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KMSP-TV ("FOX9") is a broadcast television station serving the Twin Cities market of Minnesota and western Wisconsin in the United States, broadcasting on channel 9 (26 digital). The station is currently owned and operated by Fox Television Stations Group, and carries programming from the Fox network. The studios of KMSP and its sister station WFTC are currently co-located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
The station is noted for having a number of Emmy-winning photojournalists and reporters. The newscasts have been nationally honored with the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast and Spot News Coverage, in addition to Investigative Reporting, and Videography.
The KMSP-WFTC duopoly is a union shop, with all technicians and photographers being required to join the IBEW Local 292.
History
The station began broadcasting as KEYD on March 12, 1955 and was affiliated with the DuMont Television Network. One of its first news reporters was Harry Reasoner, who later in life would become one of the first presenters on 60 Minutes. DuMont shut down in 1955, leaving the station as an independent outlet.
After one season, the station was sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and for a very brief period of time it used the call sign KMGM-TV. It later changed its call sign again to KMSP-TV when the station was sold to its longtime owner United Television (then a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox) in 1958.
"ABC9"
In 1961, KMSP took over the ABC network affiliation from WTCN-TV -- an affiliation it would keep until 1979. Throughout its years with ABC, KMSP was notorious for having a sub-standard news department with large staff turnover. Ratings were dismal with KMSP obtaining only one-third of the viewing audience of their two competitors, WCCO and KSTP.
Ratings improved by 1977 when ABC went from being the last-place network to being the first. To cash in, KMSP rebranded itself "ABC9" (approximately 20 years before U.S. stations would be using the network name in their branding en masse), and retooled their newscast. Unfortunately, KMSP's news operation was still not up to the same level as the competition, and ABC warned them that they would seek out a new local affiliate, as they were doing across the country, unless KMSP made some changes.
KMSP loses ABC, becomes "Receptive Channel 9"
On August 29, 1978, ABC announced that KSTP-TV would be the new local affiliate effective March 5, 1979. This was part of ABC's plan to move from the High VHF (7-13) channels to the low VHF channels (2-6). Low VHF channels carry farther over the air, thus providing more coverage. In other cities such as Indianapolis the ABC affiliation on a High VHF channe; was lost to a low VHF channel. The signing of KSTP made nationwide news, as the station was one of NBC's most loyal affiliates, dating back to the early days of radio. In retaliation for losing their network affiliation, KMSP immediately removed all local ABC branding from the station and regularly pre-empted network programming. KMSP attempted to affiliate with then-struggling third place NBC, but NBC, miffed at losing a strong affiliate in KSTP, decided it did not want ABC's 'rejects' and signed an affiliation agreement with popular local independent WTCN, channel 11.
As a result of being rejected by both ABC and NBC, KMSP would be freed up from investing as heavily in their meager news department. Most of the on-air and off-air staffers resigned, not wanting to work for an independent station, and frustrated with the station's lack of competitiveness over the years.
KMSP became an independent station once again on March 5, and picked up cartoons and more syndicated shows (some of which WTCN would no longer have time to air due to its newly acquired NBC affiliation). They were now "Receptive Channel 9", and they became aggressive in programming, obtaining broadcast rights to several state high school sports championships (MSHSL), Minnesota North Stars hockey and Minnesota Twins baseball. Their stripped-down late night newscast was moved to 9:30, then by 1981 to 9:00 and expanded to a full hour.
As many people were predicting failure for the new channel 9, KMSP's transition into an independent station turned out to be a blessing in disguise. They became more successful than they were as an ABC affiliate. They expanded their audience when they beamed their signal to cable TV systems throughout Minnesota and portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Over time, they became one of the most successful and profitable unaffiliated stations in the country. Meanwhile, WTCN fell on hard times after picking up the struggling NBC, and the station was sold a few years later.
During the early 1980s, KMSP went through another ownership change when United Television was sold to Chris-Craft Industries.
KMSP becomes one of the first Fox affiliates
The station remained independent through 1986. Intrigued by the idea of being a network affiliate while not having to be tied down to a network-dominated schedule, KMSP became one of the original affiliates of the newly-launched Fox network. However, it did not remain a Fox affiliate for long. In 1988, KMSP was one of several Fox affiliates nationwide disappointed with the network's programming offerings, which were bogging down KMSP's successful independent programming. They started pre-empting and time-shifting network shows, and eventually lost affiliation. Fox subsequently moved their affiliation to the young station named KITN channel 29 and KMSP became an independent station once again.
