New local TV station to air in October By OSCAR GARZA Staff writer A new local television station is scheduled to go on the air in late October. KABB, channel 29, is owned by Alamo Broadcasting whose president and major stockholder is Paris Schindler of Houston. Alamo Broadcasting owns no other broadcast properties, although Schindler and other KABB principals own KIDY-TV in San Angelo. KIDY station manager Bill Carter will move to San Antonio to run the new local station. The license was originally granted in February of 1985. A total of nine applications were submitted and two of the unsuccessful applicants, filed appeals with the Federal Communications Commission. The appeals were filed by Christian Telecommunications and Las Misiones, a partnership that included prominent local physician Jose San Martin, Jr. The appeals were settled in late 1985. A number of San Antonio residents are investors in KABB, including Jo Long, director of the Carver Cultural Center. Schindler said KABB is finalizing a lease for studio and office space “just west of downtown." The station is building its own 1,500-foot transmitter tower in Elmendorf. KABB will be “a classic independent" station, according to Schindler, offering children’s programming, situation comedies, action/adventure dramas, movies and sports. In anticipation of the upcoming on-air date, a good deal of programming has already been purchased. Included in the line-up are staples such as “Happy Days," “Soap,” “WKRP in Cincinnati," "Barney Miller” arid “The Rockford Files.” KABB’s programming will be similar to KRRT- TV, channel 35, the Kerrville-based independent station that went on the air in November 1985. “I think (KRRT’s) success Is very attractive for us as an independent in the marketplace," Schindler said. KRRT general manager Rick Lowe agreed the competition should benefit both stations. “Traditionally, It helps us," Lowe said. "In most markets the second independent actually helps to increase the independents’ share of viewership." Despite the wealth of television programming in this market, created by six local broadcast stations and more than 30 others offered by Rogers Cable TV, Schindler said that independent stations “are still a viable medium." FCC rules mandate Rogers Cable to add KABB to the cable lineup. In addition to KABB, two other local broadcast stations will go on the air in the next couple of years, forcing Rogers to drop some current program services. “We have to shuffle our lineup," said Dave Edwards, Rogers Cable general manager. “We sent 25,000 survey forms with our bills to subscribers asking them to list the six channels they would miss the least. We are in the process of tabulating the results."