KATN
KATN is a Fairbanks, Alaska television station carrying ABC, Fox, and The CW Plus programming.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KATN is a full-power television station serving Fairbanks and Interior Alaska. Broadcasting on virtual channel 2, the station operates from downtown Fairbanks, with studios in the Lathrop Building on Second Avenue and a transmitter on Cranberry Ridge northeast of the city. Its principal network affiliations are ABC, Fox, and The CW Plus, making the station a multi-network outlet rather than a single-network broadcaster. The CW Plus service is carried on a digital subchannel branded Fairbanks CW, while Fox programming was moved from the low-power station KFXF-LD to a KATN subchannel in November 2017. The station began broadcasting on March 1, 1955, under the call sign KFAR-TV. It was the second television station established in Fairbanks, following KTVF. KFAR-TV was initially associated primarily with NBC and carried ABC programming as a secondary affiliation. In 1967, it became the first Fairbanks television station to broadcast in color, during a period when KTVF was temporarily off the air because of flooding. The station adopted the call sign KTTU-TV in June 1981 and became KATN in August 1984. The KATN identity emerged from a wider Alaska television network structure. After the owners of Anchorage station KIMO, now KYUR, acquired the Fairbanks station in 1985, they changed its call letters and made ABC its primary network affiliation. The letters ATN referred to the Alaska Television Network, a consortium involving KATN, KIMO, and Juneau station KJUD. KATN continued to air selected NBC programs as a secondary affiliate until 1996, when KTVF changed from CBS to NBC following changes in the local competitive landscape. For much of its early history, KATN and KTVF were the only commercial network television stations available in Fairbanks. The market expanded with the launch of KFXF in 1992, but KATN retained an important role through its ABC service and later its additional digital-network offerings. In September 2006, KATN added programming from The CW through The CW Plus on a digital subchannel. The service used the local branding Fairbanks CW and the fictional identifier KWFA, although the subchannel's actual technical designation remained KATN-DT3. Smith Media sold KATN and the remaining stations in the ABC Alaska's Superstation system to Vision Alaska LLC in 2010. The transaction closed on May 13, 2010, after which Coastal Television Broadcasting Company LLC began operating KATN and sister station KJUD under a time brokerage agreement with Vision Alaska. This ownership-and-operation arrangement continued to define the station's corporate structure. Coastal Television later became associated with News Hub, and in 2022 KATN and its sister stations outsourced their news operation to that organization under the Your Alaska Link News identity. KATN completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting on June 12, 2009. Its analog signal had operated on VHF channel 2, while its post-transition digital transmission remained on UHF channel 18 and continued to use virtual channel 2. Today, KATN functions as a local broadcast and digital-distribution brand, combining network entertainment, news, and other programming for viewers in the Fairbanks area and surrounding parts of Interior Alaska.
History
KATN began service as KFAR-TV on March 1, 1955, becoming the second television station in Fairbanks after KTVF. Its early programming identity was centered on NBC, with ABC carried as a secondary network. In 1967, KFAR-TV became the first Fairbanks station to transmit in color. This occurred while rival KTVF was temporarily unavailable because of flooding, giving KFAR-TV an important technical and competitive distinction in the local market. The station changed its call sign to KTTU-TV on June 18, 1981. A further change followed on August 18, 1984, when it became KATN. The new identity was connected to the Alaska Television Network, a group involving KATN, Anchorage station KIMO, and Juneau station KJUD. In 1985, the owners of KIMO acquired the Fairbanks station, elevated ABC to its primary affiliation, and retained NBC programming as a secondary service. This arrangement lasted until 1996, when KTVF moved from CBS to NBC, eliminating KATN's secondary NBC role. During the first decades of its operation, KATN and KTVF were Fairbanks's only commercial network television stations. The launch of KFXF in 1992 added another commercial competitor. KATN subsequently expanded its digital footprint. In September 2006, it introduced The CW Plus programming on a digital subchannel marketed as Fairbanks CW. The subchannel used the fictional call letters KWFA for branding purposes, although its technical identity remained KATN-DT3. KATN's analog service ended on June 12, 2009, the federally designated date for the full-power United States television transition to digital broadcasting. The former analog transmission used VHF channel 2. The station's digital signal remained on UHF channel 18, while viewers continued to find it through virtual channel 2. In 2010, Smith Media sold KATN and the other stations in the ABC Alaska's Superstation system to Vision Alaska LLC. The sale closed on May 13. Coastal Television Broadcasting Company LLC then began operating KATN and sister station KJUD under a time brokerage agreement with Vision Alaska. This created a separation between the station's ownership and its day-to-day operating company. A major programming change occurred in 2017. Fox announced that its Fairbanks affiliation would leave KFXF-LD and move to a KATN digital subchannel on November 4. KATN consequently became a broader multi-network platform, distributing ABC, Fox, and The CW Plus services through its main signal and digital subchannels. In 2022, KATN and its sister stations shifted their news production arrangement. News programming was outsourced to News Hub, which had recently been acquired by Coastal Television, and was presented under the Your Alaska Link News name. KATN therefore combines legacy local broadcasting with a shared regional news-production model. Its facilities remain in downtown Fairbanks, while its transmitter is located on Cranberry Ridge northeast of the city.
