Udall Welcomes Back KENW to New Mexico Satellite TV

Udall pressed Nielsen to reevaluate market change, restore public broadcasting for viewers

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall announced that KENW's satellite public TV broadcasts will be returning to viewers' screens across New Mexico. KENW has served TV viewers from Farmington to Artesia for more than 40 years, but Nielsen recently re-designated it into a Texas TV market — causing satellite TV subscribers across New Mexico to lose access to KENW's public programming, news, local weather and emergency alerts.

Udall led a New Mexico congressional delegation letter to press Nielsen to reevaluate the decision to change KENW's designated market area (DMA) last December. More than 5,000 KENW viewers joined the push and signed a petition to help the station return to air.

Thanks to this collaborative grassroots effort, Nielsen restored KENW's designation to the Albuquerque-Santa Fe region. DirecTV is planning to officially resume KENW broadcasts today, June 9. Dish Network is aiming to put KENW back on air as soon as tomorrow.

"New Mexicans across the state count on KENW for localized public TV programming, including emergency alerts and community news," Udall said. "Nielsen's decision to change the station's market threatened access to this essential information and the public broadcasting station's stability. I want to thank Nielsen for recognizing KENW's unique circumstance and also thank DISH Network and DirecTV for working to put KENW back on satellite TV. This makes it possible for satellite TV subscribers from Gallup to Carlsbad to once again tune into KENW for the local programming they enjoy and depend on."

"Thanks to our viewers and several of our state and national leaders, we have received information from both DirecTV and Dish that they are planning to add us back to their local service in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe DMA before the middle of June," said Duane W. Ryan, Director of Broadcasting for KENW. "We are thrilled by this decision. We are also grateful to Dish, DirecTV, and Nielsen for ultimately making it possible for KENW-TV to once again be seen via satellite in most parts of New Mexico. We appreciate all of the support that so many of our viewers have given KENW-TV in our efforts to get back on Dish and DirecTV. We couldn't have done it without everyone's help. Thank you all so very much!"

Nielsen's TV market designations determine where a local station can be offered by satellite TV companies. Although most of New Mexico is located within the Albuquerque-Santa Fe TV market, some counties in Eastern and Southern New Mexico receive local TV from Texas stations.

Operated by Eastern New Mexico University, KENW is a public broadcast station that provides PBS content for the general public, and broadcasts instructional programs for primary and secondary schools, as well as telecollege courses for local colleges and universities. KENW is the only full-power TV station in the eastern part of the state and delivers essential Emergency Alert System notices for inclement weather and other emergencies.