{{Short description|Television station in Corpus Christi, Texas}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox television station | callsign = K22JA-D | logo = K22JA-D logo, introduced in 2018.webp | logo_size = 180px | logo_alt = The Telemundo network logo, a T composed of two symmetrical pieces, with "Telemundo" and "Corpus Christi" in dark gray on consecutive lines. | image = Kdf television 2010.png | image_size = 150px | branding = {{ubl|{{lang|es|italic=no|Telemundo Corpus Christi}}|KDF-TV (47.2)}} | analog = | digital = 22 (UHF) | virtual = 47 | translators = ''see {{Section link||Translators}}'' | affiliations = {{ubl|'''47.1:''' Telemundo|'''47.2:''' Independent}} | founded = January 11, 1989 | airdate = {{start date|1991|6|28}} | location = Corpus Christi, Texas | country = United States | sister_stations = KRIS-TV, KZTV | owner = E. W. Scripps Company | licensee = Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC | former_affiliations = {{ubl|Independent (1991–1993, 2008–2014)|Telemundo (1993–1994)|Fox (1994–2008)|UPN (secondary, 1997−1998)}} | former_callsigns = K47DF (1989–2014) | former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:''' 47 (UHF, 1991–2014) | erp = 15 kW | haat = {{convert|116.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | facility_id = 51376 | coordinates = {{coord|27|45|32.9|N|97|36|27.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}} | licensing_authority = FCC | website = {{ubl|'''D1:''' {{URL|https://www.telemundocc.com/}}|'''D2:''' {{URL|https://kztv10.com/on-kdf/}}}} }}

'''K22JA-D''' (channel 47) is a low-power television station in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside NBC affiliate KRIS-TV (channel 6); Scripps also provides certain services to CBS affiliate KZTV (channel 10) under a shared services agreement (SSA) with SagamoreHill Broadcasting. The three stations share studios on Artesian Street in downtown Corpus Christi, where K22JA-D's transmitter is also located.

K22JA-D offers two subchannels, one affiliated with Telemundo (also known as '''"KAJA"''') and the other programmed as an independent station and branded as '''"KDF"'''. The two services were once stations with separate licenses, combined in 2014. However, they have been commonly owned since the 1990s.

==History== ===Establishment=== On January 11, 1989, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi started K47DF "KDF", which initially broadcast a family-oriented program lineup that also included religious shows.<ref name="Corp910207">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791644/new-tv-station/|date=February 7, 1991|page=People 2|title=New TV station|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Thu --> The construction permit had been sold to the diocese by KEDT public television.<ref name="Corp900614">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791664/legal-notices/|date=June 14, 1990|page=D10|title=Legal Notices|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Thu --> In 1991, the diocese opted to place KDF under a commercial subsidiary, Paloma Broadcasting, because of concerns that its growing income could affect the diocese's tax status.<ref name="Corp911128">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791510/catholic-diocese-turns-kdf-tv-into/|date=November 28, 1991|page=B9|first=Ron|last=George|title=Catholic diocese turns KDF-TV into for-profit channel|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

KDF adopted an aggressive program acquisition strategy and snared the rights to major syndicated programs such as ''Wheel of Fortune'' and ''Jeopardy!'', highly unusual for a low-power station. However, these programs led to KDF obtaining something rare for stations of its type: near-universal cable carriage.<ref name="Corp930424">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791557/low-power-tv-stations-want-higher/|date=April 24, 1993|page=B6, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791583/ B7]|first=Elaine|last=Liner|title=Low-power TV stations want higher visibility|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Sat -->

===Telemundo and Fox=== In 1993, Paloma began a major expansion of its service. This included the creation of a new Telemundo station, K68DJ "KAJA", and the construction of translators for both KAJA and KDF at Bishop and between Beeville and Refugio. Another low-power station, K66EB, had previously been the Telemundo affiliate in Corpus Christi.<ref name="Corp930828">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791060/new-low-power-tv-network-planned/|date=August 28, 1993|page=A18, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791155/ A23]|first=Grady|last=Phelps|title=New low-power TV network planned|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Sat --> The next year, KDF affiliated with Fox, which had only been available via either Foxnet or San Antonio's KRRT on the cable systems in the Coastal Bend region.<ref name="Corp940226">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791186/fox-snares-kdf-tv-as-an-affiliate/|date=February 26, 1994|page=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791211/ A16]|first=Elaine|last=Liner|title=Fox snares KDF-TV as an affiliate|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Sat -->

