KCPO-LP

KCPO-LP, Channel 26 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota is an independent television station that is owned and operated by Chuck Poppen's Central Plains Media that is a former UPN affiliate. KCPO was available on cable channel 2 or 3 in the eastern half of South Dakota and many cable systems reaching viewers in Southwestern Minnesota. KCPL was a translator of KCPO, simulcasting all of its programming on channel 52, in Rapid City, South Dakota that was seen on cable channel 13 or 12 in the western half of the state.

A third station, MyNetworkTV affiliate KCPM channel 27 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, simulcasts KCPO, though KCPM airs different programming at times and local commercial inserts.

History

KCPO-TV signed on the air for the first time in 1999 as a UPN and Bloomberg affiliate for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 2004, KCPO-TV launched a semi-satellite with the call letters KCPL-TV in Rapid City.

KCPO was affiliated with UPN until KELO-TV launched its UPN affiliated "UTV" digital subchannel in January 2004. KCPL was affiliated with UPN until the network stopped operations in 2006, while simulcasting KCPO outside of network programming. After 2006, KCPL operated as an independent station fully simulcasting KCPO.