KXLT-TV

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KXLT-TV (channel 47) is a

History

KXLI satellite

KXLT signed-on for the first time on August 21, 1987, as a full-time

KXLI / KXLT were owned by Halcomm Inc. with its majority stockholder and president Dale W. Lang,[3] chairman of magazine publisher Lang Communications Inc.^[4] Lang attempted with partners to create the "Minnesota Independent Network" (MIN) with 11 stations but never got past planning and initial work.^[3]

Lang also made a $9.6 million loan to Halcomm. The station closed down in December 1988 with Lang calling the loan in 1989 taking possession of the stations.^[3]

In 1989, Lang became the primary investor in a new television network, the

As a KXLI satellite, KXLT operated at lower-than-licensed power due to KXLI's financial problems. KXLI and KXLT were sold to Paxson Communications in 1996 which converted both stations to an all-infomercial format under Paxson's "inTV" network. In 1997, Paxson decided to sell KXLT to raise money to launch the Pax network (today's Ion Television). Late that year, Shockley Communications purchased KXLT.

Fox affiliate

On January 19, 1998, Shockley relaunched the station as a Fox affiliate. Previously,

In 2001, Shockley Communications was bought by Quincy Newspapers, owner of KTTC. However, Quincy could not buy KXLT due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules governing duopolies. The FCC does not allow two of the four highest-rated stations to be owned by one company. Additionally, Rochester–Austin–Mason City has only six full-power stations, not enough to legally permit a duopoly in any case. Nevertheless, Quincy took over KXLT's operations under a shared services agreement. As part of the arrangement, Quincy provides all technical support, promotions, commercial production, and master control for KXLT. Shockley would later sell the station to current owner SagamoreHill Broadcasting in 2005.

In September 2006, The WB and

News operation

Through a news share agreement in place since 2001, KTTC produces a half-hour prime time newscast on KXLT seen Sunday through Friday nights. Known as Fox 47 News at Nine, the program originates from a secondary set at the Bandel Road Northwest studios. It features a unique graphics package and news music theme that is different from KTTC. KXLT uses most of the NBC outlet's on-air personnel but maintains separate news anchors who can report for KTTC.

At some point in 2009, CBS affiliate KIMT (channel 3) added the market's second prime time local news show at 9 to its MyNetworkTV-affiliated second digital subchannel. This newscast could be seen for thirty minutes competing with KXLT's broadcast. Eventually, the effort would be reduced to a five-minute weather cut-in featuring an updated forecast. On March 21, 2011, a day after KTTC performed an upgrade to high definition news production, KXLT completed the switch. With the change to HD came an updated set of graphics (still separate from the NBC station). On July 28, 2014, KXLT debuted a weekday morning show known as Fox in the Morning (that is produced by KTTC). Airing for thirty minutes at 8 a.m., the program is formatted with news, weather, local features and entertainment segments. Fox in the Morning is the area's only 8 a.m. newscast. Nicholas Quallich, anchor, Ted Schmidt, meteorologist, have been with the show since its summertime 2014 premiere. Tori Bokios, who joined channel 47 in January 2015, as of the summer of 2015, is the anchor of Fox 47 News at Nine. Amanda Hari is the newest member of the morning show, arriving in September 2015, replacing Bokios. In December 2016, Quallich left KXLT, leaving Hari & Schmidt to handle the morning news. Earlier in 2016, chief meteorologist Randy Brock left his post and went on to pursue a career in real estate. He said that part of his decision was to spend more time with his family.

On September 27, 2019, Fox in the Morning broadcast its last show, with anchor Jack Keenan and meteorologist Ted Schmidt. The 30 minute slot for the morning was used to expand Fox 47 News at Nine to a one-hour broadcast in January 2020, anchored by Maddy Wierus and chief meteorologist Nick Jansen.

The evening program on KXLT maintains separate anchors from KTTC (except for weather segments) and its own graphics scheme.^[7] The NBC outlet also maintains an Austin bureau, within the Riverland Community College campus, on 8th Avenue Northwest.

Subchannels

The station's signal is

Notes

References