Station launches in San Antonio

-- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/7/2000

San Antonio saw the rare launch of a new VHF station last week. Local ch. 2 had been dormant, but after an LMA between Corridor Ltd. and A.H. Belo, which owns local CBS affiliate KENS-TV, KBEJ-TV signed on with a mix of syndicated and UPN programming. KBEJ-TV will be the UPN affiliate for San Antonio and in 90 days will be UPN affiliate for nearby Austin as well. UPN's popular wrestling Smackdown! will move from local NBC outlet KMOL-TV, and Dallas-based co-owned station WFAA-TV will provide morning show Good Morning Texas. Bob McGann, who will run both stations, will be looking for cable carriage in both cities.

Aiding in the launch will be a contract for the rights to San Antonio Spurs NBA games. New station KBEJ-TV will carry 31 Spurs games; KENS-TV will carry 10 games.