KVME-TV


KVME-TV, virtual and UHF digital channel 20, is a Jewelry Television-affiliated television station licensed to Bishop, California, United States. The station is owned by Venture Technologies Group. KVME-TV's transmitter is located in the White Mountains, about east of Bishop.

History

The station signed on the air on August 21, 2007, as KBBC-TV on analog channel 20, operating as a bilingual independent. KBBC's programming was mostly Spanish, featuring such shows as La Corte del Pueblo, La Corte de Familia, the daily soccer program Fútbol al Día from Monterrey-based Multimedios Televisión, and a newscast with extensive coverage from Central America. The nighttime programming had premiered on KNLA-LP, which was a translator station.
The station later added afternoon and overnight programming from the Home Shopping Network. KBBC also offered English-language religious programming from Hosanna, a Christian program service. On Saturday mornings, English-language children's programs aired along with a public affairs program, Eastern Sierra News.
In March 2012, Venture Technologies Group filed and received approval to sell KNLA-CD and sister station KNET-CD to Local Media TV Holdings. On March 9, KBBC-TV's callsign was changed to KVME-TV.

Affiliation changes

MeTV

KVME-TV became affiliated with MeTV on April 30, 2012, sharing the affiliation with the third digital subchannel of Anaheim-based KDOC-TV. KVME-TV carried MeTV on their primary digital channel 20, which is also available on the DirecTV and Dish Network local packages tier for the Los Angeles market. KVME-TV and KDOC-TV marketed the subchannel as "MeTV Hollywood," changing from KDOC's previous brand of "MeTV Los Angeles." Local advertising for MeTV Hollywood was sold by a jointly managed ad sales team for both stations. However, KVME-TV's MeTV feed did not carry the full schedule of programming, electing to carry Spanish-language religious and paid programming during the early morning weekday hours of 5:30 to 8 a.m., preempting regularly-scheduled programming within those hours. The MeTV affiliation ended on January 15, 2018.

Heroes & Icons

On January 15, 2018, KVME-TV became an affiliate of MeTV's sister network, Heroes & Icons..

Jewelry TV

In 2020, KVME-TV changed its affiliation from Heroes & Icons to Jewelry Television; the H&I affiliation was moved to the station's second digital subchannel.

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
Because it was granted an original construction permit after the FCC finalized the DTV allotment plan on April 21, 1997 , the station did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station. Instead, on or before June 12, 2009, which was the end of the digital TV conversion period for full-service stations, KBBC-TV was required to turn off its analog signal and turn on its digital signal. On November 30, 2008, KBBC completed the transition to digital by turning off its analog signal and immediately turning on its digital signal on channel 20.