- 2022
Your Alaska Link News adopts outsourced production
[1]KATN's local news production moved to News Hub under the Your Alaska Link News identity.
- 2017
Fox affiliation moves to KATN
[1]Fox programming moved from KFXF-LD to a KATN subchannel on November 4, 2017.
- 2010
Vision Alaska ownership begins
[1]Vision Alaska LLC completed its acquisition of KATN from Smith Media on May 13, 2010.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]KATN ended its analog transmission on June 12, 2009, and continued digital service on UHF channel 18.
- 2006
Fairbanks CW launches on a KATN digital subchannel
[1]KATN began carrying The CW Plus on a digital subchannel branded Fairbanks CW.
- 1996
KATN ends its secondary NBC role
[1]KTVF switched from CBS to NBC, ending KATN's secondary NBC affiliation.
- 1992
KFXF launches in Fairbanks
[1]The launch of KFXF added a third commercial network television station to the Fairbanks market.
- 1985
ABC becomes the primary affiliation
[1]Following a change in ownership, KATN became primarily affiliated with ABC while continuing to carry NBC programming secondarily.
- 1984
Station becomes KATN
[1]The KATN call sign was adopted on August 18, 1984.
- 1981
Call sign changes to KTTU-TV
[1]The station adopted the KTTU-TV call sign on June 18, 1981.
Products and positioning
A multi-network local television station serving Fairbanks and Interior Alaska, combining ABC programming with Fox and The CW Plus digital services and locally oriented news.
Broadcast television service · 1985
KATN ABC
KATN's main broadcast service on virtual channel 2 carries ABC network programming alongside local commercial television content and news for Fairbanks and Interior Alaska. The service is the station's core identity and retains the virtual channel associated with its former analog operation.
Digital television subchannel · 2006
Fairbanks CW
Fairbanks CW is KATN's branded CW Plus digital-subchannel service. Introduced in 2006, it extends KATN's programming portfolio beyond its principal ABC affiliation and uses the fictional branding KWFA, while the technical subchannel designation remains KATN-DT3.
Digital television subchannel · 2017
KATN Fox
KATN's Fox service carries the Fox network's programming for the Fairbanks market. The affiliation moved from KFXF-LD to a KATN digital subchannel in November 2017, making KATN a multi-network broadcaster with ABC, Fox, and CW Plus services.
Local news service · 2022
Your Alaska Link News
Your Alaska Link News is the news identity used after KATN and sister stations outsourced news production to News Hub in 2022. The arrangement supports a shared regional news-production model operated in association with Coastal Television.
Brand decisions
2022
Outsource news production to News HubStrategyBackground
Coastal Television had recently acquired News Hub, creating an opportunity to consolidate or share news-production resources among its Alaska stations.
Action taken
KATN and its sister stations outsourced their news programming to News Hub and presented it as Your Alaska Link News.
Aftermath
The station's local news operation became part of a broader regional production structure.
2017
Move Fox programming to a KATN subchannelProduct launchBackground
Fox announced a change to its Fairbanks affiliation, moving the service away from KFXF-LD.
Action taken
Beginning November 4, 2017, Fox programming was carried on a KATN digital subchannel.
Aftermath
KATN became the local distribution platform for ABC, Fox, and The CW Plus programming.
2006
Launch Fairbanks CWProduct launchBackground
The creation of digital television capacity enabled KATN to add another network service without replacing its principal ABC programming.
Action taken
KATN introduced The CW Plus on a digital subchannel branded Fairbanks CW.
Aftermath
The station expanded its offering into a multi-channel local television platform.
1985
Make ABC the primary network affiliationStrategyBackground
After the owners of Anchorage station KIMO acquired the Fairbanks station, the new ownership connected it to the Alaska Television Network structure and reassessed its network positioning.
Action taken
The station changed its call sign to KATN and made ABC its primary affiliation while retaining NBC programming as a secondary service.
Aftermath
KATN continued with ABC as its core network identity until the later addition of digital CW and Fox services.
Recent events
- 2022
KATN outsources local news production to News Hub[1]
Other
KATN and its sister stations outsourced their news programming to News Hub, an organization recently acquired by Coastal Television. The resulting service was presented as Your Alaska Link News.
- 2017
Fox programming moves to a KATN subchannel[1]
Product launch
Fox announced that its Fairbanks affiliation would move from KFXF-LD to a KATN digital subchannel beginning November 4, 2017.
- 2010
Vision Alaska acquires KATN and the ABC Alaska's Superstation system[1]
M&A
Smith Media sold KATN and the remaining stations in its Alaska Superstation group to Vision Alaska LLC. The transaction closed on May 13, 2010, after which Coastal Television began operating KATN under a time brokerage agreement.
- 2009
KATN completes its digital television transition[1]
Other
The station ended its analog VHF channel 2 transmission on June 12, 2009, and continued digital broadcasting on UHF channel 18 using virtual channel 2.
- 2006
KATN adds The CW Plus on a digital subchannel[1]
Product launch
KATN began carrying The CW Plus programming on a digital subchannel branded Fairbanks CW. The service used the fictional local branding KWFA while technically operating as KATN-DT3.
Sources2 sources
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