KASW

KASW is a full-power television station licensed to Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 61 and is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company, which operates it alongside ABC affiliate KNXV-TV. KASW's studios are located with KNXV on North 44th Street in Phoenix, while its primary transmitter is on South Mountain. The station began broadcasting on September 23, 1995, after Gregory R. Brooks received authorization to develop a full-power station on UHF channel 61. KASW initially served as Phoenix's affiliate of The WB, supplemented by syndicated programming, children's programming, films, local news, and sports. KTVK, then an independent station owned by Media America Corporation, provided programming and operational support under a local marketing agreement. This arrangement connected KASW closely with KTVK during the station's formative years and helped it establish a youth-oriented programming profile. KASW became an early broadcast outlet for professional sports in Arizona. It shared television rights to Phoenix Coyotes hockey with KTVK when the franchise relocated to Phoenix in 1996, and it later carried games involving the Arizona Rattlers, Phoenix Mercury, and Phoenix Rising FC. Local news has also been part of the station's identity. KTVK produced a 9 p.m. newscast for KASW from 1995 to 1997, while KNXV began producing expanded morning and evening news programming for the station after Scripps acquired it. In 2006, KASW was selected as Phoenix's affiliate of The CW, the network formed through the combination of The WB and UPN programming. It remained a CW station through several ownership changes. Belo acquired the station in 1999, creating a Phoenix television duopoly with KTVK. Following the breakup and sale of the Belo assets, KASW was licensed to SagamoreHill Broadcasting and operated by Meredith under a services arrangement. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired KASW in 2015, ending its long operational relationship with KTVK. Scripps acquired KASW in 2019 as part of the regulatory restructuring associated with Nexstar's purchase of Tribune Media. Under Scripps ownership, KNXV added local newscasts and the station became a major Phoenix-market platform for Scripps programming and sports. KASW also became Phoenix's high-power ATSC 3.0, or NextGen TV, station in 2020. Its NextGen TV multiplex has carried programming streams from several major Phoenix commercial stations, including KASW, KNXV, KSAZ, KUTP, KPHO, and KPNX. On November 20, 2023, CW programming moved from KASW to a subchannel of KNXV, and KASW relaunched as an independent station branded Arizona 61. Its schedule emphasized local news, entertainment, Scripps News content, and sports, including regionally televised Arizona Coyotes games. After the Coyotes' hockey operations moved to Salt Lake City following the 2023–24 season, KASW continued sports coverage with Utah Mammoth programming and selected Vegas Golden Knights games distributed through Scripps stations. The station adopted The Spot branding on July 27, 2025. KASW's current positioning is therefore that of a locally focused independent broadcast outlet combining news, sports, syndicated entertainment, and emerging television technology rather than a conventional network affiliate.

The Federal Communications Commission allocated UHF channel 61 for full-power use in Phoenix in November 1987. Several applicants sought the authorization, and the FCC review board awarded the construction permit in February 1991 to Brooks Broadcasting, owned by Chandler farmer Gregory R. Brooks. The proposed station used the call sign KAIK during development, but progress was limited and Brooks considered alternatives including home-shopping programming. In December 1994, Brooks entered a local marketing agreement with Media America Corporation, owner of KTVK. KTVK was preparing to lose its ABC affiliation and had accumulated programming that did not fit its planned independent-station schedule, including The WB and children's programming. KASW was created in part to provide a Phoenix outlet for that inventory and to target younger viewers. It signed on September 23, 1995, as the first new full-power television station in the Phoenix market since 1985. Its initial schedule combined WB programming, Fox Kids, syndicated series, films, and a KTVK-produced 9 p.m. newscast called NewsNight. The station also carried semiannual broadcasts of the LDS General Conference. Sports became an important part of KASW's early schedule. When the Phoenix Coyotes arrived in Arizona in 1996, KASW and KTVK divided the team's local over-the-air package. KASW later carried Phoenix Mercury games and Arizona Rattlers arena-football games, reinforcing a local-market identity beyond its network affiliation. KTVK's ownership changes affected KASW. In 1999, Belo announced the purchase of KTVK and KASW, creating the first television duopoly in the Phoenix market after federal rules permitted such arrangements. When Belo's assets were later transferred through a transaction involving Gannett, KTVK and KASW were placed with Sander Media while Gannett supplied services. Meredith subsequently agreed to acquire KTVK and the non-license assets of KASW. Because Meredith already owned KPHO-TV, the KASW license was assigned to SagamoreHill Broadcasting, with Meredith continuing to operate the station under a shared-services structure. The FCC approved the Meredith-SagamoreHill transaction in June 2014. The parties agreed to divest KASW, and Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced a purchase for $68 million later that year. The transaction closed in January 2015. KASW gradually moved out of KTVK's facilities, ending the station's nearly two-decade operational association with its original support partner. In 2019, Nexstar acquired Tribune Media. As part of the resulting station portfolio restructuring, Nexstar sold KASW to Scripps, which already owned Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV. The FCC approved the sale in September 2019, and Scripps completed it shortly afterward. Scripps expanded the station's news and syndicated programming, with KNXV producing newscasts for KASW. A two-hour morning-news extension began in March 2020, followed by a 9 p.m. newscast in August of that year. KASW also became central to Phoenix's NextGen TV deployment. On March 27, 2020, it began operating as a high-power ATSC 3.0 transmitter, initially carrying the principal streams of several Phoenix commercial stations. KPHO-TV and KPNX were added to the multiplex in 2021. The station retained its virtual channel identity while its digital transmission facilities were later repacked. KASW's network role changed in late 2023. On November 20, CW programming moved to a secondary KNXV channel, and KASW relaunched independently as Arizona 61. The new schedule emphasized locally produced news, entertainment, Scripps News content, and sports, including Arizona Coyotes broadcasts. After the Coyotes' hockey operations were acquired and relocated to Salt Lake City following the 2023–24 season, the station carried Utah Mammoth games and selected Vegas Golden Knights games where scheduling permitted. KASW adopted The Spot branding on July 27, 2025. It remains an active Phoenix television station and an important local ATSC 3.0 transmission platform.

