KFXK-TV
KFXK-TV is a Fox-affiliated full-power television station licensed to Longview, Texas, and serving the East Texas market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KFXK-TV is a television station licensed to Longview, Texas, that serves the broader Tyler–Longview and East Texas media market as an affiliate of the Fox network. Although its license city is Longview, the station's studios are shared with sister stations in Tyler, where Nexstar Media Group produces and manages much of the station's local programming. KFXK-TV is owned by White Knight Broadcasting and operated by Nexstar under a shared services arrangement. It is paired with KETK-TV, an NBC affiliate, and KTPN-LD, an independent station carrying MyNetworkTV programming. KFXK's signal is also supplemented in the Lufkin area by low-power repeater KFXL-LD. The station began broadcasting on September 9, 1984, under the call sign KLMG-TV as a CBS affiliate. Its launch was historically significant because its owner, Clara McLaughlin, was the first African American woman to own a television station in the United States and one of the earliest Black television-station owners nationally. McLaughlin planned to build a wider East Texas Television Network and converted the former Rollins Elementary School in Longview, once an all-Black school, into the station's facilities. The broader expansion plan did not materialize, however, as construction delays, financing problems, a weak regional economy and threatened litigation undermined the venture. KLMG-TV entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 1987. During the proceedings it temporarily canceled its local evening newscasts and dismissed its news staff, although news programming returned in 1988 after refinancing. Ownership and operational control remained contested through the late 1980s, and the bankruptcy case was eventually converted to a liquidation proceeding before the station was sold. Kamin Broadcasting acquired the station out of bankruptcy in January 1991. The new owner concluded that the market already received CBS programming from stations in Shreveport and Dallas, while no local station carried Fox. KLMG-TV therefore changed its affiliation from CBS to Fox and adopted the KFXK call sign and Fox 51 branding on April 1, 1991. The switch ended the station's original local news operation, but it positioned KFXK as the first locally based Fox affiliate serving East Texas. The station's audience performance improved after the change, and Fox programming, including sports and entertainment, became its central offering. KFXK later carried UPN programming on a secondary basis before the launch and acquisition of dedicated low-power outlets allowed that programming to move elsewhere. White Knight Broadcasting acquired KFXK and associated low-power stations in 1998. Communications Corporation of America, which owned KETK-TV, subsequently operated KFXK through local marketing and shared-services arrangements. KETK's newsroom became the production base for KFXK's local newscasts, including a prime-time newscast and later morning and early-evening editions. Nexstar acquired Communications Corporation of America stations in a transaction completed in 2015. A proposed sale of KFXK to Mission Broadcasting was withdrawn in 2014 in connection with regulatory and ownership considerations, and Nexstar continued operating KFXK under a shared services agreement. The station remains a Fox affiliate, with its technical facilities and newsroom operations integrated into the East Texas station group. Its broadcast history also reflects the transition from analog to digital television: it launched a full-power digital signal in 2006, ended analog transmission in 2009, and moved its digital allocation from channel 31 to channel 20 in 2019 while retaining virtual channel 51.
History
Channel 51 in Longview was authorized by the Federal Communications Commission in February 1982 to a company controlled by Clara McLaughlin. The proposed station secured a CBS affiliation and was intended to anchor a larger East Texas Television Network, with additional stations contemplated for Nacogdoches, Paris and Denison. McLaughlin and her partners renovated the former Rollins Elementary School in Longview for use as the station's studios. Construction and financing delays, including the need to accommodate CBS's transition to satellite distribution, postponed the launch. KLMG-TV began broadcasting on September 9, 1984. It took CBS programming rights from KLTV in Tyler and KTRE in Lufkin, both of which had previously carried CBS programming alongside their principal ABC affiliations. The new station's arrival was particularly notable for McLaughlin's ownership: she was the first African American woman to own a television station in the United States and one of the first Black station owners nationally. Her plans for a regional station network were not realized, however. The East Texas economy weakened, financing became difficult, and disputes and threatened litigation added to the company's financial strain. East Texas Television Network filed for Chapter 11 protection on March 13, 1987. One week later KLMG canceled its 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. local newscasts and laid off 13 news employees. The news operation returned on July 4, 1988, after refinancing. During the bankruptcy process, Delta Broadcasting was awarded ownership by the bankruptcy court and began interim management, but McLaughlin and Delta partner Joe Deck disagreed over operational and legal authority. In August 1989, the bankruptcy court converted the reorganization case to Chapter 7 liquidation, although efforts were made to restore the Chapter 11 proceeding. A trustee sought approval to sell the station to Kamin Broadcasting, a Houston-based company led by Lester Kamin. The transfer was completed on January 9, 1991. Kamin believed the Tyler–Longview market could support another local station, but concluded that CBS was disadvantaged because viewers could already receive KSLA from Shreveport and KDFW from Dallas. Fox, by contrast, had no local East Texas affiliate. KLMG therefore changed to Fox on April 1, 1991, using the KFXK call sign and Fox 51 identity. The news department was again dissolved before the change, with the owner favoring community-affairs programming over a costly local news operation. The station's ratings improved after becoming a Fox affiliate. KFXK carried UPN as a secondary affiliation beginning in 1995. In 1996, programming was shifted toward a dedicated low-power Tyler outlet, later associated with KTPN-LD. White Knight Broadcasting purchased KFXK and related low-power stations in 1998. Communications Corporation of America, owner of KETK-TV, later operated KFXK under a local marketing agreement. KETK became the production center for KFXK news programming and supplied newscasts for other stations in the company's portfolio. KETK began producing a 9 p.m. newscast for KFXK in 2008. A two-hour weekday morning newscast followed in 2011, and a 5:30 p.m. newscast was added in 2017. Nexstar announced the acquisition of Communications Corporation of America stations in 2013. KFXK was expected to move to Mission Broadcasting in order to address ownership restrictions, but Mission withdrew its application in 2014. The broader transaction closed on January 1, 2015, after which Nexstar continued operating KFXK under shared services arrangements. Nexstar renovated the shared Tyler office facility in 2017. KFXK launched a full-power digital signal on UHF channel 31 on July 30, 2006, and began full-time high-definition Fox programming later that year. It discontinued its analog channel 51 signal on June 12, 2009, retaining channel 31 as its pre-transition digital channel and virtual channel 51. On April 12, 2019, the station moved its physical digital signal to channel 20 as part of the nationwide spectrum-reallocation process. KFXK remains an active Fox station serving East Texas.
