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

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KMSP is a broadcast television station serving the Twin Cities market of Minnesota and western Wisconsin in the United States, with studios located in the suburb of Eden Prairie that broadcast on channel 9 (26 digital). 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. The station is currently owned and operated by Fox Television Stations Group, and carries programming from the Fox network. The station is noted for having a number of Emmy-winning photojournalists and reporters. The newscasts have been nationally honored with prestegious Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast and Spot News Coverage, in addition to Investigative Reporting, and Videography.

History

The station began broadcasting as KEYD in 1954 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. After a few years, 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. After yet another sale, it became an ABC network affiliate from 1961 until 1979, at which point ABC moved to KSTP, while NBC moved from KSTP to WTCN (now KARE).

KMSP became an independent once again, 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. It also became something of a regional superstation and was carried on cable systems throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa.

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.

Other notable events

• 1954 – Station began broadcasting with the call letters KEYD-TV and was affliated with DuMount Television Network.
• 1986 – The station became one of the original FOX affiliates.
• 1988 – KMSP became independent when FOX moved to then KITN now WFTC channel 29.
• 2002 – The purchase by FOX Televison Inc causes a reshuffling of the KMSP and WFTC station staffs and swapping call letters. News Director Ted Canova and Director Of Photography Matthew Knisely, among others, come to the station.
• 2003 – KMSP evens the score in regional Emmys with 11 ranging from Investigative/In-Depth Reporting about drinking at the State Capitol, to Individual Achievement and Craft Achievements for Videography.
• 2003 – The station receives the Edward R. Murrow Award for Videography. 9PM newscast also recieves the award 2004.
• 2004 – The photography and editing department is choosen as one runner up for the National Press Photographers Association's Station Of The Year competition which singles out an individual station as one that has achieved a standard of quality in photographic coverage that is unmatched by any other.

Reference

• Minnesota TV Translators and Satellite Channels - Northpine.com

External link

• KMSP Fox 9

• Fox network affiliates