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KFFX-TV

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This article is about Fox 11 in Tri-Cities, Washington. For other uses, see Fox 11.

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KFFX-TV, virtual and VHF digital channel 11, is a dual Fox/Telemundo-affiliated television station licensed to Pendleton, Oregon, United States and serving the Tri-Cities, Washington (Richland/Pasco/Kennewick) area. The station is owned by Atlanta-based Cox Media Group. KFFX-TV's studios are located on Clearwater Avenue in Kennewick, and its transmitter is located in the Umatilla National Forest east of Pendleton.

KCYU-LD (channel 41) in Yakima, Washington operates as a low-power semi-satellite of KFFX-TV. It simulcasts all Fox network and syndicated programming as provided by KFFX-TV, and the two stations share a website. However, KCYU-LD airs separate legal identifications and commercial inserts. KFFX-TV serves the eastern half of the Tri-Cities/Yakima market while KCYU-LD serves the western portion. On satellite, KFFX-TV is only available on DirecTV, while Dish Network carries KCYU-LD instead.

History

Channel 11 signed on the air January 11, 1999 as KAUP; on April 25, the call letters were changed to KFFX-TV.[1] It was the first full-powered VHF station in what had previously been a "UHF island." It was also the first station on the Tri-Cities side of the market not to be a satellite of a station in Yakima.

The station replaced KBWU-LP (channel 66), a low-power semi-satellite of KAYU-TV in Spokane (which was carried by cable providers throughout southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon); KCYU-LP was also a semi-satellite of KAYU before the launch of KFFX. KBWU (which originally had the call sign K66BW,[2] though it was referred to as "KBW" outside of station identifications) had been on the air since October 1, 1989;[3] that station, now KBWU-LD (channel 36), is now a translator of KFFX.

Initially, the KFFX-TV license was owned by Communication Properties; Northwest Broadcasting, through its Mountain Broadcasting subsidiary, operated the station under a local marketing agreement.[4] Northwest filed to acquire KFFX outright in November 1999; however, the sale, approved on September 27, 2000, was not completed until January 14, 2003[5] because Northwest was required to divest another full-power television station in the Tri-Cities market, KBKI (channel 9, later known as KCWK) in Walla Walla, in order to complete its purchase of KFFX. KBKI was ultimately acquired by Pappas Telecasting.[6]

In February 2019, Reuters reported that Apollo Global Management had agreed to acquire the entirety of Brian Brady's television portfolio, which it intends to merge with Cox Media Group (which Apollo is acquiring at the same time) and stations spun off from Nexstar Media Group's purchase of Tribune Broadcasting, once the purchases are approved by the FCC.[7] In March 2019 filings with the FCC, Apollo confirmed that its newly-formed broadcasting group, Terrier Media, would acquire Northwest Broadcasting, with Brian Brady holding an unspecified minority interest in Terrier.[8] In June 2019, it was announced that Terrier Media would instead operate as Cox Media Group, as Apollo had reached a deal to also acquire Cox's radio and advertising businesses.[9] The transaction was completed on December 17.[10]

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP short name Programming [11]
11.1 720p 16:9 KFFX-HD Main KFFX-TV programming / Fox
11.2 Telmund Telemundo
11.3 480i 4:3 ION Ion Television

KFFX has been digital-only since February 17, 2009.[12] As the station's transmitter site typically becomes inaccessible to standard vehicles due to eastern Oregon's typically harsh winters, Northwest Broadcasting provided station engineers with snowmobiles on February 16, 2009 to complete the final post-transition installations.

On April 21, 2009, the station added a digital subchannel which includes This TV, but was changed to Telemundo in 2016. [13]

Translators

KFFX-TV is rebroadcast on three low-powered translators.[14][15][16]

Programming

KFFX airs a 10 p.m. newscast, Fox First at Ten, produced by area NBC affiliate KNDO/KNDU and a 7–9 a.m. newscast, Good Day produced by Spokane's NBC affiliate KHQ-TV.

KFFX also offers a line-up of back-to-back sitcoms between 5 and 8 p.m. each weeknight along with many other popular shows including the NFL on Fox, Lethal Weapon and Empire.

References

  1. ^ "Call Sign History (KFFX-TV)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  2. ^ "Call Sign History (KBWU-LD)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  3. ^ Murphey, Michael (October 5, 1989). "KAYU TV partnership opens stations in Yakima, Tri-Cities". Spokane Chronicle. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  4. ^ "OWNERSHIP REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL BROADCAST STATIONS". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. September 30, 2001. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  5. ^ "Application Search Details (KFFX-TV, 1)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  6. ^ "KFFX-DT FCC Form 337 Exhibit 1" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. October 7, 2002. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  7. ^ "EXCLUSIVE-Apollo nears $3 billion deal to buy Cox TV stations -sources" from CNBC (February 10, 2019)
  8. ^ Jessell, Harry A. (March 6, 2019). "Cox TV Valued At $3.1 Billion In Apollo Acquisition". TV News Check. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  9. ^ Jacobson, Adam (June 26, 2019). "It's Official: Cox Radio, Gamut, CoxReps Going To Apollo". Radio & Television Business Report. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  10. ^ "Cox Enterprises Announces Close of Cox Media Group Sale to Affiliates of Apollo Global Management", prnewswire.com, 17 December 2019, Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  11. ^ http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KFFX#station
  12. ^ FCC list of full-service US TV stations, February 16, 2009
  13. ^ http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101256472&formid=387&fac_num=12729
  14. ^ http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KBWU-LD#station
  15. ^ http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=K19BY-D#station
  16. ^ http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=K38KL-D#station
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