KKTQ-LD (channel 16) is a low-power television station in Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States, affiliated with ABC. The station is owned by Vision Alaska LLC, which operates Fox affiliate KLWY (channel 27) under a shared services agreement (SSA) with the Coastal Television Broadcasting Company. KKTQ-LD's transmitter is located on Happy Jack Road (WYO 210) west of the city.
Although identifying as a station in its own right, KKTQ-LD is considered a semi-satellite of ABC affiliate KTWO-TV (channel 2) in Casper. As such, it simulcasts all network and syndicated programming as provided by its parent, but airs separate station identifications and commercials. In addition, it shares a website with KTWO, KLWY, KGWC and KFNB (the latter two are the CBS and Fox affiliates in Casper, respectively), and also it airs newscasts produced by KLWY.
KKTQ-LD's low-power broadcast radius does not cover the entire Cheyenne–Scottsbluff television market. As such, it is simulcast in 480i widescreen standard definition on the second digital subchannel of KLWY in order to reach the entire market.
History
KKTU/KDEV (1987–2006) KTWO had two previous satellites in Cheyenne. The first, KKTU (channel 33), had signed on in 1987 when KTWO was still an NBC affiliate and owned by Dix Communications. Both stations were sold in 1994 to Eastern Broadcasting for $13 million. KTWO and KKTU were temporarily affiliated with The WB in 1995. The late 1990s saw many ownership changes for the two stations. In 1997, Grapevine Communications bought the two stations among others for $40 million; Grapevine then merged with GOCOM Communications to form GOCOM Holdings two years later. In 2001, Equity Broadcasting bought KTWO-TV and KKTU from GOCOM for $3.5 million.
In September 2003, NBC's affiliation contract with KTWO and KKTU expired and the network signed a new agreement with then Pax TV (now Ion Television) affiliate KCWY-DT (channel 13). However, the two stations had affiliated with ABC three months earlier to prepare for the affiliation switch. But ABC still had an affiliation contract with KFNB that would not expire for about another year. KTWO and KCWY switched affiliations with Pax going to KTWO and NBC going to KCWY. KKTU, as a satellite, was able to immediately switch from NBC to ABC and began branding as "ABC 8", in reference to its cable channel in Cheyenne. On March 8, 2004, after long negotiations with KFNB, KTWO signed with ABC three months ahead of schedule while KFNB got a new affiliation with Fox. Fox was previously on K26ES (now low-powered dual MyNetworkTV/MeTV affiliate KWYF-LD, channel 20). K26ES then became affiliated with UPN and Pax.
Seven days earlier, Cheryl Kaupp, who controlled KTWO, began operating the station under a local marketing agreement with Equity. That October, Kaupp filed to acquire KTWO from Equity for $1.7 million. That created a triopoly between KTWO, KFNB, and KGWC. KFNB was owned by Kaupp's father, Marvin Gussman under Wyomedia Corporation; and KGWC was at the time being acquired by Mark III Media. Mark Nalbone, Wyomedia's general manager, owned a 30% interest in Mark III and served as a consultant to KTWO. In April 2004, Nalbone announced KTWO would move studios from 2nd Street to Skyview Drive in Casper; where it now shares operations with KFNB, KGWC, and KWYF-LD. In 2005, Silverton Broadcasting announced it would acquire KTWO-TV from Kaupp; the acquisition was completed on May 31, 2006. KKTU, however, was left behind with Equity. It changed its callsign to KDEV in 2005, but KTWO was still allowed to operate it. KDEV then dropped ABC in favor of programming from the Retro Television Network in 2006.