# KSAO-LD

KSAO-LD (channel 49) is a low-power television station in Sacramento, California, United States, affiliated with the home shopping network ShopHQ. The station is owned by Bridge Media Networks; KSAO-LD's transmitter is located on Crescent Ridge in El Dorado Hills, California.

## History

In August 2012, KSAO-LD became a charter affiliate of the Spanish-language network MundoFox. In July 2015, the network was relaunched as MundoMax after 21st Century Fox sold its stake of the network to RCN Televisión.
MundoMax ceased operations on November 30, 2016. KSAO-LD affiliated with Azteca América the next day, taking over the affiliation from KSTV-LP (channel 32).
On December 31, 2022, Azteca América ceased operations, and the station affiliated with NewsNet the next day on January 1, 2023, while at the same time, KSAO-LD was dropped from local cable providers, such as Comcast's Xfinity. When KSAO-LD was affiliated with Azteca América, its main channel was not carried by DirecTV and instead carried Azteca América owned-and-operated KEMO-TV (subchannel 50.2) in the San Francisco Bay Area due to KEMO’s high-definition signal.

### Sale to Bridge Media Networks and short NewsNet affiliation

On March 30, 2023, Bridge Media Networks, the parent company of NewsNet and Sports News Highlights (SNH), announced it would acquire KSAO-LD from Cocola Broadcasting and the company's six other stations for $3.2 million. The transaction was completed on May 15, 2023. As a result, KSAO-LD became a NewsNet owned-and-operated station for the Sacramento–Stockton–Modesto DMA.
On August 2, 2024, NewsNet and its sister network Sports News Highlights (on the station's second subchannel) were shut down due to low viewership and KSAO-LD affiliated with Fun Roads TV in the interim. It was later replaced by ShopHQ, with the network both on the main channel and the third subchannel. Fun Roads TV was switched to the second subchannel.

## Technical information
### Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:
Subchannels of KSAO-LD :
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
| 49.1 | 720p | 16:9 | KSAO | ShopHQ |
| 49.2 | 480i | 16:9 | Bridge1 | OnTV4U (Infomercials) |
| 49.3 | 480i | 16:9 | BiNGE | Binge TV |
| 49.4 | 480i | 16:9 | AceTv | Ace TV |
| 49.5 | 480i | 16:9 | OAN | One America News Plus |
| 49.6 | 480i | 16:9 | beIN | beIN Sports Xtra |
| 49.7 | 480i | 16:9 | Sales | Infomercials |
| 49.8 | 480i | 16:9 | BarkTV | Bark TV |
| 49.9 | 480i | 16:9 | RNTV | Right Now TV |
| 49.10 | 480i | 16:9 | FTF | FTF Sports |
| 49.11 | 480i | 16:9 | MTRSPR1 | MtrSpt1 |
| 49.12 | 480i | 16:9 | AWE | AWE Plus |
| 49.13 | 480i | 16:9 | NBT | National Black Television (NBT) |
| 49.14 | 480i | 16:9 | beIN-SP | beIN Sports Xtra en Español |
| 49.15 | 480i | 16:9 | Outdoor | Outdoor America |

### Former subchannel affiliations

KSAO-LD was affiliated with Bounce TV on subchannel 49.2 until March 2013, when Bounce was switched over to KUVS-DT subchannel 19.3 as part of a distribution agreement with Univision Communications (now TelevisaUnivision), owner of KUVS.
KSAO was affiliated with TheCoolTV on subchannel 49.2 until April 2016 when it was dropped and replaced by Retro TV. As part of an affiliation deal with Retro TV's parent company Luken Communications (now Get After It Media), it also included the addition of Rev'n on subchannel 49.5. Both channels were dropped in 2018.
A simulcast of former Azteca América affiliate KSTV-LP (channel 32) aired on subchannel 49.3 until the simulcast was dropped in early 2016. The channel remained silent for a short time until May 11, 2016, when it was affiliated with Buzzr, a broadcast television network airing classic game shows.
On October 28, 2019, KSAO-LD became the third station in the Sacramento television market to affiliate with This TV on subchannel 49.2, after having previous subchannel affiliations with KQCA (subchannel 58.2) and KTXL (subchannel 40.3).
Shortly after KSAO-LD took on the NewsNet affiliation, NewsNet's sister network, Sports News Highlights, was added on subchannel 49.6 (previously occupied by SonLife Broadcasting Network). It was moved to subchannel 49.2 in September 2023 when the station dropped This TV. Buzzr on 49.3 and Shop LC on 49.5 were also dropped, removing the last remaining subchannels from the station's tenure under Cocola Broadcasting ownership. This TV has since ceased operations and Buzzr is currently on KBTV-CD (channel 8).
In December 2024, Fun Roads TV on the second subchannel (49.2) was dropped and was replaced by paid programming, while the duplicated ShopHQ on the third subchannel (49.3) was switched to a sister channel, dubbed the "Best of ShopHQ." In February 2025, the "Best of ShopHQ" was dropped and the subchannel affiliated with beIN Sports Xtra.