KOKI-TV
Television station serving Tulsa, Oklahoma, historically branded as Fox23 and affiliated with Fox until February 2026.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KOKI-TV is a television station serving Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the surrounding northeastern Oklahoma market. The station began broadcasting on October 26, 1980, as Tulsa’s first independent station and the first commercial UHF station to operate in the market since the brief 1954 run of KCEB on channel 23. It was established by Tulsa 23 Ltd., a consortium of local businesspeople, and initially operated as a general-entertainment independent station under the “Tulsa 23” identity. Its schedule combined syndicated sitcoms, dramas, cartoons, films, westerns, selected sports, and religious programming. Despite operating with comparatively limited resources, KOKI quickly became the stronger of Tulsa’s two independent UHF outlets, developing a particularly effective afternoon and early-evening schedule. The station’s early promotional identity included the slogan “Oklahoma’s Movie Star,” reflecting its emphasis on feature films. That branding led to a trademark dispute with Home Box Office over a Cinemax promotional campaign; a federal injunction ultimately required Cinemax to discontinue the challenged wording. KOKI’s competitive position strengthened after it joined the Fox network in 1987. Fox’s growing national profile helped the station move from a loss-making independent outlet to a profitable network affiliate. In 1989, Tulsa 23 sold KOKI-TV to Clear Channel Television. The new owner provided financial and operational support during a period when the Tulsa economy was affected by a downturn in oil exploration, and KOKI later became part of a broader local television operation that included channel 41, now KMYT-TV. KOKI developed a local news operation more gradually than many network affiliates. After years of discussion about whether Tulsa could support another news department, the station launched a one-hour 9 p.m. newscast on February 3, 2002. Its news schedule expanded with an early-evening broadcast, a morning program branded “Fox23 News Daybreak,” a 10 p.m. newscast, additional 6 p.m. coverage, and weekend morning editions. By the mid-2010s, KOKI’s 9 p.m. newscast was a leading program in its time period, while its broader ratings position varied by daypart. The station also became known for its local weather, breaking-news coverage, and community-oriented programming. Ownership changed several times. Clear Channel’s television stations were transferred to Newport Television in 2008 following Clear Channel’s leveraged buyout. Newport sold KOKI-TV and KMYT-TV to Cox Media Group in 2012, bringing the stations under common ownership with Cox’s Tulsa radio properties. After Apollo Global Management acquired a majority interest in Cox Media Group in 2019, Cox announced the sale of KOKI and other stations to Imagicomm Communications in 2022. Imagicomm later sold KOKI to Rincon Broadcasting Group in a transaction completed in July 2025. The station’s programming identity changed substantially in February 2026. Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns Tulsa ABC affiliate KTUL, acquired the Fox affiliation from Rincon. Fox programming moved to a KTUL subchannel, while KOKI continued temporarily to simulcast the schedule before switching its primary programming to the Roar digital multicast network on March 1, 2026. The station therefore remains an operating Tulsa broadcast outlet, but its post-2026 identity is no longer centered on Fox programming. The station’s studios are in southeast Tulsa, shared with related operations, while its transmitter is near Coweta in Wagoner County.
