KTBU

{{short description|Quest TV station in Conroe, Texas}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| name                   =
| callsign               = KTBU
| city                   = Conroe, Texas
| logo                   = 
| logo_size              = 250px
| branding               = QuestTexas 55
| digital                = 33 ([[UHF]])
| virtual                = 55
| subchannels            = 
| translators            = 
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''[[KHOU|11.11]]:''' [[CBS]]|'''55.1:''' [[Quest (American TV network)|Quest]] / CBS (alternate)|'''55.3:''' Nación TV}}
| owner                  = [[Tegna Inc.]]
| licensee               = KHOU-TV, Inc.
| location               = [[Conroe, Texas|Conroe]]–[[Houston, Texas]]
| country                = United States
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1998|7|15|p=y}}
| last_airdate           =  
| callsign_meaning       = [[Cathode-ray tube]] ("The Tube" was former branding) transposed
| sister_stations        = [[KHOU]]
| former_callsigns       = 
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 55 (UHF, 1998–2009)|'''Digital:''' 42 (UHF, 2005–2019)}}
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|[[Independent station|Independent]] (1998–2011)|[[Mega TV (American TV network)|Mega TV]] (2011–2020)}}
| erp                    = 1,000 [[kW]]
| haat                   = {{convert|597|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id            = 28324
| coordinates            = {{coord|29|33|45.2|N|95|30|35.9|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline, title}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                =  
}}

'''KTBU''' (channel 55) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[Conroe, Texas]], United States, serving as the [[Houston]] area outlet for the [[digital multicast network]] [[Quest (American TV network)|Quest]].<ref name="questonktbu">{{cite web |title=TEGNA takes over KTBU 55 MegaTV leaves KTBU 55 as TEGNA brings in Quest |url=https://mikemcguff.blogspot.com/2020/03/tegna-takes-over-ktbu-55.html |website=mikemcguff.com |access-date=March 31, 2020}}</ref> It is [[owned and operated]] by [[Tegna Inc.]] alongside [[CBS]] affiliate [[KHOU]] (channel 11). The two stations share studios on [[Westheimer Road]] near [[Uptown Houston]]; KTBU's transmitter is located near [[Missouri City]], in [[unincorporated area#United States|unincorporated]] northeastern [[Fort Bend County]]. Previously, KTBU maintained separate facilities on Old Katy Road in the northwest side of Houston, while the KHOU studios only housed KTBU's [[master control]] and some internal operations.

==History==

===Lakewood Church and Humanity Interested Media's "The Tube" (1998–2006)===
[[File:Channel_55_The_Tube_logo.png|100px|thumb|left|"The Tube" logo, used in 1998.]]
The station first signed on the air on July 15, 1998, from facilities located on Old Katy Road near [[Memorial Park, Houston|Memorial Park]] in northwest Houston. It was established as a for-profit corporation jointly owned by Charles Dowen Johnson's Humanity Interested Media, Inc. (later Shepherds for the Savior) and [[John Osteen]]'s [[Lakewood Church]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ownership Reports, KTBU |url=https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/ktbu/ownership-reports |website=Licensing and Database Public Inspection File |publisher=United States Federal Communications Commission |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=THE CHANNEL 55 PRODUCTION COMPANY, INC. |url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_tx/0147199300 |website=OpenCorporates: The Open Database of the Corporate World |access-date=February 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225203955/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_tx/0147199300 |archive-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref> Lakewood Church bought a 49% share in the station for $2 million. [[Joel Osteen]] ran the station until his father's death in 1999, when Joel began preaching at their church.<ref name="Dawson2006">{{cite news |last1=Dawson |first1=Jennifer |title=Church sells The Tube to network |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2006/11/27/story1.html |access-date=February 25, 2024 |work=Houston Business Journal |date=November 24, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202171821/https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2006/11/27/story1.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008}}</ref>

KTBU launched as an [[independent station]] with a general entertainment format including classic and syndicated television series, movies and sports, plus a slate of locally produced shows focusing on sports, history and other topics of interest to Houstonians.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Other Stuff & Forum |journal=VHF-UHF Digest |volume=September 1998 |page=21 |url=https://archive.org/details/VHF-UHF_Digest_1998-09/ |publisher=Worldwide TV-FM DX Association}}</ref> However, Shepherds for the Savior later stated,<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://shepherdsforthesavior.com/about-us |website=Shepherds for the Savior |access-date=February 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507152648/https://shepherdsforthesavior.com/about-us |archive-date=May 7, 2021}}</ref> {{blockquote
|text=The idea behind the acquisition of the TV license was to have a local Christian-based TV station that would generate enough income to support his ministry of spreading the message of Jesus by supporting ministries worldwide.}}

