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KOZL-TV

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A Springfield, Missouri television station operated primarily as an independent outlet with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

Last updated October 14, 2026

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Overview

KOZL-TV is a full-power television station serving Springfield, Missouri, and the surrounding Ozarks region. The station broadcasts on channel 27 and is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns Fox affiliate KRBK in the market. KOZL-TV is operated alongside CBS affiliate KOLR under shared facilities and management arrangements. Its transmitter is north of Fordland, Missouri, while the stations’ principal studios are located on East Division Street in Springfield. The station began broadcasting on September 29, 1968, as KMTC. It was established by Midland Television Corporation, a group of Springfield-area businesspeople led by Kenneth Meyer and Thomas Barneby. KMTC entered the market as an ABC affiliate at a time when ABC programming had been available only through limited clearances on existing local stations. The station’s launch was enabled by the construction of a large UHF tower and transmitter facility near Fordland, but its UHF signal initially reached a much smaller share of regional households than the established VHF stations. As a result, KMTC generally ranked behind KOLR and KYTV in overall audience performance, particularly in local news. Cable distribution and increased household access to UHF reception gradually improved its reach, although the station remained a weaker competitor across the full market. Charles Woods acquired KMTC in 1985 and renamed it KDEB-TV after his daughter, Deborah Corbett, who became station manager. Woods attempted to strengthen the station through additional staffing and expanded local news. The ownership change coincided with a major affiliation dispute. ABC transferred its Springfield affiliation to the newly established KSPR in 1986, prompting Woods to sue both the KSPR ownership group and ABC. A jury initially awarded damages, but a federal judge later overturned the verdict. KDEB consequently lost its news operation and became a Fox affiliate in 1987. The Fox affiliation helped the station become more competitive, particularly as Fox’s entertainment schedule matured during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ownership changed several times during the 1990s, including transfers involving Banam Broadcasting and Petracom. In 1999, Quorum Broadcasting entered into a local marketing and shared-services arrangement involving KDEB and KOLR. The agreement pooled resources such as personnel, advertising sales, production, promotion, and operations, and allowed KDEB to introduce a 9 p.m. local newscast while moving into KOLR’s Division Street facilities. A major technical setback occurred on November 30, 2001, when an ice storm caused the station’s transmission tower near Fordland to collapse. KOZL’s predecessor remained available to some Springfield cable customers, but many over-the-air, satellite, and outlying cable viewers temporarily lost service. A low-power temporary transmitter was installed on KOLR’s tower, followed by a permanent antenna. Full-power broadcasting resumed on January 26, 2002, in time for the NFC Championship Game and shortly before Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVI. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired KDEB-TV in 2003, and the station changed its call sign to KSFX-TV in 2005, adopting the Ozarks Fox brand. In 2011, a disagreement between Nexstar and Fox over affiliation terms led Fox to move its Springfield affiliation to KRBK. Channel 27 then adopted the call sign KOZL-TV and the Ozarks Local identity, operating primarily as an independent station while retaining a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation. Nexstar increased locally produced programming from roughly 12 to 24 hours per week, adding or expanding morning, afternoon lifestyle, weekend news, and sports programming. KOZL-TV continues to function as a local broadcast outlet within Nexstar’s Springfield station group. Its schedule combines syndicated and locally produced programming with MyNetworkTV content and specialty blocks focused on regional interests such as outdoor recreation and bluegrass music.…