left|thumb|Logo as a Fox affiliate. Paloma announced the sale of its stations in January 1997 to Miramar Broadcasting Company, in which one of the stockholders was KRIS owner T. Frank Smith. The venture was not profitable at the time, but the diocese had been forced to cut subsidies to Paloma after Texas attorney general Dan Morales sued, charging that funds in another foundation were being improperly used by the diocese.<ref name="Corp970130">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791268/new-firm-buys-kdf-and-kaja/|date=January 30, 1997|page=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791277/kdf/ A12]|first=Ron|last=George|title=New firm buys KDF and KAJA|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Thu --> Paloma, which owed some $56,000 in state and county taxes and also had major program syndicators as creditors, then filed for bankruptcy at the end of the month.<ref name="Corp970201">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791329/paloma-files-for-bankruptcy-attorney/|date=February 1, 1997|page=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791333/paloma/ A8]|first=Ron|last=George|title=Paloma files for bankruptcy: Attorney says filing can keep station alive|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Sat --> Under Miramar, KDF added a secondary affiliation with UPN.<ref name="Corp970729">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791786/fox-to-share-airtime-with-upn-on-kdf/|date=July 29, 1997|page=B4, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791792/ B5]|first=Elaine|last=Liner|title=Fox to share airtime with UPN on KDF this season|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Tue --> The Miramar stations were then included in Smith's sale of KRIS to Cordillera Communications in 1998.<ref name="Corp980212">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791373/smith-sells-his-tv-affiliates-south/|date=February 12, 1998|page=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791376/ A12]|first=Glaston|last=Ford|title=Smith sells his TV affiliates: South Carolina firm buys KRIS, KDF, KAJA|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

On January 16, 2008, it was announced that KDF would lose its Fox affiliation in favor of new higher-powered KUQI, which began airing the network's programming starting on February 4, 2008, the day after Super Bowl XLII.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fox to change channels starting early next month|first=Fanny S.|last=Chirinos|work=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|page=Local 2|date=January 16, 2008}}</ref> At that time, KDF reverted to an independent.

K68DJ had applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to move to UHF channel 43. As a low-power station, K68DJ was not required to broadcast digitally. On February 20, 2013, the FCC cancelled the station's license, citing operating on an out-of-core channel (52 to 69) and not having built a replacement facility after the December 31, 2011, deadline to cease broadcasting in that band.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=39098|title=licensing.fcc.gov}}</ref> As a result of this notice, KAJA had ceased transmissions on K68DJ in January 2013; simultaneously, K47DF converted to digital as K47DF-D. It then moved to channel 22 in 2015 and went digital on a new channel as K22JA-D. In 2014, K22JA-D became the digital companion channel for K47DF as K47DF-D. KAJA can now be seen on K47DF-D 47.1 in 720p.

==Newscasts== {{see|KRIS-TV#News operation}} In November 1993, KDF started a 9 p.m. local newscast, ''The Nine O'Clock News'', which was hosted by former KRIS anchor Jay Ricci; originally 15 minutes in length, the program expanded to a full half-hour in January 1994.{{r|Corp940226}} This moved to 10 p.m. later in 1994 and then ended in March 1995 for financial reasons.<ref name="Corp950709">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791251/paloma-broadcasting-president-dan/|date=July 9, 1995|page=B3|first=Rosemary|last=Barnes|title=Paloma Broadcasting President Dan Holley resigns|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

After KRIS acquired KDF and KAJA outright, it expanded the existing KDF news product from 10 minutes to 30 in January 1999.<ref name="Corp990127">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89791442/new-local-newscast-has-little-local-news/|date=January 27, 1999|page=C10|first=Elaine|last=Liner|title=New local newscast has little local news|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Local news is also aired on the Telemundo subchannel at 5 and 10 p.m.

==Technical information== ===Subchannels=== The station's signal is multiplexed: {| class="wikitable" |+ Subchannels of K22JA-D<ref>{{cite web|title=RabbitEars query of K22JA-D|website=RabbitEars|access-date=October 22, 2022|url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=K22JA-D}}</ref> ! scope = "col" | Channel ! scope = "col" | Res. ! scope = "col" | Short name ! scope = "col" | Programming |- ! scope = "row" | 47.1 | 720p || KAJA || Telemundo |- ! scope = "row" | 47.2 | 480i || KDF || Independent ("KDF-TV") (4:3) |}

===Translators=== * BeevilleRefugio: {{FCC-LMS-Facility|51373|3=K09YZ-D}} * KingsvilleAlice: {{FCC-LMS-Facility|51374|3=K31KK-D}}

The Telemundo channel is also available as subchannel 10.2 of KZTV.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.telemundocc.com/ Telemundo Corpus Christi website] * [https://kztv10.com/on-kdf/ Program listings for K22JA-D] * {{FCC-LMS-Facility|51375|K22JA-D}}

{{Corpus Christi TV}} {{Texas Spanish TV}} {{EWS CORP}}

Category:1990 establishments in Texas Category:E. W. Scripps Company television stations Category:Independent television stations in the United States 22JA Category:Telemundo affiliates Category:Television channels and stations established in 1991 22JA-D