KARZ-TV
A Little Rock television station operated by Nexstar Media Group that programs mainly as an independent station while retaining a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KARZ-TV is a full-power television station serving Little Rock and the surrounding Little Rock–Pine Bluff market in Arkansas. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 42 and is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns NBC affiliate KARK-TV. Nexstar co-manages KARZ with Fox affiliate KLRT-TV and CW station KASN, while the stations share facilities in the Victory Building near the Arkansas State Capitol in downtown Little Rock. KARZ’s transmitter is located at the Shinall Mountain antenna site near the Chenal Valley area. The station’s license history began in the mid-1980s, when Leininger-Geddes Broadcasting applied for the UHF channel 42 construction permit. The permit remained inactive for several years until Paxson Communications acquired an interest in the license in 1996. Channel 42 began broadcasting on December 1, 1997, under the call sign KVUT. It initially carried Paxson’s InTV infomercial service and some religious programming, changing its call sign to KYPX in March 1998 and becoming a charter affiliate of Pax TV later that year. Paxson subsequently acquired control of the station and sold it to Equity Broadcasting in 2000. In January 2001, Equity moved the WB affiliation from KKYK-TV to channel 42, which became KLRA-TV and branded as WB42. The call sign changed again to KWBF in August 2001. As an Equity flagship, the station carried WB network programming alongside syndicated entertainment, movies, cartoons, religious programs, and local productions. Following the creation of MyNetworkTV and the launch of The CW in 2006, KWBF became Little Rock’s charter MyNetworkTV affiliate. It adopted the My 42 identity when the network launched in September 2006. Nexstar acquired the station during Equity Media’s financial difficulties. The transaction was approved in December 2008 and operational control began in February 2009. The station then adopted the KARZ-TV call sign and the Z 42 brand, while its operations moved into KARK’s downtown studios. KARZ has functioned primarily as an entertainment and programming outlet rather than a conventional local-news station. KARK produced several newscasts for the station between 2009 and 2013, but those broadcasts were ultimately discontinued after Nexstar assumed operational control of KLRT and KASN. KARZ has also carried sports programming, including Kansas City Chiefs preseason football and Arkansas high-school football. In 2021 it became the Little Rock–Pine Bluff market’s ATSC 3.0 lighthouse, transmitting NextGen TV services and hosting signals for several local stations.
History
The license for Little Rock’s UHF channel 42 was first pursued by Leininger-Geddes Broadcasting, which filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission in June 1985. The group received approval for a construction permit in 1986, followed by FCC issuance in 1987, but the permit remained dormant for approximately nine years. Paxson Communications acquired a 49 percent interest in the license in June 1996 and entered a local marketing agreement two months later. The station signed on December 1, 1997, as KVUT. Its initial schedule consisted primarily of InTV infomercials, supplemented by overnight religious programming. The call sign became KYPX in March 1998, and the station joined Paxson’s new family-oriented Pax TV network in August of that year. Paxson bought the remaining interest from Leininger-Geddes in 1999, but announced a sale to Equity Broadcasting in 2000. After the transaction, the station moved its operations to Equity’s facilities. Equity reshaped channel 42 in January 2001 by transferring the WB affiliation and associated syndicated programming from KKYK-TV. The station became KLRA-TV and used the WB42 identity, later changing its call sign to KWBF. It served as Equity’s flagship outlet and carried WB programming, syndicated series, movies, cartoons, religious shows, and local content. Equity also operated low-power translators that extended portions of the station’s service into other Arkansas communities. In 2005, KWBF launched a locally produced early-evening news program. The station also attracted attention in January 2006 when it aired NBC’s controversial drama The Book of Daniel after KARK declined to carry the program. The decision prompted criticism and threats, leading the station to increase security, although the controversy quickly lost significance when NBC canceled the series after four episodes. Equity announced in April 2006 that KWBF would become Little Rock’s MyNetworkTV affiliate. The station joined the network when it launched on September 5, 2006, and adopted the My 42 brand. In 2008, Nexstar agreed to acquire the station for $4 million. The transaction occurred while Equity faced creditor pressure and bankruptcy proceedings. Following regulatory approval and closing activity in early 2009, Nexstar assumed control, changed the call sign to KARZ-TV, adopted the Z 42 identity, and consolidated the station’s operations with KARK-TV at the Victory Building. Nexstar later expanded its Little Rock operating cluster through the acquisition of KLRT-TV and KASN from Newport Television. Because of ownership restrictions, the licenses were transferred to Mission Broadcasting while Nexstar took over their operations. This created a locally managed four-station operating arrangement involving KARK, KARZ, KLRT, and KASN. KARZ carried KARK-produced news programming for several years after the Nexstar transition, including a prime-time newscast and a weekday morning extension. These programs were discontinued or moved as Nexstar reorganized news production for the KLRT/KASN operation. The station continued to provide sports and syndicated entertainment programming, including the Fearless high-school football franchise. Technically, the station launched its digital signal in 2005, ended analog broadcasting in June 2009, and moved its digital transmission from channel 44 to channel 28 during the post-auction spectrum repack in November 2018. On June 30, 2021, KARZ began ATSC 3.0 service as the market’s NextGen TV lighthouse, while its principal ATSC 1.0 services were hosted on KLRT’s multiplex. KARZ therefore serves both as a local programming brand and as part of Nexstar’s shared broadcast infrastructure in central Arkansas.