History

KOZL-TV traces its history to Midland Television Corporation's application to establish a third commercial television station in Springfield, Missouri. The FCC granted the construction permit on November 17, 1966. After studios and a transmitter facility were constructed, the station began broadcasting on September 29, 1968, as KMTC, an ABC affiliate. Its founders expected ABC's growing national popularity and the expansion of UHF television reception to help the new station compete with Springfield's established VHF outlets. In practice, KMTC faced a significant technical and audience disadvantage. Its UHF signal reached substantially fewer households than the VHF signals of KOLR and KYTV, and many households had limited experience with UHF reception. The station generally placed third in market ratings, although it performed more strongly in Springfield and nearby inner-ring counties. Its local news operation also trailed its competitors. Cable television expanded the station's practical reach after its arrival in the market, but did not immediately eliminate the audience gap. Charles Woods agreed to purchase KMTC in 1985 and took control later that year. He renamed the station KDEB-TV after his daughter Deborah Corbett, who became station manager, and sought to improve its performance through additional personnel and expanded news coverage. The station’s ABC affiliation was already under pressure from KSPR, a newer Springfield station backed by Lorimar-Telepictures. ABC announced in April 1986 that it would move the affiliation to KSPR. The transfer became effective later that year, and KDEB discontinued its news department during the transition. Woods challenged the affiliation change through litigation, seeking substantial damages from both the KSPR ownership interests and ABC. A jury awarded Woods damages in the ABC case in 1988, but a federal judge overturned the verdict, ruling that the evidence did not support the jury’s conclusion. KDEB then joined Fox in 1987. As Fox developed from a new network into a significant national entertainment outlet, the station gained audience momentum, especially among younger adult viewers. The station changed ownership repeatedly in the 1990s. Woods-associated companies sold it and other stations to Banam Broadcasting in a transaction connected to debt reduction; Banam later sold the stations to Petracom. Quorum Broadcasting subsequently became involved in the station's operation. In 1999, Quorum entered into an agreement with the company operating KOLR that combined selected sales, production, promotional, personnel, and operational functions. KDEB moved into KOLR’s Springfield facilities and launched a 9 p.m. local newscast with the benefit of shared resources. The station suffered a serious transmission failure on November 30, 2001, when an ice storm brought down its tower near Fordland. The collapse interrupted service for viewers outside portions of the Springfield cable footprint. A temporary low-power transmitter was installed on KOLR’s tower, and a permanent antenna followed. Full-power service returned on January 26, 2002, before major Fox sports broadcasts that the station considered important deadlines. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired KDEB-TV in 2003. The call sign changed to KSFX-TV in January 2005, and the station adopted the Ozarks Fox brand. The Fox relationship ended in 2011 after a dispute between Nexstar and Fox concerning affiliation terms and retransmission-related economics. Fox selected KRBK as its new Springfield affiliate, effective September 1, 2011. Channel 27 became KOZL-TV, branded Ozarks Local, and operated mainly as an independent station while maintaining a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation. The independent format led Nexstar to expand the station's locally produced schedule. Programming additions included a longer version of The Morning Rush, the afternoon lifestyle program Ozarks Local Live at 4, a Sunday evening newscast, and weekend sports programs. The station also developed regional-interest blocks centered on outdoor activities and bluegrass music, including bow-hunting content. In 2018, Nexstar acquired KRBK, bringing the market's former Fox affiliate into the same corporate group as KOZL-TV. KOZL-TV entered the NextGen TV era in December 2021, becoming Springfield's ATSC 3.0 station. Its ATSC 1.0 services are hosted through the digital multiplexes of sister stations KOLR and KRBK, while the ATSC 3.0 operation carries KOZL and selected programming from other local broadcasters. The station remains part of Nexstar's Springfield operations, sharing facilities and operational relationships with KOLR and KRBK.

  • 2021

    ATSC 3.0 service launched

    [1]

    KOZL-TV became Springfield's ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV station.

  • 2018

    Nexstar acquired KRBK

    [1]

    Nexstar acquired KRBK, placing the Springfield Fox affiliate under common ownership with KOZL-TV.

  • 2011

    Station became KOZL-TV

    [1]

    Following the move of Fox programming to KRBK, channel 27 became an independent station under the KOZL-TV call sign and Ozarks Local brand.

  • 2005

    Call sign changed to KSFX-TV

    [1]

    The station adopted the KSFX-TV call sign and the Ozarks Fox brand.

  • 2003

    Nexstar acquired the station

    [1]

    Nexstar Broadcasting Group purchased KDEB-TV.

  • 2001

    Transmission tower collapsed

    [1]

    An ice storm destroyed the station's Fordland-area tower, requiring temporary and replacement transmission facilities.

