View source for KVMD

{{short description|Television station in Twentynine Palms, California}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = KVMD
| city                   = Twentynine Palms, California
| logo                   = KVMD logo 2023 (cropped).png
| logo_size              = 200px
| branding               =
| analog                 = 
| digital                = 23 ([[UHF]])
| virtual                = 31
| translators            = ''see {{section link||Translators}}''
| subchannels            = 
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''31.1:''' [[Infomercial]]s|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| network                = 
| founded                = 
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1997|12|1|p=y}}
| location               = [[Twentynine Palms]]–[[Los Angeles]], California
| country                = United States
| callsign_meaning       = 
| former_callsigns       = 
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:''' 31 (UHF, 1997–2003)
| owner                  = {{ubl|KVMD TV, [[LLC]]|(Ronald Ulloa)}}
| licensee               = KVMD Licensee Co., LLC
| sister_stations        = [[KXLA]], [[KJLA]]
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|[[America One]] (1997–2003)|[[Independent station|Independent]] (2003–2008)|Armenian-Russian Television Network (2008–2017)|[[Almavision]] (2017–2018)|[[LATV]] (2018–2021; now part-time on [[KXLA]]-DT1)|[[NTD Television]] (2021–2023)|Infomercials (2023–2024)|[[Merit TV]] (2024–2025)}}
| erp                    = 150 [[kW]]
| haat                   = {{convert|784|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id            = 16729
| coordinates            = {{coord|34|2|16.8|N|116|48|49.9|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://kvmdtv.com/}} 
}}
'''KVMD''' (channel 31) is a [[television station]] in [[Twentynine Palms, California]], United States, which primarily airs [[infomercial|paid programming]]. Station owner Ronald Ulloa is also president and majority owner of [[Rancho Palos Verdes]]–licensed [[independent station]] [[KXLA]] (channel 44). KVMD's studios are located on Corinth Avenue (near [[Interstate 405 (California)|Interstate 405]]) in [[West Los Angeles]], and its transmitter is located atop Snow Peak in the [[San Bernardino Mountains]], north of [[Banning, California]]; its broadcast signal covers most of the area within the [[Inland Empire]].

KVMD's signal is relayed by two [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power]] [[broadcast relay station#Broadcast translators|translators]]: '''KSMV-LD''' in [[Los Angeles]] and '''KIMG-LD''' in [[Ventura, California|Ventura]], both of which also broadcast on digital channel 23 and virtual channel 31. The station is carried throughout the Los Angeles [[media market]] on various [[cable television]] systems. KVMD-DT is also available on [[DirecTV]] and [[Dish Network]] on channel 31, its former [[analog television|analog]] channel.

The station broadcasts digitally on 19 [[digital subchannel|subchannels]]. Currently, programming is offered in [[American English|English]], [[Spanish language in the United States|Spanish]], [[Mandarin Chinese]], [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] and [[Armenian language|Armenian]].

==History==
On December 1, 1997, KVMD launched on analog channel 31 with [[America One]] programming. Its original analog signal was weak and could not generally be received beyond Twentynine Palms and [[Yucca Valley]]. However, it sought and obtained carriage on many cable systems throughout Southern California, as well as [[satellite TV]], due to its location on the outskirts of the Los Angeles DMA and [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) [[must-carry]] rules.

On July 29, 2002, its digital signal went on the air on channel 23. This signal is much stronger, potentially reaching 80 times as many viewers over the air as its analog signal, and covering most of the [[Inland Empire]]. It also reaches much of [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]], [[Orange County, California|Orange]] and northern [[San Diego County, California|San Diego]] counties.

On June 1, 2003, KVMD became the first station in the country to shut off its analog channel and go digital-only, in support of the government-mandated [[DTV transition in the United States|digital transition]].

On June 1, 2008, KVMD started to air ARTN Armenian programming every night. On August 31, 2017, KVMD discontinued ARTN programming and moved to cable-only; KVMD also switched to [[Almavision]] programming.