History
KOKI-TV’s channel 23 history reaches back to KCEB, which operated briefly in 1954 before financial difficulties forced it off the air. The UHF allocation then remained dormant for decades. In the late 1970s, Wilson Communications and Tulsa 23 Ltd. sought authority to build a station on the channel. The Federal Communications Commission awarded the construction permit to Tulsa 23 Ltd. in December 1979. The group included Tulsa-area business leaders and executives associated with companies such as Helmerich & Payne and Williams Companies. KOKI signed on in October 1980 as an independent station using the “Tulsa 23” brand. Its initial program mix was built around relatively inexpensive syndicated entertainment, including classic situation comedies, drama series, westerns, cartoons, movies, religious programming, and occasional sports. KOKI competed with KGCT-TV, which began operating on channel 41 in 1981. Audience measurements soon showed KOKI with a clear advantage. Its strongest performance came during the late-afternoon period, when its film and syndicated-programming schedule attracted a substantial share of Tulsa viewers. The station’s movie-centered identity generated a legal dispute in 1982. KOKI objected to Cinemax’s use of promotional language similar to the station’s “Oklahoma’s Movie Star” slogan. A federal district court issued an injunction against Home Box Office, and the decision was later upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. The ruling required Cinemax to abandon the challenged campaign. Fox launched nationally in 1986 and initially had no Tulsa affiliate. After discussions involving KOKI and KGCT, Fox selected KOKI in 1987. The affiliation helped KOKI benefit from Fox’s expansion and strengthened its value to advertisers. In 1989, Tulsa 23 Ltd. sold the station to Clear Channel Television for $6.075 million. Clear Channel obtained regulatory approval for the purchase in conjunction with a failed-station waiver, arguing that its resources were necessary to support a station that had not yet become profitable. As Fox matured, KOKI’s financial performance improved. Clear Channel also expanded its Tulsa television presence. It entered a local marketing agreement involving channel 41 in 1993 and later acquired that station after FCC rules permitted television duopolies. Channel 41 became a UPN affiliate in 1995 and was later known as KMYT-TV. In 2000, Clear Channel renovated a former retail property on Memorial Drive to consolidate its Tulsa television and radio operations. KOKI’s news department began in 2002 after a lengthy period of internal debate. The station first introduced a 9 p.m. newscast, then added a 5:30 p.m. broadcast, expanded that program to 5 p.m., and launched the four-hour weekday morning program Fox23 News Daybreak in 2006. Further expansion included a 10 p.m. newscast in 2010, a 6 p.m. newscast in 2013, and weekend morning news in 2014. The 9 p.m. broadcast became particularly competitive, although KOKI’s results in other dayparts varied against Tulsa’s established network affiliates. Clear Channel agreed to sell its television group after its 2007 leveraged buyout. The stations moved to Newport Television in 2008. Newport sold KOKI and KMYT to Cox Media Group in 2012, creating common ownership with Cox’s Tulsa radio assets. Apollo Global Management became the majority owner of Cox Media Group in 2019. In 2022, Cox announced the sale of KOKI and other stations to Imagicomm Communications, a company associated with the parent organization of the INSP cable network. The transaction closed in August 2022. Imagicomm announced in April 2025 that KOKI was among seven stations being sold to Rincon Broadcasting Group; the transaction closed in July. In February 2026, Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired the Fox affiliation from Rincon and shifted Fox programming to KTUL’s digital subchannel. KOKI’s main channel continued a temporary simulcast before switching to Roar programming in March 2026. Sinclair also announced plans to relocate KTUL’s news operation to KOKI’s Tulsa studios. KOKI’s transmitter remains near Coweta, and its digital signal uses virtual channel 23.
- 2026
Fox programming leaves KOKI’s main channel
[1]Fox moves to KTUL’s digital subchannel, and KOKI transitions its primary schedule to Roar programming.
- 2025
Rincon Broadcasting Group becomes owner
[1]Rincon completes its acquisition of KOKI-TV from Imagicomm.
- 2022
Imagicomm acquires the station
[1]KOKI moves from Cox Media Group to Imagicomm Communications.
- 2012
Cox Media Group acquires KOKI and KMYT
[1]Newport sells the Tulsa television stations to Cox Media Group.
- 2008
Station enters Newport Television ownership
[1]Clear Channel’s television assets transfer to Newport Television after regulatory approval.
- 2006
Fox23 News Daybreak debuts
[1]The station introduces a four-hour weekday morning news program.
- 2002
Local news department launches
[1]KOKI debuts its first in-house 9 p.m. newscast.
- 1989
Clear Channel purchases KOKI
[1]Tulsa 23 Ltd. sells the station to Clear Channel Television for $6.075 million.
- 1987
KOKI becomes Tulsa’s Fox affiliate
[1]Fox selects KOKI as its Tulsa affiliate after considering the station and KGCT-TV.
- 1982
Movie-slogan trademark dispute begins
[1]KOKI challenges Cinemax promotional language resembling its “Oklahoma’s Movie Star” campaign.
Products and positioning
Local broadcast television station serving the Tulsa market, historically positioned as a Fox affiliate with a strong emphasis on local news, weather, syndicated entertainment, and community coverage.
