KHMA
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| Houma, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
| City | Houma, Louisiana |
| Slogan | Tri-City Television |
| Channels | Analog: 11 (VHF) |
| Affiliations | independent |
| Owner | Denver T. Brannen (St. Anthony TV Corp) |
| First air date | March 1, 1972 |
| Last air date | mid-October 1973 |
| Call letters' meaning | HouMA |
| Transmitter power | 1160 kW |
| Height | 505m |
KHMA-TV was a short-lived independent television station in Houma, Louisiana that served the south Louisiana community. The FCC licensed channel 11 to St. Anthony TV Corporation in 1958, and the station was intended to be an ABC affiliate. In the 1960s, St. Anthony TV Corp. petitioned to move the station's transmitter to a point north of Houma near Geismar, LA so that the station could also serve Baton Rouge (which did not have a primary ABC affiliate yet). After the FCC granted permission to move the tower, both Louisiana Television Broadcasting Corporation (owner of Baton Rouge's then-NBC affiliate WBRZ, (now Baton Rouge's ABC affiliate) and Guaranty Broadcasting Corporation (owner of Baton Rouge's CBS affiliate WAFB) filed an appeal to block the transfer. In 1965, the District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the two Baton Rouge stations, blocking the FCC's grant.
On March 1, 1972 at 11:30 AM, the station signed on as an independent station serving the tri-city area of Morgan City(although part of the Lafeyette DMA), Thibodaux, and Houma and the ten-parish area south of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The first program the station aired was The Phyllis Diller Show. During weekdays, KHMA signed on at 11:30 AM and signed off at 12:30 AM, and, on weekends, it signed on at 8:00 AM and signed off at 12:30 AM. The station suffered financial trouble and by October 23, 1973, the station and St. Anthony TV Corp declared bankruptcy. At the same time, station owner Denver T. Brannen launched WDTB (now WMBB) in Panana City, FL, which served as that region's NBC affiliate and is now the ABC affiliate.
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