In December 2017, it was announced that the station will become the Los Angeles market's [[LATV]] affiliate on January 1, 2018, replacing [[KJLA]], which became the market's new [[Azteca América]] affiliate.

On July 1, 2021, KVMD replaced its affiliation with LATV on its main channel with [[New Tang Dynasty Television]] (NTD). The former LATV affiliation moved to its fifth subchannel.

On October 20, 2023, NTD pulled its affiliation from KVMD’s main channel. The programming has been replaced with infomercials. 

KVMD began to carry the [[Phil McGraw]]-backed [[Merit Street Media]] on its debut day, April 2, 2024, under a programming agreement with the [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] to assure main-channel [[must-carry]] coverage of the network on pay-TV providers throughout the Los Angeles market. TBN flagship [[KTBN-TV]] (channel 40) carries Merit Street on its second subchannel, but as it also asks for must-carry coverage which disallows subchannel carriage, would have had to make separate agreements with providers to carry the network otherwise.

In June 2025, KVMD disaffiliated from Merit TV due to a payment dispute with Merit Street Media, and replaced the programming with infomercials.

==Subchannels==
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of KVMD<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KVMD#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KVMD|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|accessdate=January 6, 2025}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.1 
| [[720p]] || [[16:9]] || KVMD-DT || rowspan=2|[[Infomercial]]s
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.2 
| rowspan="19"|[[480i]] || rowspan="9"|[[4:3]] || CRTV 
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.3 
| iCitiTV || iCitiTV {{in lang|zh-CN}}
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.4 
| CRTV || Infomercials
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.5
| RCTV || Rare Collectibles TV
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.6 
| ShopLC || [[Shop LC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.7 
| CRTV || Infomercials
|-
! scope = "row" | 31.8 
| WCETV || WCETV / [[CCTV-4]] {{in lang|zh-CN}}
|-
! scope = "row" | [[KTAV-LD|35.1]] 
| style="background-color: #E6FFF7;" | KTAV || style="background-color: #E6FFF7;" | Spanish Religious ([[KTAV-LD]])
|-
! scope = "row" | 57.8 
| VIETOCC || VIETOCC {{in lang|vi}} 
|-
! scope = "row" | 57.10 
| 16:9 || VIETPHO || VietPho TV {{in lang|vi}}
|- 
! scope = "row" | 57.13 
| rowspan=8 | 4:3 || VCAL || VCAL TV {{in lang|vi}} 
|- 
! scope = "row" | 57.14 
| VMTV || VietMedia TV {{in lang|vi}} 
|- 
! scope = "row" | 57.15 
| BBTV || BBTV {{in lang|vi}} 
|-
! scope = "row" | 57.16 
| IVTV || IVTV {{in lang|vi}}  
|- 
! scope = "row" | 57.17 
| VNBC || VNBC TV {{in lang|vi}}  
|-
! scope = "row" | 57.18
| VISION || VVTV {{in lang|vi}}
|-
! scope = "row" | 57.19 
| IBC || IBC-TV {{in lang|vi}}  
|-
! scope = "row" | 57.20 
| P&H TV || An Binh Hanh Phúc TV {{in lang|vi}}  
|}
{{legend|#E6FFF7|Simulcast of subchannels of another station}}

===Translators===
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|14002|3=KSMV-LD}}''' 23 [[Los Angeles]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|12732|3=KIMG-LD}}''' 23 [[Ventura, California|Ventura]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://kvmdtv.com/ Official website]
*[http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA265667.html "L.A. DTV Spat Could be a Test Case"], ''Multichannel News'', December 16, 2002
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060928232259/http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2006/db0703/DA-06-1376A1.pdf 2006 FCC petition] requesting mandatory carriage under "[[must-carry]]" rules

{{LA TV}}
{{California English TV}}
{{California Spanish TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kvmd}}
[[Category:1997 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Independent television stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Spanish-language television stations in California|VMD]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1997]]
[[Category:Television stations in Los Angeles|VMD]]