KPEJ-TV

KPEJ-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Odessa, Texas, and serving the Midland–Odessa and wider Permian Basin market. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 24 and is affiliated with the Fox network. Its public-facing identity has included the names Fox 24 and Fox West Texas, while its website is shared with KMID, the market's ABC affiliate. The station began broadcasting on June 16, 1986, as an independent station owned by Southwest Multimedia. Its first major network change came in September 1987, when it became the local Fox affiliate. That affiliation established KPEJ-TV's long-term role in the market and connected its programming schedule to Fox's entertainment, sports, and national news services. In 1998, the station added United Paramount Network programming as a secondary affiliation. The UPN arrangement ended in 2003 when CBS affiliate KOSA-TV introduced UPN programming on a second digital channel. Ownership and operating arrangements have changed several times. Southwest Multimedia sold the station in 1990 to Associated Broadcasters of Lafayette, a company later renamed Communications Corporation of America. In 2013, Communications Corporation of America announced the sale of its television assets to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. Because of Federal Communications Commission ownership limits and the size of the Midland–Odessa market, Nexstar could not directly retain KPEJ-TV alongside KMID. The planned structure therefore involved a sale of the station's license assets to another company and continued operation through a shared services arrangement. Nexstar subsequently announced in 2014 that KPEJ-TV would be sold to Marshall Broadcasting Group together with KMSS-TV and KLJB. The transaction closed on January 1, 2015. Marshall Broadcasting later sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2019. Mission Broadcasting agreed to acquire Marshall's stations for $49 million in March 2020, and the transaction was completed on September 1, 2020. KPEJ-TV is now owned by Mission Broadcasting and operated by Nexstar Media Group under a shared services agreement. This arrangement links the station operationally with Nexstar's local properties, including KMID and KWES-TV, while preserving separate station identities and licenses. KPEJ-TV has also carried regional sports programming. Its schedule has included Dallas Cowboys preseason football, Houston Texans preseason games, and related team programming. Rights have shifted over time among stations in the market, with KPEJ-TV sometimes carrying games when another station faced scheduling conflicts. The station's sports role reflects its Fox affiliation and its position as a local outlet for professional football programming in West Texas. The station completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television in June 2009. Regular analog programming on UHF channel 24 ended on June 12, although an analog signal continued temporarily through June 26 under the SAFER Act to provide viewers with information about the digital transition. KPEJ-TV's digital transmission used UHF channel 23 while retaining virtual channel 24. Its studios are shared with KMID on Windview Street near Interstate 20 in southwestern Odessa, and its transmitter is located on FM 1788 in rural southeastern Andrews County.

KPEJ-TV signed on June 16, 1986, in Odessa, Texas. Southwest Multimedia owned the new station, which initially operated as an independent outlet. In September 1987, it became the Fox affiliate for the Midland–Odessa market, a role that gave the station a durable network identity and access to Fox entertainment, sports, and national programming. In 1990, Southwest Multimedia sold KPEJ-TV to Associated Broadcasters of Lafayette. That company was later renamed Communications Corporation of America. During the late 1990s, KPEJ-TV broadened its network schedule by carrying United Paramount Network programming as a secondary affiliation beginning in 1998. UPN programming moved to KOSA-TV in 2003 after KOSA launched a second digital channel. The station used the Fox 24 identity for much of its history. In August 2007, it adopted Fox West Texas as its primary on-air branding, but reverted to Fox 24 the following year. Fox West Texas continued to be used for the station's website and selected promotional activity. The branding expressed the station's regional reach beyond Odessa while retaining the channel number associated with its broadcast identity. Communications Corporation of America announced in April 2013 that it would sell its television stations to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. Nexstar already owned KMID, the local ABC affiliate. Because the Midland–Odessa market had only eight full-power stations, FCC rules prevented Nexstar from directly acquiring KPEJ-TV while satisfying the applicable ownership requirements. The stations were also among the market's highest-rated properties, adding a further regulatory consideration. Nexstar initially planned to place KPEJ-TV's license assets with Mission Broadcasting and operate the station under a shared services agreement. In June 2014, however, Nexstar announced a different transaction: KPEJ-TV, KMSS-TV in Shreveport, and KLJB in Davenport would be sold to Marshall Broadcasting Group. The sale was completed on January 1, 2015. Nexstar was expected to provide selected services, including sales and certain technical and administrative functions, while Marshall held the station ownership interests. Marshall Broadcasting filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 3, 2019. Mission Broadcasting agreed on March 30, 2020, to purchase Marshall's stations for $49 million. The acquisition closed on September 1, 2020. KPEJ-TV subsequently became a Mission-owned station operated by Nexstar under a shared services agreement, linking its operations with Nexstar's local broadcasting infrastructure. KPEJ-TV has carried professional football programming associated with its Fox affiliation and regional audience. It broadcast Dallas Cowboys preseason games for a period after Fox acquired National Football Conference rights in 1994 and also acquired Houston Texans preseason rights in 2010. Scheduling and rights changed over time: the Cowboys preseason package moved to KWES-TV in 2011, while KMID obtained those rights in 2014. KPEJ-TV has continued to serve as an outlet for certain games when scheduling conflicts arise, including arrangements involving simultaneous Cowboys and Texans preseason broadcasts. The station ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the United States digital television transition. Its digital signal operated on pre-transition UHF channel 23 while continuing to use virtual channel 24. Under the SAFER Act, the former analog signal remained temporarily available through June 26 with public-service announcements explaining the transition. KPEJ-TV currently shares studios with KMID on Windview Street near Interstate 20 in southwestern Odessa. Its transmitter is located on FM 1788 in rural southeastern Andrews County.

