Spanish-Only Television Station Opens in Tulsa

Chris Howell, NewsOn6.com

TULSA,OK -- An all Spanish-speaking television station has joined the Tulsa market.  In a press conference at their 2nd Street studios, the pride in the voices of the organizers was obvious.

"Today is a very special day for everybody here at Teletul," said Antonio Perez, "this is the moment we've been waiting for a long, long, time. This morning at about two o'clock in the morning the switch was turned on."

Teletul had been operating since last summer as a digital broadcaster on UHF Channel 51, but partnering with Cox Cable on channel 444 is a big move for the locally owned station. 

No one was happier to see the signal than Teletul President Antonio Perez.

"I woke up at five o‘clock in the morning and there it was, KXAP Teletul and I was so happy, it's a very special feeling," Perez said.

And Perez had taken a big gamble on the start-up television station, putting up the money on a business he never expected to own.

"I wasn't even looking to become a TV station owner, somebody came to me trying to sell this station, at the time at the time all they had was the analog transmitter and a license. We believe there's at least 100,000 Hispanics in Tulsa so far, and it's growing, it's growing."

"It's an advertising opportunity, a marketing opportunity and a political one," said Randy Lidster, Teletul's Program Director.

Teletul stands to make it big if they can reach their ever-growing base of Spanish-speaking viewers.

"Oh huge," Lidster said.  "It's their only television medium that exists right now that is local. They have had radio many years, but television is something that changes the ballgame."

The station intends to produce much of its programming locally and eventually sell shows throughout the nation.