KWKT-TV

KWKT-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Waco, Texas, and serving Central Texas as an affiliate of the Fox network. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 44 and is branded as Fox 44. Its service area includes the Waco, Temple, and Bryan–College Station communities, although the station's relationship with Bryan-licensed KYLE-TV has changed over time as the two outlets have alternated between satellite, secondary-affiliate, and independent-station roles. KWKT-TV began broadcasting on March 13, 1988, and has carried Fox programming since its launch. The station was acquired by Communications Corporation of America in 1990. Because the terrain and signal characteristics of UHF broadcasting limited KWKT's reach across the broader Central Texas market, Comcorp acquired KYLE-TV in Bryan in 1996 and, after receiving authorization from the Federal Communications Commission, used it for many years as a satellite outlet that extended Fox programming beyond KWKT's principal coverage area. During the 1990s and 2000s, KWKT carried Fox's children's programming blocks, including Fox Kids, Fox Box, and 4KidsTV. It also took on secondary relationships with The WB and later MyNetworkTV. Beginning in 2002, The WB's primetime schedule was aired during overnight hours while Fox programming retained the main evening schedule. After MyNetworkTV launched in 2006, KWKT carried that service as a late-evening secondary affiliation. These arrangements reflected the restructuring of U.S. broadcast television following the creation of The CW and MyNetworkTV. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its purchase of Communications Corporation of America stations in 2013. Regulatory review delayed completion of the transaction, which closed on January 1, 2015. Nexstar subsequently repositioned KYLE-TV as a separate MyNetworkTV affiliate effective July 1, 2015. KWKT thereby became the market's sole primary Fox affiliate, while also carrying a KYLE simulcast on a digital subchannel to support broad market distribution. The station's local news operation has developed in several phases. Its first regular prime-time newscast, Fox News Central Texas, debuted in January 2008 and was produced remotely by KETK-TV in Longview. Cost reductions in 2009 temporarily reduced the program to a short-format bulletin, but it returned to a half-hour in 2010 under the Fox 44 News at Nine title. Following Nexstar's acquisition, KWKT expanded local production. A Waco-based news department began producing newscasts in July 2017, including an expanded Saturday evening edition and a weekday 5:30 p.m. newscast. The station also briefly simulcast a morning program from Austin sister station KNVA; that arrangement ended in August 2018 after the originating station discontinued the relevant morning extension. In addition to Fox entertainment, news, and sports programming, KWKT carries selected National Football League games, including Dallas Cowboys games and certain Houston Texans games when scheduling and conference rights place them on Fox. The station completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting on June 12, 2009, moving its post-transition digital operation to UHF channel 44. KWKT-TV remains an active Nexstar-owned local broadcast outlet with studios shared with KYLE-TV on Woodway Drive in Woodway and a transmitter near Moody, Texas.

