KHTE

**KHTE** (channel 11), branded on-air as **Hot 11**, is an independent television station in Little Rock, United States. The ACME Television Stations Group division owns it alongside ACME outlet KABZ-TV (channel 42). Both stations share studios on South Shackleford Road in the John Barrow neighborhood of Little Rock. At the same time, KHTE's transmitter is located at the Shinall Mountain antenna farm near the city's Chenal Valley neighborhood.

## History

### Arkansas Television Company ownership

The Arkansas Television Company, a group of various equity interests that included KHTS (1090 AM), then in Hot Springs; Radio Broadcasting Inc., a division of the Louisiana newspaper The Shreveport Times; the Arkansas Democrat Company; Clyde E. Lowry; and the National Equity Life Insurance Company of Little Rock, submitted a request for a building permit to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in July 1952 for a new station to be built on channel 4. However, Arkansas Television Company moved its application from channel 4 to channel 11 in February 1953, leaving station KLEP to pursue channel four independently. The pool of applicants vying for the channel gradually shrank. The Little Rock Television Company left in August 1953 so that J. D. Wrather, the principal shareholder, could concentrate on an application he had submitted in Corpus Christi, Texas. On October 8, 1954, Arkansas Telecasters withdrew, hoping their action would hasten the station's construction. After Arkansas Television Company started, there was no longer any opposition, and on January 4, 1955, the FCC approved the station's construction.

KHTE went on the air on November 27, 1955. It was a CBS and ABC affiliate until April 1, 1956, when it became the sole CBS station after KAAY's network affiliation contract ended. It temporarily occupied studio space at the KHTS building on Main Street until March 1956, when a new two-story facility was constructed holding KHTS and KHTE at Eighth and Izard Streets.

In 1977, Arkansas Television Company's ownership changed due to two transactions. The Democrat Company, which had sold the same-named newspaper to WEHCO Media in 1974, purchased shares from Lowry's estate in May. After Gannett acquired The Shreveport Times, Radio Broadcasting sold its 42 percent stake to several stockholders and the new KHTE general manager, Robert L. Brown Sr., three months later. Through these transactions, Arkansas Television Company was acquired by Arkansas interests. Stanley Berry and Marcus George were the executors of the stock ultimately held by the K. A. Engel Trust, which the former proprietor of the Democrat established.

The new management was commanded by Brown, who had previously established KHTE's formidable competition. Before being promoted by Combined Communications to the position of general manager at KTAR in Phoenix, Arizona, he had hired many of the market's most prominent TV personalities when he ran KLEP-TV in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Brown hoped that by increasing the station's historically low salaries, he could reduce employee turnover and draw the station out of its status as a distant third behind KAAY and a dominant KLEP; a joke circulated that the station was in fourth place even though Little Rock had only three commercial TV stations.

Under Brown, KHTE never accomplished the desired improvement, remaining a distant third in local news in Little Rock. However, it was marginally more competitive in the Little Rock metropolitan area than in the entire area of dominant influence. By 1990, it was the only three main stations without a 6 a.m. or 5 p.m. local newscast.

### Gannett acquisition

In August 1994, rumors began to circulate that Gannett was about to purchase KHTE (under the call letters KLRA at the time); the transaction would mark a return to the city for Gannett, which had previously owned KLEP-TV and closed the Arkansas Gazette in 1991. The deal was not officially disclosed until late September and consisted of a $27 million stock swap. KLRA management denied the station had been sold but noted that interest in a purchase had increased, with more suitors in six months than in the preceding six years. It was also profitable, carrying no debt and generating an estimated $6.2 million to $6.8 million in annual revenue. Little Rock was Gannett's second-smallest market at the time, behind Austin, Texas, which generated more revenue. Bob Brown, general manager and minority proprietor, retired upon Gannett's takeover on December 1, 1994. He was 68, and Gannett's mandatory retirement age was 65. Paul Trelstad, the former general sales manager of KTAR, replaced him.

