KDZA-TV
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | March 19, 1953 in Pueblo, Colorado, United States |
| Founder | Dee B. Crouch |
| Defunct | May 7, 1954 |
| Headquarters | Pueblo , United States |
| Products | Television broadcasting |
KDZA-TV operated as a television broadcaster on channel 3 in Pueblo, Colorado, with transmissions running from March 19, 1953, until May 7, 1954. As Pueblo's inaugural TV outlet, it ultimately discontinued service due to financial challenges, competition from another local station and two outlets in Colorado Springs, as well as disruptions caused by network affiliation shifts in Denver that affected its programming lineup.
History
Test transmissions for KDZA-TV commenced on March 14, 1953, followed by the start of regular broadcasts on March 19. The station was owned by Dee B. Crouch, who also managed the AM radio station KDZA (1230 AM). A significant portion of KDZA-TV’s programming was delivered through a 104-mile microwave link from KFEL-TV in Denver. The station maintained affiliations with CBS, NBC, and the DuMont network, while also featuring syndicated content from Ziv Television Programs.
In July 1953, Gene O'Fallon, proprietor of KFEL-TV, submitted a purchase proposal to acquire KDZA's radio and television operations for $350,000. This offer included settling a $100,000 debt owed to DuMont Laboratories for transmitter equipment. However, O'Fallon retracted his bid four months later. Despite this, KDZA-TV continued to receive programming feeds from KFEL-TV, including live broadcasts of basketball games. This arrangement occurred after KFEL-TV lost key network affiliations to newly established Denver stations KLZ-TV (CBS) and KOA-TV (NBC), alongside the introduction of a second Pueblo station, KCSJ-TV, which operated as an NBC affiliate.
The combination of high operating expenses and dependence on Denver-sourced content rendered KDZA-TV's business model unsustainable. On May 7, 1954, the station ceased broadcasting, citing equipment repairs amid ongoing financial difficulties. It never resumed transmission nor applied for FCC authorization to remain off-air; its construction permit expired on September 22, 1954. KDZA-TV was among the first VHF stations to shut down due to economic reasons following closures such as KFXD-TV in Idaho and KFOR-TV in Nebraska.
In 1955, the channel 3 frequency allocation was reassigned to Alamosa at the request of KCSJ-TV for use as a satellite station. No full-power broadcaster launched there; however, a translator for KRDO-TV began operating on that channel starting December 1965. Later, in 1980, the full-power allocation was relocated to Glenwood Springs after a petition by Western Slope Communications; this led to the establishment of KCWS in 1984.