I do not ordinarily use this space for wild speculation. Unhinged speculation about wireless transmissions runs rampant in some online spaces, from AVS Forum local city subs to private Telegram groups about wireless services in general. But have been following developments in Lincoln/Tri-Cities, a market in which I used to live, for some time and see strong potential for this consolidation to take place so am calling it out here. Good chance I’ll be wrong, but we’ll see.
Whereas, in many markets a Sinclair-owned or at least Sinclair-operated station serves as the ATSC 3.0 lighthouse, and whereas, in several markets Rincon-owned stations end up operated by Sinclair, and whereas, Rincon is in the process of purchasing KLKN-TV,
I see the following channel changes potentially taking place in Lincoln:
4 (RF 24) – “Local 4” NBC and subchannels
8 (RF 8 and 35) – “NTV” ABC on 8.1 and “Fox Nebraska” on 8.2, with other subchannels
10 (RF 10) – “10/11” CBS and subchannels
12 (RF 27) – PBS
18 (RF 18) – “CW Nebraska” and an UHF rebroadcast of KOLN
27 (RF 34) – Telemundo and subchannels
51 (RF 15) – ATSC 3.0 of 4-1 NBC, 8-1 ABC, 8-2 Fox, 10-1 CBS and 12-1 PBS
This would put ATSC 3.0 on the 250,000 watt UHF KFXL signal immediately southeast of Lincoln, while moving ATSC 1.0 Fox transmissions to be paired with KLKN’s transmitters near Utica and off of South 10th Street.
In Central Nebraska, the signal of KHGI (RF 18) could potentially be used as a second ATSC 3.0 lighthouse in the market, but given the lesser population in central Nebraska this may serve no practical purpose. This would force the existing 13.1 “NTV” ABC and 13.2 “Fox Nebraska” Fox signals onto a mix of VHF-Low and VHF-High (transmitters of KNHL and KGIN) which would not be ideal.
It does seem likely to me that the pending acquisition of KLKN by Rincon puts the station one step closer to being operated by Sinclair alongside, and most likely simulcasting with, KHGI. Thus also ending the situation for the past 30 years of the eastern portion of the Lincoln market having one ABC station and the western portion having another. This would make NTV the market-wide ABC station and acquiring a greater presence in Lincoln (with the KLKN studio) than afforded by the longtime sales office on N. 48th Street.
For the sake of this analysis and projection I am not factoring in the Omaha area ATSC 3.0 transmissions from Gretna. Though the Gretna tower site (KXVO, RF 29) provides over-the-air coverage to part of Lincoln, it remains a separate market and outside the scope. That tower placement is a relic of pre-1995 days when Lincoln was effectively part of the Omaha market but for KOLN.
It is worth noting as one Omaha development, however, that in 2025 news operations at Omaha Fox affiliate KPTM began to be provided by KHGI, including weather overlays, cut-ins to Sinclair national programming, and an 11 PM “NTV on Fox 42” newscast showing weather maps for all of Eastern Nebraska to west of York (including all of the KFXL over-the-air coverage area). Due to differences in syndicated programming, I do not envision a situation where KPTM fully becomes part of “Fox Nebraska” and simulcasts KFXL, but further integration into the “NTV” brand seems likely. Currently, KFXL airs news from NTV at 9:00, though the Lincoln-specific content on this newscast has been scaled back in the last few years for more focus on Kearney, Grand Island, Hastings and central Nebraska.