"UPN9"
By the early 1990s, Fox had exploded in popularity. They had strong shows that were starting to rival the offerings of the 'Big Three' networks, and had just picked up rights to the NFL. In response to this, KMSP's then-owner, United Television, partnered with Paramount Pictures (which soon became part of media conglomerate Viacom) to create yet another network, UPN (then an acronym for the "United Paramount Network"). On January 16, 1995, KMSP would once again become a charter affiliate of a new network when UPN came to channel 9.
In the years leading up to Fox's reacquisition of the station, KMSP became one of UPN's most successful affiliates. Channel 9 was also carried on cable systems throughout the state and the border area, and was still enjoying success with local sports programming featuring the Minnesota Twins (now on WFTC), as well as the MSHSL championships (now on KSTC).
Back to Fox
KMSP remained as a UPN affiliate even after the station, along with several other stations owned by Chris-Craft, was sold to the Fox Television Stations Group. Soon after, FOX gained ownership of the network's local affiliate, channel 29 (now WFTC). An affiliation swap was expected, as Fox likely desired channel 9's VHF signal and rapidly growing news operation. As of September 8 2002, KMSP swapped network affiliations with WFTC. This move (accompanied by a "Make the Switch" ad campaign on both stations) made KMSP a Fox station once again, and fulfilled Fox's desire for a VHF signal and established news operation in the Twin Cities. At that time, KMSP took all Fox programming, including the Fox Box (now rebranded as 4Kids TV). It should be noted that of all the former Chris-Craft stations Fox kept, KMSP was the only one not to retain its UPN affiliation.
Fox invested heavily in KMSP, and created the strongest news operation KMSP ever had (they even briefly produced a newscast for sister station WFTC). In addition, Fox has become a full-fledged competitor with NBC, ABC and CBS with shows like "24", "House" and "American Idol" and a strong cable news operation. Ironically, the late night edition of "Fox 9 News" today often draws better ratings than the newscasts on KSTP-TV, which is still affiliated with ABC.
On September 9 2006, 4Kids TV programming moved to sister station WFTC.
Notable events
- 1955 – Channel 9 signs on as KEYD.
- 1955 – DuMont network folds. Call letters become KMGM and the station becomes an independent. Later, the station becomes KMSP.
- 1961 – ABC moves affiliation from WTCN to KMSP.
- 1979 – KMSP becomes independent again when ABC moves to KSTP.
- 1986 – The station becomes one of the original FOX affiliates.
- 1988 – KMSP becomes independent for the 3rd time when FOX moves to KITN channel 29.
- 1995 – KMSP, along with other United Television stations, becomes one of the original UPN affiliates.
- 2002 – FOX Television Inc purchases KMSP, then WFTC and causes a reshuffling of the station staffs. KMSP becomes a Fox affiliate once again later that year. News Director Ted Canova and Director of Photography Matthew Knisely, among others, come to the station.
- 2003 – The station receives the Edward R. Murrow Award for Videography. The newscast also receives the award in 2004.
- 2004 – The photography and editing department is chosen as one runner up for the National Press Photographers Association's Station Of The Year competition.
- August 2005 – Creation of Fox9 News at 5 P.M.
- May 2006 – FOX9 gets new News Director, Bill Dallman, from KDVR-TV in Denver.
- July 2006 – KMSP unveils new Fox O&O logo on their website and the new MyFox9.com.
- August 2006 – Fox9 News 7-9 AM Weekends Created.
- August 2006 – Fox9 News 10 PM Edition Created.
- January 2007 – Fox9 News Begins Using Tapeless Playback (Avid Unity Airspeed) on all Segments.
Programming
The station has had a long-running 9 p.m. newscast (FOX9 News at 9), which airs an hour before most other news broadcasts in the area (being in the Central Time Zone, Minnesota TV stations usually air their nightly newscasts at 10 p.m.). The two primary news anchors are Jeff Passolt and Robyne Robinson, who have been paired longer than any other area news readers, according to the station. Channel 9 also produces a morning show that airs from 5 to 9 a.m. each weekday, 7-9 a.m. weekends. You can watch FOX9 News at 5 & 9 p.m. everynight and FOX9 News at 10 p.m. Sunday-Friday nights. The 10 PM News was created to replace WFTC's News. FOX9 also has a sports show called "FOX9 Sports Primetime" which airs Fridays at 10:15 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday nights at 9:45 p.m.
