KRET-CA

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KRET-CA
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding =
analog = 45 (UHF)
digital =
other_chs =
affiliations = ION Television
Retro Television Network
founded = January 24, 1996
location = Cathedral City, California
callsign_meaning = K RETro Television Network
former_callsigns = KDPX-LP (1999-2008)
KPSP-LP (1998-1999)
K45ET (1996-1998)
owner = Charles R. Meeker
former_affiliations = Pax
Independent
effective_radiated_power = 20 kW
HAAT = 406 m
class = Class A
facility_id = 10536
homepage =

KRET-CA is a low-power Class A television station in Cathedral City, California, broadcasting locally in analog on UHF channel 45 as an affiliate of the ION and Retro Television networks. [ [http://www.rtnville.com//programming.html#california RTN Local Schedules by state] ] Founded January 24, 1996, the station is owned by Charles R. Meeker.

History

The FCC granted an original construction permit to Charles R. Meeker on January 24, 1996, to build a low-power television station on UHF channel 45 to serve Cathedral City and Palm Springs, California. It was given the callsign K45ET and began broadcasting in late 1997 as an independent station. The station was licensed January 8, 1998, and took the call letters KPSP-LP one month later. In February 1999, Meeker-owned Palm Springs stations KPSP-LP and KDPX-LP switched call letters and programming (see next section), and channel 45 became Pax affiliate KDPX-LP. The station upgraded its license to Class A on September 10, 2001. In June 2005, the Pax network rebranded as i, the new name meaning "independent television" (later changed to "ION"). In 2008, the call letters for the the station were changed to KRET-CA. In May 2008, KRET added Retro Television Network. [ [http://www.desertlocalnews.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=4274&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1423&hn=desertlocalnews&he=.com "Retro Television Network Now Local And On TW Cable"] Retrieved July 17, 2008] [ cite web|url=http://ir.emdaholdings.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=303275 |title=RTN Adds Affiliate in Palm Springs] .

Station swap

When the station signed on as K45ET in late 1997, and later as KPSP-LP, it was an independent. However, in February 1999, Charles Meeker, who owned co-located UHF low-power stations on channels 45 and 58 in the Palm Springs area, switched callsigns and programming among his two stations; the Pax affiliate KDPX-LP on channel 58 became the Pax affiliate KDPX-LP on channel 45, while the independent station KPSP-LP on channel 45 became independent station KPSP-LP on channel 58. However, the licenses did not change.

References

External links

* [http://www.retrotelevision.net/ Retro Television Network]
* [http://www.ionline.tv/ ION Television official website]
*TVQ|KRET-CA