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KMSP is also the ICAO code for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

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KMSP is a television station in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market that broadcasts on channel 9 (26 digital). It is currently owned and operated by the 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 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 in 1954. It was an ABC network affiliate from 1961 until 1979, at which point ABC moved to KSTP, while NBC moved from KSTP to WTCN (now KARE).

The affiliation switch left KMSP without network programming. As such, it became an independent station, picking up cartoons and more syndicated shows (some of which WTCN would no longer have time to air due to its newly acquired NBC affiliation). The station remained independent until 1986, when it became one of the original affiliates of the newly-launched Fox network.

However, it did not remain a Fox affiliate for long. The Fox affiliation moved to KITN Channel 29 (now WFTC) in 1988, reverting KMSP into an independent station.

In 1995, KMSP affiliated with the United Paramount Network. KMSP remained as a UPN affiliate until 2002, when the station was sold to the Fox Television Stations Group. It swapped affiliations with WFTC, which then became a UPN station. This move made KMSP a Fox station once again, and this was accompanied with a long "Make the Switch" campaign.

When it was an independent station, KMSP was one of the most successful and profitable unaffiliated stations in the country. The station continues to do quite well today as a network affiliate.

Programming

The station has had a long-running 9 PM newscast (Fox 9 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 PM). 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 AM each weekday, and is planning on introducing an hourlong 5 PM newscast in the fall of 2005.

Annually, KMSP airs the Minnesota State High School League Prep Bowl (state football championship games), held at the Metrodome.

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 throughought much of the state.

External link

• KMSP Fox 9

• Fox network affiliates