- 2021
ATSC 3.0 deployment
[1]KARZ became the Little Rock–Pine Bluff market’s ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station.
- 2018
Digital channel repack
[1]The station moved its digital transmission to UHF channel 28 as part of the FCC spectrum repack.
- 2009
Nexstar transition and KARZ-TV rebrand
[1]Nexstar assumed control, moved operations into KARK’s studios, and changed the call sign to KARZ-TV.
- 2006
MyNetworkTV launch
[1]KWBF became a charter MyNetworkTV affiliate and adopted the My 42 branding.
- 2001
WB affiliation moves to channel 42
[1]The station became KLRA-TV and launched the WB42 identity after Equity transferred WB programming to the channel.
- 1998
Pax TV affiliation
[1]The station changed its call sign to KYPX and became a charter Pax TV affiliate.
- 1997
Station launches as KVUT
[1]Channel 42 began broadcasting on December 1 as KVUT, initially carrying InTV programming.
- 1996
Paxson enters the license venture
[1]Paxson Communications acquired a minority interest and entered a local marketing agreement for the proposed station.
- 1985
Initial channel 42 application
[1]Leininger-Geddes Broadcasting filed the initial FCC application for a Little Rock UHF channel 42 license.
Products and positioning
A local broadcast television outlet combining independent entertainment programming, MyNetworkTV content, syndicated series, sports, and digital over-the-air television services.
Broadcast television station · 1997
KARZ-TV channel 42
The station’s primary over-the-air service for the Little Rock–Pine Bluff market. It carries an independently programmed entertainment schedule with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation, syndicated programming, sports, movies, and other locally relevant content.
Sports programming · 2009
Fearless Game of the Week
A recurring local sports franchise featuring Arkansas Activities Association high-school football games. The program began in 2009 under the Fearless Live name, was renamed Fearless Friday in 2011, and adopted its current naming convention in 2019.
Digital broadcasting · 2021
ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV service
KARZ’s next-generation digital television transmission, launched as the Little Rock–Pine Bluff market’s lighthouse service. It also supports guest-channel arrangements for several local broadcasters participating in the market’s NextGen TV deployment.
Brand decisions
2021
Launch ATSC 3.0 lighthouse serviceProduct launchBackground
Broadcasters in the Little Rock–Pine Bluff market were deploying the NextGen TV standard through a shared consortium arrangement.
Action taken
KARZ began transmitting ATSC 3.0 and hosted NextGen TV services for participating local stations.
Aftermath
KARZ became the market’s principal ATSC 3.0 transmission site while ATSC 1.0 services were distributed through guest-host arrangements.
2009
Sell the station to NexstarM&ABackground
Equity Media faced financial pressure and later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Action taken
Nexstar acquired channel 42, assumed operational control, consolidated its facilities with KARK, and renamed the station KARZ-TV.
Aftermath
The station became part of Nexstar’s broader Little Rock cluster and was branded Z 42.
Acquisition price. $4 million (2008 transaction announcement)
2006
Choose MyNetworkTV affiliationStrategyBackground
The launch of The CW and MyNetworkTV required existing WB and UPN outlets to select new network arrangements.
Action taken
Equity Media designated KWBF as Little Rock’s charter MyNetworkTV affiliate and adopted the My 42 identity.
Aftermath
The station joined MyNetworkTV in September 2006 and retained the affiliation while operating primarily as an entertainment station.
Recent events
- 2021
KARZ-TV begins ATSC 3.0 broadcasting[1]
Product launch · Other
KARZ became the NextGen TV lighthouse station for the Little Rock–Pine Bluff market, carrying ATSC 3.0 services and hosting guest signals for several sister and partner stations.
- 2009
Nexstar acquires channel 42 from Equity Media[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy · Leadership change
Nexstar acquired the station during Equity Media’s bankruptcy-related financial difficulties, assumed operational control, moved operations into KARK’s facilities, and changed the call sign to KARZ-TV.
- 2006
KARZ-TV becomes a charter MyNetworkTV affiliate[1]
Other
Equity Media selected KWBF as Little Rock’s MyNetworkTV affiliate after the market’s WB and UPN affiliations were reorganized around the launch of The CW and MyNetworkTV.
Sources1 sources
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