television channels and stations established in 1999

PPX-TV