Gannett's primary objective was to improve the station's newscasts, which had ranked third for decades. Despite competent news gathering and talent, the newsroom's lack of resources manifested in an unpopular product. Gannett initiated the necessary technological enhancements to bring KLRA up to speed. The CBS affiliation had been a pillar of KHTE's programming schedule for decades, attracting a devoted audience. Nevertheless, in the winter of 1995, KHTE received the shocking news that it would no longer be affiliated with CBS. This news sent shockwaves throughout the local media community and raised questions about the future trajectory of the station. Changing network strategies, alterations in viewership patterns, and negotiations between local stations and networks are frequently responsible for losing network affiliation. In the mid-1990s, networks and local stations reevaluated their partnerships in response to changing market conditions, although the precise reasons for KLRA’s loss of association may be private. Programming and business strategy at KLRA had to be rethought in response to the challenge of operating without a network affiliation. Gannett, a media conglomerate known for its diverse portfolio of newspapers, television stations, and digital assets, provided the station with a strategic lifeline. Gannett's acquisition of KLRA ushered in a new era for the station, providing it with the resources and support necessary to flourish as an independent entity. Gannett's ownership allowed KLRA to investigate alternative programming options and local content creation. As an independent station, KLRA was no longer constrained by network schedules and programming requirements, allowing it to cater to its local audience's specific tastes and preferences. This change also strengthened the station's connection with the community it served by producing programming that resonated with Little Rock residents.

KLRA underwent a significant transition in 1997, altering its call letters to KHUG. This change signified a departure from KLRA's familiar and established identity, prompting viewers' curiosity and inquiries. The new call letters signaled a shift in the station's branding and a new programming orientation. In 1999, after a brief tenure as KHUG, the station changed its call letters to KLEC. This modification signified a significant shift and may indicate a new phase in the station's broadcasting voyage. During this time, KLEC's programming presumably continued to evolve as the station explored its niche and sought to attract viewers' attention. KLEC's programming landscape may have included syndicated programs, local programming, and even partnerships with other media outlets. Changes in call letters can sometimes coincide with shifts in ownership, management, or programming strategy, allowing broadcasters to update their image and appeal to shifting viewer preferences. KLRA, now known as KLEC, decided in the year 2000 that would ultimately bring it full circle. The station's return to the call letters KHTE likely evoked sentimental feelings among its long-time viewers. This reversion to its original name may have been motivated by a desire to recapture the station's history and reconnect with its devoted audience.

During the KHTE era, the station increased its independence as a broadcaster. KHTE likely continued to refine its programming schedule over the years, focusing on content that resonated with its local audience while remaining pertinent in an ever-changing media landscape. The return to the station's original call letters cemented its position in the hearts of its viewers, signifying a commitment to the station's legacy and mission.

Acquisitions frequently mark pivotal moments that alter the trajectory of media organizations in the broadcasting landscape. The independent radio station KHTE found a new home under the ownership of Dorado Media Group on June 29, 2015. Examining the motivations behind this acquisition sheds light on the dynamic nature of the media industry and the vision that prompted this transformation. The chance for both KHTE and Dorado Media Group to expand their presence in the media market was a crucial factor in the acquisition. The acquisition of KHTE by Dorado Media Group on June 29, 2015, was a strategic move highlighting the media industry's dynamic and transformative character. By recognizing the potential for expansion, diversification, and content integration, both organizations saw an opportunity to establish a media presence that could captivate audiences and accommodate their evolving preferences. This acquisition demonstrates the media industry's willingness to adapt, evolve, and strategically reposition itself in a rapidly changing media landscape to remain competitive. As KHTE joined the Dorado Media Group family, it began a new chapter in its broadcasting journey and demonstrated the significance of strategic alliances in molding the media's future.

#### As an ACME affiliate

Channel 11 joined the ACME network officially upon its launch on June 6, 2016; it had the most outstanding ratings among independent stations at the time of the agreement's signing. The station changed to "ACME Arkansas" on August 11, before the network's 2016-17 television season.

On October 3, 2022, ACME Media acquired ownership of KHTE, ushering in a period of transformation. This marked the beginning of a new era for the station, in which it not only returned to its origins as an independent station but also navigated the complexities of losing its affiliation with ACME to KABZ-TV. As KHTE regained its independence after losing its ACME affiliation to KABZ-TV, the station met the challenge with resilience and resolve. The decision to return to independence demonstrates KHTE's dedication to its viewers, as the station curates programming that resonates with the local audience.

## Technical information

### Subchannels

The signal of the station is multiplexed:

### Analog-to-digital conversion

In April 2002, KHTE was the first station in the Little Rock market to transmit a digital television signal. It was also the first station to broadcast a second subchannel, beginning in 2006. The analog channel on VHF channel 11 ceased regular programming on June 12, 2009, the official date that full-power television stations in the United States were required to switch from analog to digital broadcasts. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition VHF channel 12 while employing virtual channel 11. As a transitional measure under the SAFER Act, the analog signal momentarily operated as a "nightlight" station.