- 2019
Digital channel repack completed
[1]KFXK moved its physical digital signal to UHF channel 20 while keeping virtual channel 51.
- 2015
Nexstar operating relationship continues after acquisition
[1]Nexstar completed the Communications Corporation of America transaction and retained operation of KFXK through shared services.
- 2008
Prime-time local newscast begins
[1]KETK began producing a 9 p.m. newscast for KFXK.
- 2006
Digital broadcasting begins
[1]KFXK launched a full-power digital signal and introduced high-definition Fox programming.
- 1998
White Knight Broadcasting acquisition
[1]White Knight acquired KFXK and its associated low-power stations.
- 1995
UPN added as a secondary affiliation
[1]KFXK began carrying UPN programming on a secondary basis before that programming moved to a dedicated low-power outlet.
- 1991
Conversion to Fox affiliate
[1]After Kamin Broadcasting acquired the station, KLMG-TV became KFXK-TV and joined Fox on April 1.
- 1987
Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing
[1]East Texas Television Network filed for reorganization and temporarily reduced the station's local news operation.
- 1984
KLMG-TV begins broadcasting
[1]The station launched on September 9 as a CBS affiliate, using facilities converted from the former Rollins Elementary School.
- 1982
FCC grants construction permit
[1]The FCC authorized a company controlled by Clara McLaughlin to build a television station on channel 51 in Longview.
Products and positioning
A locally licensed East Texas Fox affiliate that combines national Fox entertainment and sports programming with local news and community coverage produced through Nexstar's shared Tyler newsroom.
Television network affiliate · 1991
Fox 51 broadcast service
KFXK's principal offering is free over-the-air and distributed television programming from Fox, including entertainment, sports, news and other network content. The station serves viewers across the East Texas market and identifies its service through the Fox 51 brand.
Local television news · 2008
KFXK local news
KFXK carries locally focused news programming produced by the KETK newsroom in Tyler. The schedule has included a morning program, a 5:30 p.m. newscast and a 9 p.m. prime-time newscast, combining regional reporting with weather, traffic and community coverage.
Television rebroadcasting
KFXL-LD relay service
KFXL-LD extends KFXK's Fox programming into the Lufkin area. It operates as a separate low-power broadcast facility carrying the KFXK service for viewers who may not receive the main Longview transmitter reliably.
Brand decisions
2019
Move physical digital channel from 31 to 20OtherBackground
The FCC's nationwide spectrum auction and repacking process required many television stations to change their physical broadcast frequencies.
Action taken
KFXK moved its digital transmission to UHF channel 20 while retaining virtual channel 51 for viewers.
Aftermath
The station continued operating as the market's Fox 51 affiliate on its repacked digital allocation.
2006
Launch full-power digital television serviceProduct launchBackground
The station prepared for the United States transition from analog television to digital broadcasting and Fox's distribution of high-definition programming.
Action taken
KFXK launched a digital signal on UHF channel 31 and began testing and then regularly airing Fox programming in high definition.
Aftermath
The station continued digital transmission after ending its analog service in 2009.
1991
Replace CBS affiliation with FoxStrategyBackground
Kamin Broadcasting determined that East Texas viewers could already obtain CBS programming from stations in Dallas and Shreveport, while the market lacked a locally based Fox affiliate.
Action taken
The station changed its call sign from KLMG-TV to KFXK-TV and joined Fox on April 1, 1991.
Aftermath
KFXK became the local Fox outlet and improved its audience performance relative to its prior CBS operation.
Recent events
- 2019
KFXK-TV moves its digital signal to channel 20[1]
Regulation · Other
The station changed its physical digital broadcast allocation from UHF channel 31 to channel 20 as part of the United States television spectrum repacking process, while continuing to use virtual channel 51.
- 2015
Nexstar completes acquisition of Communications Corporation of America stations[1]
M&A
Nexstar completed its acquisition of Communications Corporation of America stations and continued operating KFXK through a shared services relationship with KETK-TV after a proposed Mission Broadcasting acquisition was withdrawn.
- 1998
White Knight Broadcasting acquires KFXK[1]
M&A
White Knight Broadcasting bought KFXK and associated low-power stations from the successor to Warwick Communications.
- 1991
KLMG-TV changes from CBS to Fox and adopts KFXK call letters[1]
Product generation
Following its acquisition out of bankruptcy, the station moved to Fox on April 1, 1991, becoming KFXK-TV. The change responded to the absence of a locally based Fox affiliate and the availability of CBS programming from out-of-market stations.
- 1987
KLMG-TV enters Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization[1]
Bankruptcy
The station's owner sought bankruptcy protection after expansion plans, financing difficulties, construction delays and a weak East Texas economy placed pressure on the business. Local evening newscasts were temporarily discontinued during the proceedings.
Sources2 sources
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