The station started its first broadcast with a religious devotional. Lakewood Church, which previously broadcast their church services on the local CBS affiliate [[KHOU]], began broadcasting them on KTBU, and KTBU added religious programming from 6 a.m. to noon and 10 p.m. to midnight on Sundays, and from 6 to 7 a.m. every weekday from [[Joyce Meyer]] and Walter Hallam's megachurch in Texas.<ref name="McDaniel1998" />

When interviewed in 1998, the Vice President of Marketing (and Joel Osteen's brother-in-law) Don Iloff said they would "reluctantly" broadcast sports shows with beer ads.<ref name="McDaniel1998">{{cite news |last1=McDaniel |first1=Mike |title=New TV station takes careful aim at family - Channel 55 Launches with Vintage Shows, Fresh Attitude |work=Houston Chronicle |date=July 15, 1998 |location=Houston section |page=1}}</ref> In 1999, they added a local news program with [[The News of Texas]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=McDaniel |first1=Mike |title=Channel 55 is Texas Network's new home |work=Houston Chronicle |date=February 23, 1999 |location=Houston section |page=6}}</ref> and began broadcasting live telecasts of [[University of Houston]] football, basketball, and baseball games and weekly shows featuring University of Houston coaches.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barron |first1=David |title=Channel 55 joins UH in sports partnership |work=Houston Chronicle |date=August 16, 1999 |location=Sports section |page=8}}</ref>

In 2000, KTBU added more local programming and briefly broadcast [[Houston Rockets]] and [[Houston Comets]] games.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stickney |first1=W. H. Jr. |title=Comets a welcome sight on the Tube |work=Houston Chronicle |date=July 1, 2000 |location=Sports section |page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Barron |first1=David |title=Station break Rockets back on Channel 20 after ending deal with Channel 55 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=November 9, 2000 |location=Sports section |page=7}}</ref> The station was not able to successfully broadcast the Houston Rockets and Comets games, and the sports teams ended their contracts early. The same year, KTBU also decided to end most local programming and layoff between 12 and 16 people. At that time, the General Manager was (later [[Texas Lt. Governor]]) [[Dan Patrick (politician)|Dan Patrick]], who was simultaneously the General Manager at [[KSEV]] AM radio station; he stepped down from the KTBU in 2001 after the programming problems and scaling back.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McDaniel |first1=Mike |title=Dan Patrick steps down at Channel 55 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=August 24, 2001 |location=Houston section |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=McDaniel |first1=Mike |title=Patrick eager to dive into role as KTBU general manager |work=Houston Chronicle |date=September 19, 2000 |location=Houston section |page=6}}</ref>

In 2004, Lakewood Church bought the remaining stake in the station for $6 million.

In 2006, they sold KTBU to [[USFR Media Group]] for $30.5 million to pay down debts associated with their purchase of the former Compaq Center sports arena (now the [[Lakewood Church Central Campus]]).<ref name="Dawson2006" />

===USFR Media Group's "Houston's 55" (2006–2011)===
[[Image:Houston55.png|100px|thumb|left|Former "Houston's 55" logo, used in 2006.]]
Under the new ownership with [[USFR Media Group]], the station moved from its original studios on Old Katy Road to a purpose-built facility on Equity Drive in northwest Houston previously built for the ill-fated [[News 24 Houston]] cable news channel, and changed its on-air moniker to "Houston's 55".

===Spanish Broadcasting System's "Mega TV" (2011–2020)===
In May 2011, the station was sold to the [[Spanish Broadcasting System]] for $16 million. Upon the completion of the sale, KTBU dropped all local and national syndicated programs and joined SBS' [[Mega TV (American TV network)|Mega TV]] network.<ref name=ri-saletosbs>{{cite news|title=Spanish Broadcasting System pays $16 million for a TV station in Houston|url=http://www.radio-info.com/news/spanish-broadcasting-system-pays-16-million-for-a-tv-station-in-houston|access-date=May 7, 2011|newspaper=Radio-Info.com|date=May 6, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511223045/http://www.radio-info.com/news/spanish-broadcasting-system-pays-16-million-for-a-tv-station-in-houston|archive-date=May 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://news.morningstar.com/all/ViewNews.aspx?article=/GNW/221237_univ.xml Globe Newswire Press Release: "Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. to Acquire Houston Television Station", May 6, 2011.]</ref>

