K22JA-D

K22JA-D ("KDF") is an independent television station in Corpus Christi, Texas. It broadcasts a low-powered digital signal on UHF channel 22 (virtual channel 47) from a transmitter southeast of downtown along TX 358. Owned by Cordillera Communications (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Evening Post Industries), the station is sister to NBC affiliate KRIS-TV and CBS affiliate KZTV (owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting but operated by Cordillera through shared services agreement). All four stations share studios on Artesian Street in Downtown Corpus Christi.

Syndicated programming on this station includes: Everybody Loves Raymond, My Wife and Kids, The People's Court, and Judge Mathis. KDF can also be seen on K31KK-D channel 31 in Kingsville–Alice (transmitter northwest of Bishop along the Nueces and Jim Wells County line) and K30EG channel 30 in Beeville–Refugio (transmitter east of Beeville).

History

K22JA-D was started in 1990 as K47DF by Paloma Broadcasting (which the Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi had a stake in). It started as an independent with general entertainment programming. KDF's big break came in 1993 when some high-profile syndicated programming such as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, and Oprah moved to the station after KRIS-TV dropped them in favor of other programming. Paloma also launched the station's two repeaters in order to improve KDF's availability in the fringes of the market. That same year, the cable wars between the big three affiliates of Corpus Christi were going on.