KWKT-TV signed on March 13, 1988, as a Waco television station and joined Fox at launch. Its early service area was constrained by the propagation limitations of UHF broadcasting in Central Texas, where terrain and interference could make reception uneven. Communications Corporation of America purchased the station in 1990. In 1996, Comcorp acquired KYLE-TV in Bryan and obtained an FCC satellite waiver, allowing KYLE to relay KWKT's Fox service and improve coverage across the wider Waco–Temple–Bryan market. The station's programming history reflects several changes in the American network-affiliate system. KWKT carried Fox Kids beginning in 1990, airing the weekday block in an earlier afternoon window than many Fox affiliates. After Fox discontinued the weekday block in 2001, the station continued with later Fox children's offerings, including Fox Box and 4KidsTV, until the latter ended nationally in 2008. In July 2002, KWKT and KYLE added The WB as a secondary affiliation. WB primetime programs were shown overnight, while Fox's schedule remained in its normal evening position. The stations also carried Kids' WB programming in delayed weekday and weekend slots. When MyNetworkTV launched in September 2006, KWKT carried the service as a secondary affiliation from 10 p.m. to midnight on weeknights. This arrangement followed the creation of The CW, which left some former WB and UPN affiliates without a primary network relationship. KYLE later became the market's dedicated MyNetworkTV affiliate, ending KWKT's secondary carriage of the service. KWKT's first major local news initiative began on January 28, 2008, with Fox News Central Texas, a half-hour prime-time newscast produced by sister station KETK-TV in Longview. The program used Central Texas reporting resources and weather segments prepared by KETK personnel. In April 2009, Comcorp instituted cost reductions that shortened the newscast to six minutes and added brief hourly news updates. Five employees working in reporting or assignment-editing roles were laid off in connection with the changes. The newscast returned to a half-hour in September 2010 and was renamed Fox 44 News at Nine. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the acquisition of Comcorp in April 2013. The transaction was subject to extended FCC scrutiny because of proposed limits on certain local sharing arrangements. Nexstar revised parts of its station portfolio and completed the acquisition on January 1, 2015. In May 2015, Nexstar announced that KYLE would operate independently as the market's MyNetworkTV affiliate beginning July 1. KWKT took over the primary Fox role and added a KYLE simulcast on its second digital subchannel, while KYLE also carried KWKT on a subchannel to preserve broad access to the two services. Nexstar planned further expansion of KWKT's local news operation. The station moved newscast production to Waco when its local news department launched on July 8, 2017. The change coincided with a one-hour Saturday edition of the 9 p.m. newscast. On July 10, the station added a weekday 5:30 p.m. newscast. On July 17, KWKT began airing a two-hour weekday morning simulcast from Austin CW station KNVA, produced by KXAN-TV. That arrangement ended after the August 24, 2018, broadcast when KXAN discontinued the extended morning program because of insufficient viewership. KWKT replaced the simulcast with syndicated educational children's programming and infomercials. The station ended analog transmission on June 12, 2009, as part of the nationwide digital transition. Its digital signal moved from pre-transition UHF channel 57 to UHF channel 44. KWKT's studios are shared with KYLE-TV on Woodway Drive in Woodway, and its transmitter is located near Moody. As an active Fox affiliate, the station combines national network content with local news and weather, syndicated programming, digital distribution, and selected Fox-licensed NFL games.

• 2018

  Austin morning-news simulcast ends

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station ends its KNVA morning-news simulcast after the originating operation cancels the extended program.

• 2017

  Waco-based news department launches

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KWKT begins producing local newscasts from Waco and adds expanded evening news coverage.

• 2015

  Nexstar acquisition closes

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Nexstar completes its purchase of Communications Corporation of America on January 1.

• 2015

  KYLE becomes the primary MyNetworkTV station

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KYLE becomes a standalone MyNetworkTV affiliate on July 1, leaving KWKT as the market's sole primary Fox affiliate.

• 2010

  Prime-time newscast returns to half-hour format

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station restores the half-hour format and renames the program Fox 44 News at Nine.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KWKT shuts down its analog signal on June 12 and continues digitally on UHF channel 44.

• 2008

  First regular prime-time newscast debuts

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Fox News Central Texas launches as a remotely produced half-hour newscast.

• 2006

  MyNetworkTV launches on KWKT

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KWKT begins carrying MyNetworkTV programming as a late-evening secondary affiliation.

• 2002

  The WB becomes a secondary affiliation

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KWKT and KYLE add delayed WB programming while retaining Fox as their principal network service.

• 1996

  KYLE-TV is converted into a satellite outlet

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Comcorp uses Bryan-licensed KYLE-TV to extend KWKT's Fox programming across the market after receiving an FCC satellite waiver.

• 1990

  Communications Corporation of America acquires the station

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Comcorp purchases KWKT-TV and later develops a broader Central Texas distribution strategy.

• 1988

  KWKT-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station signs on March 13 and becomes a Fox affiliate from its launch.

A locally focused Fox affiliate providing Central Texas news, weather, sports, entertainment, and syndicated programming.