===Tegna's "Quest" (2020–present)===
On January 21, 2020, [[Tegna Inc.]] agreed to acquire KTBU for $15 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1814881&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=28324|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> The sale was completed on March 24, 2020, making KTBU a sister station to Tegna's [[CBS]] affiliate [[KHOU]].<ref>[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101816521&formid=905&fac_num=28324 Consummation Notice]</ref> Three days later, KTBU's main channel flipped to the Tegna-owned [[Quest (American TV network)|Quest]] multicast network,<ref name="questonktbu" /> and eventually KTBU's operations were moved into KHOU's studios near [[Uptown Houston]].

Upon becoming a Tegna property, it was announced that KTBU would take over as the official local television partner of [[Major League Soccer]]'s [[Houston Dynamo]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Barron|first=David|date=July 24, 2020|title=Dynamo to televise games on KTBU|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/dynamo/article/Dynamo-to-televise-games-on-KTBU-15431816.php|access-date=August 21, 2020|website=HoustonChronicle.com|language=en-US}}</ref> KTBU may air CBS network programming should it be preempted by KHOU for long-form breaking news or severe weather coverage or other special programming. Its main role however, is serving as a UHF rebroadcaster for KHOU via its DT11 subchannel, allowing full-market access to the station for viewers who only have a UHF antenna.

On February 22, 2022, Tegna announced that it would be acquired by [[Standard General]] and [[Apollo Global Management]] for $5.4 billion. As a part of the deal, KTBU and KHOU, along with their [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] sister station [[KVUE]] and [[Dallas]] sister stations [[WFAA]] and [[KMPX]], would be resold to [[Cox Media Group]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last1=Weprin|first1=Alex|last2=Szalai|first2=Georg|date=February 22, 2022|title=Local TV Giant TEGNA Sold to Private Equity Firms in Mega-Deal|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tegna-sale-private-equity-firms-1235097233/|access-date=February 22, 2022|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=February 22, 2022|title=WFAA and Houston, Austin TV stations expected to go to Cox Media in Tegna's $5.4 billion sale|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/local-companies/2022/02/22/wfaa-and-houston-austin-tv-stations-expected-to-go-to-cox-media-in-tegnas-54-billion-sale/|access-date=February 22, 2022|website=Dallas News|language=en}}</ref> The sale was canceled on May 22, 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shields |first1=Todd |last2=Shah |first2=Jill R. |date=May 22, 2003 |title=Standard General's Tegna Takeover Dies After Money Goes |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-22/standard-general-s-tegna-takeover-doomed-after-money-dries-up |url-access=limited |access-date=May 22, 2023}}</ref>

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of KTBU<ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KTBU#station RabbitEars TV Query for KTBU]</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 55.1 
| [[720p]] || rowspan=3|[[16:9]] || Quest || [[Quest (American TV network)|Quest]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 55.3 
| [[480i]] || Nacion || Nación TV {{in lang|es}}
|- style="background-color: #E6FFF7;"
! scope = "row" | [[KHOU|11.11]] 
| [[1080i]] || KHOU-HD || [[CBS]] ([[KHOU]])
|}
{{legend|#E6FFF7|Simulcast of subchannels of another station}}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
KTBU discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, over [[UHF]] channel 55, on June 12, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<ref name="Analog to Digital">[http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf List of Digital Full-Power Stations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 42,<ref name="FCCForm387">[http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101238126&formid=387&fac_num=22204 CDBS Print<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6251131.html Consumer Watch: Stations have more DTV work to do], ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'', February 6, 2009.</ref> using [[virtual channel]] 55.

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas|Television|United States}}
* [[Channel 33 digital TV stations in the United States]]
* [[Channel 55 virtual TV stations in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/ktbu FCC Public Inspection File: KTBU]
* [https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=28324 Technical and ownership information for KTBU] at RabbitEars

{{Houston TV}}
{{Other Texas Stations}}
{{Tegna}}

[[Category:1999 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Conroe, Texas]]
[[Category:Quest (American TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Tegna Inc.]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1999]]
[[Category:Television stations in Houston|TBU]]
[[Category:Vietnamese-language television stations in Texas]]