KFOX-TV
KFOX-TV is a Fox-affiliated television station serving El Paso, Texas, and the surrounding border region.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KFOX-TV is a commercial television station licensed to El Paso, Texas, and affiliated with the Fox broadcast network. It serves the El Paso–Las Cruces television market, with its coverage also reaching viewers in the neighboring Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and operates alongside CBS/MyNetworkTV affiliate KDBC-TV. Both stations share studios on South Alto Mesa Drive in northwest El Paso, while KFOX-TV’s transmission facilities are located on the Franklin Mountains. The station’s roots lie in a Christian cable service launched in the El Paso area during the 1970s. Missionary Radio Evangelism, Inc. developed International Christian Television, or ICT, as a cable operation before seeking a full-power UHF television license. The Federal Communications Commission granted the organization a construction permit for channel 14 in 1976. After delays involving tower access and a defective antenna, the station began broadcasting over the air on August 1, 1979, under the call sign KCIK, derived from “Christ is King.” It combined religious programs with secular entertainment and sports, making it an unusual hybrid during its early years. KCIK initially struggled financially and had difficulty attracting sufficient local support. A proposed acquisition by the Rock Church in the early 1980s failed, and the station remained burdened by operating liabilities. The De Rance Foundation, a Milwaukee-based Catholic organization, acquired a minority stake in 1982 and the balance in 1983. Under De Rance, KCIK moved toward a predominantly secular schedule and strengthened its position as an independent station. In 1986, it became one of Fox’s charter affiliates. Because Fox offered only limited programming in its first years, KCIK continued to operate with many characteristics of an independent station while benefiting from the new network relationship. The De Rance Foundation sold the station in 1988 to John and Betty Ann Mulderrig. During the Mulderrigs’ ownership, the station’s ratings and financial performance improved, and its programming became more competitive in the El Paso market. In 1994, it adopted the KFOX-TV call sign, aligning its identity more closely with the Fox network. The station also moved into a larger facility on North Mesa Street after outgrowing its original studios. Cox Television purchased KFOX-TV in 1996. Cox introduced a local news operation in 1997, launching KFOX News at Nine on September 15 of that year. The program was the market’s first local prime-time newscast and became the foundation of the station’s broader news operation. KFOX later added a morning newscast in 2004 and early-evening news programming in 2008, subsequently adjusting its schedule as audience habits and competition changed. The station began digital transmission in January 2003 and ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, in accordance with the United States digital television transition. Its digital service continued using virtual channel 14. In December 2023, KFOX-TV’s transmitter began providing ATSC 3.0, or NextGen TV, service as part of a multiplexed El Paso deployment involving several local stations. Cox placed KFOX-TV on the market in 2012 and agreed in 2013 to sell it to Sinclair Broadcast Group. The transaction closed on May 2, 2013. Later that year, Sinclair also obtained control of KDBC-TV through a related ownership structure. Regulatory approval relied in part on market-rating considerations, and the two stations were subsequently consolidated into a new shared facility. KFOX-TV remains an active Fox affiliate with local news, syndicated and network programming, digital services, and over-the-air broadcast distribution across the border market.
History
KFOX-TV developed from International Christian Television, a cable ministry established in El Paso in the 1970s by Missionary Radio Evangelism, Inc. The organization pursued a full-power license for UHF channel 14 and received a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission in December 1976. Construction required access to a Franklin Mountains tower and was delayed when a newly installed antenna was found to be damaged. The completed station replaced ICT’s cable operation on August 1, 1979, launching as KCIK, a call sign associated with the phrase “Christ is King.” Although KCIK carried Christian programs, including nationally distributed religious shows, its schedule also included secular movies, entertainment, and sports. This mixed format reflected the station’s need to attract a broader audience, but the operation experienced financial difficulties. Missionary Radio Evangelism explored a sale to the Rock Church, which proposed a bilingual Christian format aimed at both El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. The proposed transaction did not proceed, and an attempted management arrangement raised regulatory concerns because control could not be transferred without the required FCC process. The De Rance Foundation acquired 20 percent of KCIK in 1982 and purchased the remaining interest in 1983. De Rance’s ownership accelerated the station’s shift away from religious programming and toward a full-time secular independent format. KCIK joined the Fox network in 1986 as a charter affiliate. Fox had only a limited schedule at launch, so the station continued to present itself largely as an independent operation with a Fox connection. In 1988, De Rance sold KCIK-TV to John and Betty Ann Mulderrig. The station’s performance improved during this period, and it began to achieve stronger ratings and profitability. The call letters changed to KFOX-TV in 1994, reinforcing the station’s network identity. That year, the station moved from its original Stanton Street facilities into a former bank building on North Mesa Street. Cox Television acquired KFOX-TV in 1996 for $21 million. Cox built a local newsroom, hired on-air staff, and launched KFOX News at Nine on September 15, 1997. The one-hour weeknight newscast, with shorter weekend editions, was the first prime-time local news program in the El Paso market. KFOX expanded its news schedule with a morning program in January 2004 and an early-evening newscast in 2008. The early-evening slot later moved from 6 p.m. to 5 p.m. The morning program was expanded from three hours to four in 2016. KFOX-TV began digital broadcasting in January 2003. It discontinued regular analog programming on June 12, 2009, while retaining an analog informational loop for a limited period under the federal SAFER Act. Its digital service continued on channel 15 with virtual channel 14. In December 2023, the station’s Franklin Mountains facilities began supporting ATSC 3.0 broadcasts, extending the station’s role in the market’s transition to NextGen TV. Cox placed KFOX-TV and several other smaller-market television properties up for sale in 2012. Sinclair Broadcast Group announced an agreement to purchase KFOX-TV in February 2013, received FCC approval in April, and completed the transaction on May 2. Sinclair subsequently obtained KDBC-TV through a related transaction involving Cunningham Broadcasting. Because the market’s competitive and ratings conditions did not trigger the usual restriction on common ownership of two major-network affiliates, the FCC approved the arrangement in 2013. In 2014, Sinclair acquired and equipped a shared studio facility for KFOX-TV and KDBC-TV, consolidating their operations. KFOX-TV continues to operate as a Sinclair-owned Fox affiliate. Its principal public-facing activities are local news, weather, traffic, emergency information, Fox network programming, syndicated entertainment, and digital broadcast distribution across the El Paso–Las Cruces market.
