KCEC (TV)


KCEC, virtual channel 14, is a Univision-owned television station serving Denver, Colorado, United States that is licensed to Boulder. The station is owned by the Univision Local Media subsidiary of Univision Communications; Entravision Communications, which owns Denver-licensed UniMás affiliate KTFD-TV, operates KCEC under a local marketing agreement. The two stations share studios on Mile High Stadium West Circle in Denver; KCEC's transmitter is located atop Mount Morrison in western Jefferson County. On cable, the station is available on Comcast Xfinity in standard definition on channel 10, and in high definition on digital channel 647. It is also carried on CenturyLink Prism channels 50 and 1050.
KVSN-DT in Pueblo operates as a semi-satellite of KCEC, expanding the Univision signal into South-Central Colorado. As such, it simulcasts all Univision programming as provided through its parent, and the two stations share a website. However, KVSN airs separate commercial inserts and legal identifications. Local newscasts, produced by KCEC and branded as Noticias Univision Colorado, are simulcast on both stations. KVSN does not maintain any facilities in Pueblo or Colorado Springs; master control and internal operations are based at KCEC's studios.

History

The station first signed on the air on October 18, 1990 as KSHP. On July 16, 1991, the station changed its call letters to KCEC. KCEC, along with Entravision's other television and radio station properties in the Denver market have a unique reach. According to BizJournals.com, Entravision Communications estimates that the television stations it operates in the market reach about 92% of Denver's Hispanic community, making it an ideal advertising opportunity for companies wanting to reach that segment of the population.
In 2008, KCEC launched its website, somosnoticiascolorado.com; it is among the most visited Spanish-language websites in the area. The website features updated news stories and local promotions. KCEC began to live stream its evening newscasts on the website in 2012.
In 2009, the station debuted a locally produced telenovela titled Encrucijada: Sin Salud, no hay Nada, in conjunction with the Colorado Health Foundation, that focused on the ongoing obesity crisis in the United States in order to educate Coloradoans on healthier eating habits; a second season of the series was ordered and broadcast in 2011.
On December 20, 2012, KCEC moved its operations to a studio facility located near Sports Authority Field in downtown Denver's Mile High district; the building included new equipment, as well as a multi-use broadcast set that provides a view of downtown and Sports Authority Field.
On December 4, 2017, as part of a channel swap made by Entravision Communications, KCEC and sister station KTFD swapped channel numbers, with KCEC moving to digital channel 15 and virtual channel 14.
On April 29, 2020 KECE moved to digital channel 32 as part of the FCC Repack.

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
ChannelVideoAspectPSIP Short NameProgramming
14.11080iKCECMain KCEC programming / Univision
14.2480iBounceBounce TV
14.3480iGetTVgetTV
14.4480i16:9MysteryCourt TV Mystery

Analog-to-digital conversion

KCEC shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 50, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 51. The station was licensed to move its digital signal to channel 26 on May 20, 2015. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 50.

News operation

KCEC presently broadcasts 2½ hours of locally produced newscasts each week ; the station does not broadcast local newscasts on Saturdays and Sundays.
Since the launch of KCEC's news department, the station's local newscasts have gradually grown in viewership to challenge the major English language broadcast networks in the 18-34 and 18-49 demographics; according to Nielsen, during the period from January 18 to 22, 2010, KCEC's 5:00 p.m. newscast placed first or second in either demographic depending on the day among adults 18-49 and tying with CBS owned-and-operated station KCNC-TV. In December 2012, the 5:00 p.m. newscast ranked second among adults 18-49, while its 10:00 p.m. newscast ranked second among adults 18-34. On December 20, 2012, concurrent with the move to the new Mile High facility, KCEC began broadcasting its local newscasts in high-definition.