why Ku?
Once Ku band equipment became cost effective, the smaller, cheaper dishes on smaller trucks, gave news gatherers and remote reporters a cheaper vehicle.
I've seen C-band uplink trucks, and they're BIG!
The cost of a remote Ku-truck has got to be a fraction the price!
Around the Los Angeles basin, all the TV stations are on one mountain top: Mt. Wilson.
Network and local-channel up-link trucks really only need to be able to do a direct microwave to the mountain top from pretty much anywhere in the local news area.
When they're out of town on assignment in San Diego, Riverside, San Francisco, et al, they take a Ku-capable truck and up-link on satellite.
I'm not sure if the trucks carry both equipment, but direct-linking doesn't cost 'em air time.