KFXA

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KFXA
city =
station_
station_slogan = Eastern Iowa's Only 9pm Newscast
station_branding = Fox 28
analog = 28 (UHF)
digital = 27 (UHF)
other_chs =
subchannels = 28.1 Fox HD
network =
founded =
airdate = February 1, 1988
location = Cedar Rapids, Iowa
callsign_meaning = K FoX A
(refers to former simulcast with KFXB)
former_callsigns = KOCR (1988-1995)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Second Generation of Iowa, Ltd.
"(sale pending to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.)"
licensee =
sister_stations =
former_affiliations =
effective_radiated_power = 4470 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 449 m (both)
class =
facility_id = 35336
coordinates = coord|42|5|24.6|N|92|5|14.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.kfxa.tv/ www.kfxa.tv]

KFXA is a television station based out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. KFXA is an affiliate of the Fox television network. As such, it is the primary Fox affiliate for northeast Iowa, including Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo, and Dubuque. Its transmitter is located in Van Horne.

History

KFXA signed on as KOCR-TV on February 1, 1988, with studios at 605 Boyson Rd. NE in Cedar Rapids. It was a Fox affiliate from the beginning. The station was owned by Gerald Fitzgerald and operated by Metro Program Network, Inc., until financial problems forced KOCR off the air on October 6, 1994. National Football League games were carried on CBS affiliate KGAN after that, while cable systems in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City offered the national Foxnet feed in KOCR's place instead. [cite news|first=Douglas|last=Neumann|title=KOCR-TV is evicted, but Fox still on cable|work=The Gazette|date=1994-10-07|page=1A]

In 1995 the station was purchased by Second Generation of Iowa and was relaunched as KFXA, going back on the air on August 13. [cite news|first=Cindy Cullen|last=Chapman|title=KFXA going live, but not yet on local cable|work=The Gazette|date=1995-08-12|page=2VI] After Second Generation took possession of the station, they entered into a local marketing agreement with KDUB of Dubuque, which operated on UHF channel 40. The station's call letters were changed from KDUB to KFXB, and the affiliation for that station was changed from ABC to Fox. They further decided that KFXB would for the most part retransmit what was shown on KFXA, as the stations were branded as "Fox 28 & 40." The only exception would be that KFXB would produce and show its own newscast for Dubuque viewers. Eventually, Second Generation decided to close the Dubuque news operation, and have a combined news operation based out of Cedar Rapids.

In 2004, the LMA between Second Generation and Dubuque TV Limited Partnership ended as KFXB was sold to the Christian Television Network. When that was done, KFXA became the primary Fox network station for northeast Iowa.

In the fall of 2005, KFXA launched "Good Day Iowa" which aired from 7-9 AM weekdays. "Good Day Iowa" was cancelled in July 2007.

Under an agreement with Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Second Generation shares facilities and has merged certain operations with KGAN, Sinclair's CBS affiliate in Cedar Rapids. KGAN produces "Fox News at Nine" for KFXA and KDSM in Des Moines. On February 1, 2008, Sinclair announced that it would purchase KFXA outright for $19 million. [cite news|first=David|last=DeWitte|title=KGAN owner Sinclair buys local Fox affiliate|url=http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080201/BUSINESS/985199387/1004|work=The Gazette|date=2008-02-01]

KFXA also airs Northern Iowa Panthers sports and the Iowa high school state championships in football, wrestling and boys and girls basketball.

Syndicated programs on KFXA include "Family Guy","The Simpsons", "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Seinfeld", "Divorce Court" and "American Idol Rewind".

News personalities

Fox News at Nine

;Weeknights
* Jack Miller, Anchor
* Tiffany O'Donnell, Anchor
* Tim Jones, Meteorologist
* Jared Aarons, Sports

;Weekends
* Chris Jones, Anchor
* Lee Dennis, Retired Meteorologist, filling in until someone is permently hired.
* Josh Mitelman, Sports

Digital television

After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf] , KFXA will continue digital broadcasts on its current pre-transition channel number, 27. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display KFXA's virtual channel as 28.

External links

* [http://www.kfxa.tv/ Fox 28 official website]
*TVQ|KFXA
*BIA|KFXA|TV|TV

References