- 2023
ATSC 3.0 service launched
[1]The station’s transmitter began providing NextGen TV service in the El Paso area.
- 2014
Shared Sinclair facility opens
[1]Sinclair acquired and outfitted a shared studio facility for KFOX-TV and KDBC-TV.
- 2013
Sinclair acquisition completed
[1]Sinclair Broadcast Group completed its purchase of KFOX-TV on May 2.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]Regular analog transmission ended during the United States digital television transition, with the station continuing digitally on virtual channel 14.
- 2003
Digital transmission begins
[1]KFOX-TV began broadcasting a digital signal in January.
- 1997
Local news operation launches
[1]KFOX News at Nine debuted on September 15 as the market’s first local prime-time newscast.
- 1996
Cox Television acquisition
[1]Cox Television purchased KFOX-TV and began preparing to add a local newsroom.
- 1994
Call sign changes to KFOX-TV
[1]The station adopted the KFOX-TV identity to align more directly with its Fox affiliation.
- 1986
Fox affiliation begins
[1]KCIK-TV became a charter affiliate of the Fox network.
- 1983
De Rance acquires full ownership
[1]The De Rance Foundation completed its acquisition of the station and continued its transition toward secular programming.
Products and positioning
A local Fox network affiliate combining regional news and weather coverage with national network, syndicated, sports, and entertainment programming for the El Paso–Las Cruces border market.
Local television news · 1997
KFOX News at Nine
KFOX-TV’s flagship prime-time local newscast, launched in 1997. It was introduced as the El Paso market’s first local news program scheduled in prime time and became a central component of the station’s identity as a Fox affiliate.
Local television news · 2004
KFOX Morning News
The station’s weekday morning news program, introduced in 2004. It provides local news, weather, traffic, and related morning information and has been expanded over time, including the addition of a fourth hour in 2016.
Network television programming · 1986
Fox network programming
KFOX-TV carries programming supplied by the Fox network, alongside locally produced news and other programming. The affiliation began in 1986, when Fox’s schedule was still limited and the station retained an independent-style programming mix.
Digital television transmission · 2023
ATSC 3.0 service
KFOX-TV’s NextGen TV service uses the station’s Franklin Mountains transmission facilities and forms part of a broader ATSC 3.0 deployment in the El Paso market. The service began in December 2023.
Brand decisions
2023
Introduce ATSC 3.0 transmissionProduct launchBackground
Broadcasters in the El Paso market began deploying the NextGen TV standard through a shared transmission arrangement.
Action taken
KFOX-TV’s Franklin Mountains transmitter began providing ATSC 3.0 simulcasts in December.
Aftermath
The station expanded its digital distribution capabilities while continuing conventional digital television service.
2013
Sell KFOX-TV to Sinclair Broadcast GroupM&ABackground
Cox Television placed KFOX-TV among several smaller-market television properties offered for sale.
Action taken
Cox agreed to sell the station to Sinclair Broadcast Group; the transaction closed on May 2, 2013.
Aftermath
Sinclair later combined KFOX-TV’s operations with those of KDBC-TV in a shared facility.
1997
Launch a local prime-time newscastProduct launchBackground
After Cox Television acquired the station, it invested in a newsroom, equipment, and local staff.
Action taken
KFOX-TV launched KFOX News at Nine on September 15, 1997.
Aftermath
The program established the station as a local news competitor and became the foundation for later morning and early-evening newscasts.
1986
Join the Fox networkStrategyBackground
KCIK was moving away from its earlier religious orientation and needed a stronger programming and audience strategy.
Action taken
The station became a charter Fox affiliate while continuing to supplement the network’s limited early schedule with independent programming.
Aftermath
The affiliation strengthened the station’s market position and eventually led to the KFOX-TV identity.
Sources1 sources
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