• 2020

  Mission Broadcasting acquisition completed

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Mission Broadcasting completes its purchase of Marshall Broadcasting's stations on September 1.

• 2015

  Marshall Broadcasting ownership begins

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The sale of KPEJ-TV to Marshall Broadcasting Group is completed on January 1.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Regular analog transmission ends during the national U.S. digital television transition.

• 2008

  Fox 24 branding restored

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KPEJ-TV returns to Fox 24 as its on-air brand while continuing to use Fox West Texas for digital and promotional purposes.

• 2007

  Fox West Texas branding introduced

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station changes its on-air identity from Fox 24 to Fox West Texas.

• 2003

  UPN programming moves to KOSA-TV

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  UPN programming leaves KPEJ-TV after KOSA-TV launches a second digital channel carrying the service.

• 1998

  UPN secondary affiliation added

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KPEJ-TV begins carrying UPN programming in addition to its Fox schedule.

• 1990

  Ownership passes to Associated Broadcasters of Lafayette

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Southwest Multimedia sells the station to Associated Broadcasters of Lafayette, later known as Communications Corporation of America.

• 1987

  Fox affiliation begins

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KPEJ-TV becomes the Fox affiliate for the Midland–Odessa market.

• 1986

  Station begins broadcasting

  [1]KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KPEJ-TV signs on from Odessa as an independent station owned by Southwest Multimedia.

A regional Fox television outlet serving the Midland–Odessa and Permian Basin market, combining national Fox programming with local broadcast, digital news, sports, and community-oriented content.

• Broadcast television affiliation · 1987

  Fox network service

  KPEJ-TV's principal programming offering is the Fox network schedule distributed to the Midland–Odessa and Permian Basin audience through virtual channel 24. The service includes Fox entertainment, national news, sports, and other network programming, supplemented by locally scheduled material.

• Local media

  Local television and digital news

  KPEJ-TV provides local broadcast and digital content for West Texas viewers. Its online presence is associated with YourBasin.com, a site shared with KMID, and the station has used the Fox West Texas identity for regional digital and promotional activity.

• Sports broadcasting · 1994

  Regional football broadcasts

  The station has carried selected Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans preseason games. Rights have varied among local stations, and KPEJ-TV has served as an alternate outlet when another station could not accommodate a game or when Cowboys and Texans broadcasts were scheduled simultaneously.

• 2020

  Mission Broadcasting acquires Marshall stationsM&A

  Background

  Marshall Broadcasting Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2019, creating a need for a new ownership arrangement for its stations.

  Action taken

  Mission Broadcasting agreed to purchase Marshall Broadcasting's stations for $49 million, with the transaction closing on September 1, 2020.

  Aftermath

  KPEJ-TV became Mission-owned and continued to be operated by Nexstar under a shared services agreement.

  Reported transaction value. $49 million (Agreement announced March 30, 2020; completed September 1, 2020)

  Source

• 2014

  Sale to Marshall Broadcasting GroupM&A

  Background

  Nexstar's acquisition of Communications Corporation of America assets was constrained by FCC ownership rules because Nexstar already owned KMID in the Midland–Odessa market.

  Action taken

  Nexstar arranged the sale of KPEJ-TV and two other Fox affiliates to Marshall Broadcasting Group. The transaction closed on January 1, 2015.

  Aftermath

  Marshall later entered Chapter 11 proceedings, after which Mission Broadcasting acquired the stations and Nexstar continued to provide operating services.

  Reported transaction value. $58.5 million (2014 announced sale; completed January 1, 2015)

  Source

• 2009

  Transition from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  Federal policy required full-power U.S. television stations to end regular analog broadcasting.

  Action taken

  KPEJ-TV ended regular analog programming on June 12 and continued a temporary SAFER Act information loop through June 26. Its digital signal operated on UHF channel 23 while retaining virtual channel 24.

  Aftermath

  The station continued as a digital television service using virtual channel 24.

  Source

1. 1KPEJ-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KPEJ-TV official websiteyourbasin.com