Newscast Titles
Morning
- Good Day Minnesota (1997-2002)
- FOX9 Morning News (2002-Present)
Evening
- Minnesota 9 News
- 9 News (though 2002)
- FOX9 News (2002-present)
Newscasts
Weekdays
- FOX9 Morning News at 5AM (5:00AM-6:00AM)
- FOX9 Morning News at 6AM (6:00AM-7:00AM)
- FOX9 Morning News at 7AM (7:00AM-8:00AM)
- FOX9 Morning News at 8AM (8:00AM-9:00AM)
- FOX9 News at 5 (5:00PM-6:00PM)
- FOX9 News at 9 (9:00PM-10:00PM)
- FOX9 News at 10 (10:00PM-10:30PM)
Saturdays
- FOX9 Weekend News AM (7:00AM-9:00AM)
- FOX9 News at 5 (5:00PM-6:00PM)
- FOX9 News at 9 (9:00PM-10:00PM)
Sundays
- FOX9 Weekend News AM (7:00AM-9:00AM)
- FOX9 News at 5 (5:00PM-6:00PM)
- FOX9 News at 9 (9:00PM-10:00PM)
- FOX9 News at 10 (10:00PM-10:30PM)
News Anchors
- Jeff Passolt(5:00, 9:00, & 10:00p.m.)
- Robyne Robinson (5:00 & 9:00 p.m.)
- Marni Hughes(10:00pm Anchor)
- Tom Butler (Morning News)
- Alix Kendall (Morning News)
- Tim Blotz (Fri & Sat @ 5 & 9)
- Karen Scullin (Fri & Sat @ 5& 9, Weekend Mornings)
- Tom Halden (Weekend Mornings)
Weather
- Christine Clayburg]- Temporary Fri & Sat Nights
- Keith Marler-Weather on the '9s-Mornings
- Ron Trenda-Weekend Mornings
- Ian Leonard- Chief Meteorologist
Sports
- Dawn Mitchell (Weekend Sports)
- Jim Rich (Weeknights/Sports Director)
Reporters
- Jody Ambroz -
- Jeff Baillon
- Ellen Galles
- Jeff Goldberg
- Maury Glover
- Juli Jay-Morning Traffic
- Bill Keller
- Tom Lyden
- Jason Matheson-Entertainment
- Beth McDonough
- Richelle McGinnis
- Jacqueline McLean
- Rob Olson
- Jamie Reese
- M.A. Rosko-Weekday Mornings
- Dawn Stevens
- Trish Van Pilsum
- Scott Wasserman
- Andrew Zimmermann
Former Anchors & Personalities
- Mike Nicco-Weekend Meteorolgist (Dec. 2003-Dec. 2006)
- Lara Yamada-Weekend Morning Anchor (August-October 2006)
- Janie Peterson-Chief Meteorolgist (2000-2006)
- Tim Sherno-Morning News Anchor (1997-2005)- (Now at rival KSTP-TV)
- Robin Wolfram- (Morning News Anchor)
- Jeff Grayson-Sports Director (Now with FOX Sports Net)
- Sue Turner (Weekend Anchor)
- Leslie Jones (Morning Reporter)
- Pete Busch (Traffic)
- Mike Tsolinas-Morning Weather
- Sam Scaman (Chief Meteorologist)
- Angela Hampton-10:00pm News Anchor
- Tony Burden (Anchor at 9:30 & 10)
- Ernie Martz (Weatherman in 1980s)
- Dave Sheehan (Sports in 1980s)
- Rod Grams (Anchor)
- Beth Ruyak (Anchor)
- Gary Rebstock (Anchor)
- Heather Harden (Anchor)
- Lori Aoki (Anchor)
News Directors
Ray Niekamp (Interum 1978-1980) Tony Burton (News Director and Anchor 1980+) Penny Parish
- Dana Benson(Until 2002)
- Ted Canova (2002-January 2006)
- Bill Dallman (May 2006-Present)
Broadcasting facilities
The KMSP TV Tower is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. KMSP owns the tower, which stands 1466 feet (446.8 m) tall, but shares it with WFTC and the Twin Cities Public Television stations, KTCA and KTCI. Several FM stations are also on the tower: KQRS, KXXR ("93X"), KTCZ ("Cities 97"), KTIS, KSJN, KJZI, KDWB, KEEY ("K102"), WLTE and KZJK.
KMSP has an extensive network of broadcast translators to carry its analog signal throughout much of the state.
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Reference
External links
- MyFox Twin Cities (FOX 9)
- Template:TVQ
- FOX9 at Twin Cities Tv Source
- Picture of the FOX9 News Set
- Your Newsnine Station: The saga of KMSP-TV Minneapolis - St. Paul in the 1970s
- Ken Wagner - KMSP TV 9's legendary Grandpa Ken
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