• 2025

  The Spot branding introduced

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  KASW adopts The Spot branding.

• 2023

  Independent-station relaunch

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  CW programming leaves KASW, which relaunches as the independent Arizona 61.

• 2020

  NextGen TV launch

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  KASW launches as a high-power ATSC 3.0 transmitter for the Phoenix market.

• 2019

  Scripps ownership begins

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  Scripps completes its acquisition of KASW and operates it alongside KNXV-TV.

• 2015

  Nexstar ownership begins

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  Nexstar completes its acquisition of KASW, ending the station's long operational partnership with KTVK.

• 2006

  KASW becomes a CW affiliate

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  KASW is selected to carry The CW in Phoenix after the planned closure of The WB and UPN.

• 1999

  Belo acquires KASW

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  Belo acquires KASW and KTVK, forming a Phoenix television duopoly.

• 1996

  Phoenix Coyotes broadcasts begin

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  KASW shares the team's over-the-air television package after the Coyotes move to Phoenix.

• 1995

  KASW signs on

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  KASW begins broadcasting as Phoenix's WB affiliate under a local marketing arrangement with KTVK.

• 1991

  Brooks Broadcasting receives construction permit

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC review board awards the Phoenix channel 61 construction permit to Brooks Broadcasting.

• 1987

  FCC allocates channel 61

  [1]KASWen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC allocates UHF channel 61 for full-power television use in Phoenix.

A Phoenix-focused independent television station combining local news, sports, entertainment, and advanced over-the-air broadcasting technology.

• Television news · 1995

  Local news programming

  KASW has carried locally focused news programming at different points in its history. KTVK produced an early 9 p.m. newscast, while KNXV later supplied a morning-news extension and an evening newscast after Scripps acquired the station.

• Sports television · 1996

  Sports broadcasts

  Sports have been a recurring part of KASW's schedule, including Phoenix Coyotes hockey, Arizona Rattlers arena football, Phoenix Mercury basketball, and Phoenix Rising FC soccer. Following the Coyotes' relocation, the station has carried Utah Mammoth programming and selected Vegas Golden Knights games.

• Digital television transmission · 2020

  ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV service

  KASW operates Phoenix's high-power ATSC 3.0 transmission platform. The service distributes KASW and other local commercial-station streams, supporting the market's NextGen TV deployment alongside conventional ATSC 1.0 host signals.

• Independent television station brand · 2025

  The Spot

  The Spot is KASW's current station branding, introduced after the station's transition from CW affiliation to independent programming. It represents a schedule built around local news, sports, entertainment, and other Scripps-related content.

• 2023

  Relaunch as an independent stationStrategy

  Background

  Scripps reorganized its Phoenix television lineup and moved CW programming to a KNXV subchannel.

  Action taken

  KASW ended its CW affiliation and relaunched as an independent station under the Arizona 61 brand, emphasizing news, sports, entertainment, and Scripps News content.

  Aftermath

  KASW returned to a locally programmed independent-station model and resumed regional hockey coverage, initially featuring the Arizona Coyotes.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch of high-power ATSC 3.0 serviceProduct launch

  Background

  Phoenix broadcasters were deploying the emerging NextGen TV standard alongside existing digital television services.

  Action taken

  KASW began transmitting as the Phoenix market's high-power ATSC 3.0 station and hosted multiple local station streams.

  Aftermath

  KASW became a central technical platform for NextGen TV distribution in Phoenix, with additional station streams added in 2021.

  Source

• 2019

  Sale to ScrippsM&A

  Background

  Nexstar's acquisition of Tribune Media required station divestitures and portfolio restructuring.

  Action taken

  Nexstar sold KASW to The E. W. Scripps Company, which already owned Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV.

  Aftermath

  Scripps completed the transaction in September 2019 and added KNXV-produced news programming and expanded syndicated content to KASW.

  Source

• 2014

  Sale to NexstarM&A

  Background

  The Meredith-SagamoreHill transaction required KASW to be divested because of ownership and market-structure considerations.

  Action taken

  Meredith and SagamoreHill agreed to sell KASW to Nexstar for $68 million.

  Aftermath

  The sale closed in January 2015 and separated KASW from its previous KTVK operating structure.

  Acquisition price. $68 million (2014 announced; 2015 completed)

  Source

• 2006

  Move from The WB to The CWStrategy

  Background

  The WB and UPN were scheduled to close and be replaced by The CW, while Phoenix's UPN station was associated with Fox Television Stations.

  Action taken

  Belo signed an agreement making KASW the Phoenix affiliate of The CW.

  Aftermath

  KASW continued as a network affiliate under The CW from 2006 until the affiliation moved to a KNXV subchannel in 2023.

  Source

• 1994

  Local marketing agreement with KTVKStrategy

  Background

  Brooks Broadcasting had a largely undeveloped Phoenix construction permit, while KTVK had programming assets that no longer fit its planned post-ABC schedule.

  Action taken

  The parties entered a local marketing agreement under which KTVK supplied programming and operational support for the future KASW.

  Aftermath

  KASW launched in 1995 with The WB, children's programming, syndicated shows, local news, and sports, beginning a long operational relationship with KTVK.

  Source

1. 1KASWen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KASW official websiteyourphx.com