Thanks for the link to this. Although the article doesn't mention KBGE this must be the same Bob Gill. His death in 1994 would seem to coincide with one of the Transfer of Control filings and the fact that the station left the air at an unspecified date. I have also found evidence of a "fire sale" price and the fact that the assets were a license and antenna but no transmitter. Would love to get the story on that one.
Lets start with this article and see if I can solve your mystery.
Nov 17, 1997 -
Seattle TV Station Sold As Part Of $35 Million Deal | The Seattle Times
"Paxson Communications has signed an agreement with ValueVision International to acquire Seattle's KBGE-TV
Paxson, based in West Palm Beach, Fla., will pay ValueVision $25 million on closing, scheduled in the spring. The remaining $10 million will be paid when KBGE,
now operating at reduced power from downtown Seattle, is able to relocate and increase its transmitter power to a level at or near its licensed full power.
KBGE broadcasts ValueVision,
ValueVision will retain its recently launched low-power station K58DP-TV, which transmits from the top of the Columbia Center."
KGBE(currently KWPX) Timeline
05/01/1989 - LICENSE TO COVER FOR A NEW STATION (broadcasting from Columbia Tower) Channel
33 ERP 14.8kW
12/20/1994 - TRANSFER CONTROL OF ROBERT GILL COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP FROM ROBERT L. GILL (DECEASED) TO ELMER GILL, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE.
04/26/1995 - ASSIGNMENT OF LICENSE FROM ROBERT GILL COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP TO NW TV, INC. - Controlled by ANNE THOMAS PAXSON
09/29/1995 -ASSIGNMENT OF LICENSE FROM NW TV, INC. TO VVI(
ValueVision) SEATTLE, INC.
KGBE is broadcasting ValueVision at this point.
11/21/1997 - VOLUNTARY ASSIGNMENT OF LICENSE FROM: VVI SEATTLE, INC. TO: PAXSON
03/26/1998 - Moves to West Tiger Mountain.
08/31/1998 - PAX Launches on KWPK(Formerly KBGE)
KUSE Timeline.
06/01/1990 - CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FOR A NEW LOW POWER TELEVISION STATION FOR SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, Channel
58 4.07kW Broadcasting from 701 FIFTH AVENUE(
Columbia Center) "TRANS. TELEVISION TECHNOLOGY CORP."
Construction permit keeps getting extensions and try to move to channel
39..
seems to be transferred to "BRECKENRIDGE BROADCASTING COMPANY" at some point holding company for Paxson?
11/12/1997 - LICENSE TO COVER FOR A NEW STATION (broadcasting from Columbia Tower) Channel
58 4.07kW
12/18/1997 - VOLUNTARY ASSIGNMENT OF LICENSE FROM: BRECKENRIDGE BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC. TO: VVILPTV(
ValueVision)
Assuming Valuevision has a new outlet and now has 2 channels broadcasting? One on a old transmitter... at a higher cost to operate?
My theory
Paxson was planning for awhile, basically bought KBGE, broadcasting from Columbia Tower on 15 year old transmitter, sold the station to ValueVision shortly after, didn't seem worth it to them for some reason.
Paxson, then bought it KGBE back without the transmitter, which Valuevision no longer needed because it just put up a new channel broadcasting from the same tower?, with $10 million on hold until KGBE was relocated to West Tiger with a new transmitter.
Paxson then got a Signal from West Tiger on a Lower Channel Number 33 at 3720kW for Pax to Launch on while ValueVision "did the work".
Mostly all the dates above come from https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&appid=242341&facid=6692 and https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&appid=98795&facid=56852 and the subsequent FCC Fillings with public notices.