“Azteca Amèrica Dallas.” Does that ring a bell? We are standing in front of what was once KLDT-TV.
KLDT-TV first graced the airwaves on December 25, 1990. It was a joint venture. Opal Thornton and Johnson Broadcasting joined forces. Doug Johnson owned Johnson Broadcasting. At first, KLDT played Christian music videos. Later, it shifted to general religious programming. The original transmitter was in Lewisville.
Thornton sought a partnership with Dallas preacher Robert Tilton. She wanted KLDT to be the flagship station for his ministry. But Tilton had FCC issues. The request was dropped in 1991. This was amidst an exposé on televangelists. It aired on ABC’s Primetime Live. The FCC fined KLDT $15,500 in 1995. It was for staffing and filing violations. KLDT lost its license in the mid-1990s.
Then came KAVB on March 18, 1997. Johnson Broadcasting of Dallas, LLC, received the construction permit. KAVB soon changed its call letters to KLDT. It started with America’s Collectibles Network. Shopping programs filled the nighttime hours. Syndicated shows, movies, and business news followed. Bloomberg Television provided the business news. ESPN Plus offered college sports. Lone Star Park showed horse racing. Houston Astros games aired via KNWS-TV. “TV55 Has the Shows You Know” became the slogan.
By 2000, infomercials took over. ACN shopping programming dominated. But KLDT got a boost. It became the flagship for the Hispanic Television Network. Programming targeted Mexican viewers. The network failed in 2003. Home shopping programs returned. ShopNBC became the affiliate.
Most sports programming moved to KFWD by then. In 2005, KLDT temporarily broadcast FC Dallas games. These also moved to KFWD. KLDT eventually dropped ShopNBC. Infomercials and religious programming filled the slots. Before shutting down its analog signal, KLDT affiliated with Gems TV. In 2008, infomercials returned via OnTV4U and WizeBuys. ShopNBC re-affiliated on November 2, 2009.
Johnson Broadcasting filed for bankruptcy in 2008. Creditors sought the sale of KLDT and KNWS. Una Vez Más Holdings, LLC, became the leading bidder. The bankruptcy court approved the sale on December 29, 2009. The FCC approved it on September 27, 2010.
On September 30, 2010, Una Vez Mas requested a call sign change to KAZD. This reflected the Azteca América affiliation. Plans to add Retro Television Network were scrapped.
KLDT broadcast program audio on a second feed until February 2009. In April 2010, KLDT affiliated with the Liquidation Channel. Infomercials dominated. Religious programs remained. Technical setbacks plagued KLDT. The station became KAZD on December 30, 2010. It affiliated with Azteca América.
Northstar Media, LLC, bought Una Vez Mas’ TV assets in 2014. HC2 Holdings acquired Northstar Media and Azteca América in 2017. KAZD became an Azteca owned-and-operated station.
Weigel Broadcasting announced its purchase of KAZD in 2020. The sale closed on December 29, marking Weigel’s entry into Dallas–Fort Worth. KAZD became a MeTV station on March 29, 2021.
In July 2022, a simulcast of Spectrum News 1 Dallas/Fort Worth was added. So KAZD evolved. It went from religious programming to Azteca América and then to Spectrum News 1. The history of channel 55 is a rich tapestry of changing formats and owners. It reflects the dynamic world of television.