  • 1999

    Shared-services arrangement with KOLR

    [1]

    KDEB entered a local marketing and shared-services arrangement involving KOLR and began operating from KOLR's studios.

  • 1987

    KDEB-TV joined Fox

    [1]

    After losing ABC, KDEB-TV became a Fox affiliate.

  • 1986

    ABC affiliation transferred to KSPR

    [1]

    ABC moved its Springfield affiliation from KDEB-TV to KSPR, ending channel 27's original network relationship.

  • 1985

    Charles Woods acquired the station

    [1]

    Charles Woods purchased KMTC and placed his daughter Deborah Corbett in the station manager role.

Products and positioning

A locally oriented Springfield television outlet combining independent-station programming, regional news and lifestyle content, specialty Ozarks programming, and a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

  • Broadcast television

    Local news programming

    KOZL-TV produces and carries local news programming for Springfield and the Ozarks. After becoming independent in 2011, it expanded its local schedule with additional morning, afternoon, and weekend news output.

  • Morning television · 2011

    The Morning Rush

    The Morning Rush is the station's morning local-information program. Its schedule was expanded after KOZL-TV lost Fox programming, helping fill the additional hours created by the station's independent format.

  • Lifestyle television · 2011

    Ozarks Local Live at 4

    This afternoon lifestyle program was introduced as part of KOZL-TV's expanded independent-station schedule. It focuses on local-interest and community-oriented content for viewers in the Ozarks.

  • Digital broadcasting · 2021

    ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV service

    KOZL-TV's ATSC 3.0 service provides the station's NextGen TV transmission and also carries selected programming from KOZL and other Springfield broadcasters. Conventional ATSC 1.0 services are distributed through partner multiplexes.

Brand decisions

  • 2021

    Launched ATSC 3.0 broadcastingProduct launch

    Background

    Broadcasters were introducing NextGen TV technology to provide a newer digital transmission standard.

    Action taken

    KOZL-TV became Springfield's ATSC 3.0 station and carried its own service alongside selected programming from other local stations.

    Aftermath

    The station's ATSC 1.0 services continued through multiplexed signals operated by sister stations.

    Source

  • 2011

    Repositioned as an independent stationStrategy

    Background

    Fox ended its affiliation with KSFX-TV after a dispute with Nexstar over affiliation terms and related retransmission economics.

    Action taken

    The station changed its call sign to KOZL-TV, adopted the Ozarks Local identity, and retained a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation while expanding locally produced programming.

    Aftermath

    KRBK became the Springfield Fox affiliate, while KOZL developed a broader independent schedule with news, lifestyle, sports, outdoor, and music programming.

    Source

  • 1999

    Entered a shared-services arrangement with KOLRStrategy

    Background

    KDEB needed additional operating and production resources while KOLR had a stronger programming and news position in the market.

    Action taken

    Quorum Broadcasting and the company operating KOLR combined selected personnel, sales, production, promotion, and operational functions.

    Aftermath

    KDEB moved to KOLR's studios and launched a 9 p.m. local newscast.

    Source

  • 1986

    Contested the loss of the ABC affiliationStrategy

    Background

    ABC selected KSPR rather than KDEB-TV as its Springfield affiliate, threatening the station's network programming and local-news operation.

    Action taken

    Owner Charles Woods sued parties associated with KSPR and ABC, alleging that the affiliation decision involved misrepresentations and improper considerations.

    Aftermath

    A jury awarded damages in the ABC case, but a federal judge overturned the verdict. KDEB subsequently became a Fox affiliate.

    Source

Recent events

  • Reported

    TS Lines, X-PRESS FEEDERS and KMTC announce the CWX route[3]

    TS Lines announced that it would jointly open the Central China–West India route (CWX) with X-PRESS FEEDERS and KMTC starting October 26, 2020. The announced service was planned to use six container ships and call at ports in China, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Read more

Sources3 sources

  1. 1KOZL-TVen.wikipedia.org
  2. 2KOZL-TV official websiteozarksfirst.com
  3. 3德翔海运、X-PRESS FEEDERS 与 KMTC 宣布开辟 CWX 航线chinatimes.com

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