• Local television news · 2008

  Fox 44 News at Nine

  KWKT-TV's principal evening local newscast, covering news, weather, and community developments across the Waco–Temple–Bryan region. The program originated as Fox News Central Texas in 2008, was temporarily shortened during a 2009 cost-reduction period, and returned to a half-hour format under its current title in 2010.

• Local television news · 2017

  Weekday 5:30 p.m. newscast

  A weekday early-evening local news program introduced as part of KWKT-TV's post-acquisition expansion of locally produced programming. It complements the station's prime-time newscast with earlier regional reporting and weather coverage.

• Network television programming · 1988

  Fox network programming

  KWKT-TV's core network service includes Fox entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming. The station has carried Fox since signing on and remains the primary Fox outlet for the Waco–Temple–Bryan market.

• Digital television distribution · 2015

  KYLE-TV simulcast

  Following KYLE-TV's conversion to a standalone MyNetworkTV station in 2015, KWKT began carrying KYLE on a digital subchannel. The arrangement helps distribute KYLE programming throughout the larger Central Texas market while KYLE also carries KWKT on a subchannel.

• 2017

  Build a Waco-based local news departmentProduct launch

  Background

  Nexstar announced plans to expand locally produced news on KWKT after acquiring the station.

  Action taken

  KWKT transferred newscast production to Waco, expanded the Saturday 9 p.m. program to one hour, and launched a weekday 5:30 p.m. newscast.

  Aftermath

  The station moved from primarily outsourced news production toward a more locally based news operation.

  Source

• 2015

  Separate KWKT's Fox service from KYLE's MyNetworkTV serviceStrategy

  Background

  Nexstar sought to give KYLE-TV a distinct network identity while consolidating the primary Fox affiliation on KWKT-TV.

  Action taken

  KYLE became the market's primary MyNetworkTV affiliate on July 1, while KWKT replaced its delayed MyNetworkTV schedule with syndicated programming and added a KYLE simulcast.

  Aftermath

  KWKT became the sole primary Fox affiliate in the market, with the two stations continuing to use digital-subchannel arrangements for broader distribution.

  Source

• 2013

  Sell Communications Corporation of America to NexstarM&A

  Background

  Comcorp announced a transaction involving its television stations and related local marketing arrangements.

  Action taken

  The company agreed to sell its stations to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. FCC-related concerns about sharing agreements delayed closing.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition was completed on January 1, 2015, after Nexstar adjusted parts of the proposed station portfolio.

  Announced transaction value. $270 million (2013 announcement)

  Source

• 2008

  Launch Fox News Central TexasProduct launch

  Background

  KWKT lacked a fully local news operation and relied on an outsourced model used by several Comcorp-owned Fox affiliates.

  Action taken

  The station introduced a half-hour 9 p.m. newscast produced by sister station KETK-TV, supported by reporters covering Central Texas.

  Aftermath

  The program was reduced during 2009 cost cutting, restored to a half-hour in 2010, and later replaced by a Waco-produced operation.

  Source

• 2002

  Add The WB as a secondary affiliationStrategy

  Background

  The station sought to carry additional network programming while preserving Fox's main evening schedule.

  Action taken

  KWKT and KYLE aired The WB's primetime schedule on a delayed overnight basis and added Kids' WB programming in selected time slots.

  Aftermath

  The secondary relationship continued until the U.S. network realignment that preceded the launch of MyNetworkTV and The CW.

  Source

• 1996

  Use KYLE-TV as a satellite stationStrategy

  Background

  KWKT's UHF signal did not adequately cover all of Central Texas because of terrain and interference limitations.

  Action taken

  Communications Corporation of America acquired KYLE-TV in Bryan and obtained an FCC satellite waiver so the station could relay KWKT's Fox programming.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement extended Fox coverage across the Waco–Temple–Bryan market until KYLE was later repositioned as a separate MyNetworkTV affiliate.

  Source

1. 1KWKT-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KWKT-TV official websitecentexproud.com