Broadcast news · 2002
Local news broadcasts
KOKI’s local-news operation began with a 9 p.m. newscast in 2002 and later expanded into morning, early-evening, late-evening, and weekend programming. Its coverage has focused on Tulsa-area breaking news, weather, public affairs, community stories, and regional events. The station’s late-evening news has historically been one of its strongest local offerings.
Morning television news · 2006
Fox23 News Daybreak
A weekday morning news program introduced in 2006 as a four-hour broadcast. It extended KOKI’s local-news presence into the early morning and combined news, traffic, weather, interviews, and regional features. Its branding reflected the station’s long-running Fox23 identity.
Television programming · 1980
Syndicated entertainment programming
Before and alongside its network affiliation, KOKI has carried syndicated sitcoms, drama series, cartoons, westerns, films, and other acquired programs. Such programming formed the core of the station’s independent-era schedule and helped it establish a strong afternoon and early-evening audience.
Digital multicast television · 2026
Roar programming
Following the transfer of Fox programming to KTUL’s digital subchannel in February 2026, KOKI’s main channel switched to programming from the Roar digital multicast network. This marked a major change from the station’s decades-long Fox-affiliate format.
Controversies
1982
Cinemax slogan trademark dispute
KOKI-TV filed a federal trademark infringement action against Home Box Office over Cinemax promotional wording that resembled KOKI’s “Oklahoma’s Movie Star” campaign. A district-court injunction, later upheld by the Tenth Circuit, required Cinemax to abandon the challenged campaign.
Marketing campaigns
- 1980Oklahoma’s Movie Star
Tulsa · Oklahoma
KOKI promoted its feature-film schedule with the “Oklahoma’s Movie Star” slogan, positioning the new independent station as a major local destination for movies.
Outcome. The slogan became associated with the station’s early identity and later led to a trademark dispute with Cinemax.
Brand decisions
2026
Transfer Fox programming to KTULStrategyBackground
Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired the Tulsa Fox affiliation from Rincon while already owning KTUL, the market’s ABC affiliate.
Action taken
Fox programming moved to KTUL’s 8.2 digital subchannel, with KOKI temporarily simulcasting the schedule before changing its main channel to Roar programming.
Aftermath
KOKI ceased to be the Tulsa market’s primary Fox affiliate, and Sinclair announced plans to use KOKI’s studios for KTUL’s news operation.
2002
Launch an in-house news departmentProduct launchBackground
Fox had encouraged KOKI to produce local news, but the station had delayed the investment while management assessed the size of the Tulsa market and the likely return.
Action taken
KOKI launched a one-hour 9 p.m. newscast on February 3, 2002.
Aftermath
The newscast became the foundation for later morning, early-evening, late-evening, and weekend news expansions.
1987
Accept Fox network affiliationStrategyBackground
Fox was seeking a Tulsa affiliate during the network’s launch period, while KOKI and KGCT were competing for the opportunity.
Action taken
KOKI agreed to affiliate with Fox, beginning the station’s long association with the network.
Aftermath
The affiliation strengthened KOKI’s competitive and financial position as Fox grew into a major national network.
Recent events
- 2026
Fox affiliation moves from KOKI-TV to KTUL subchannel[1]
Product generation
Sinclair Broadcast Group moved Fox programming to KTUL’s 8.2 subchannel. KOKI temporarily simulcast the schedule before adopting Roar programming on its main channel.
- 2025
Rincon Broadcasting Group acquires KOKI-TV[1]
M&A
Imagicomm transferred KOKI-TV and several other stations to Rincon Broadcasting Group in a transaction completed in July 2025.
- 2022
Cox Media Group announces sale of KOKI-TV to Imagicomm Communications[1]
M&A
Cox announced the sale of KOKI-TV, KMYT-TV, and other stations to Imagicomm Communications in a transaction completed later that year.
- 2011
Tower climber causes prolonged standoff at KOKI facility[1]
Other
A man entered a restricted area and climbed a transmission tower at the KOKI–KMYT facility. The incident ended safely after more than 150 hours of police negotiations.
- 2002
KOKI-TV launches its first full local news operation[1]
Product launch
After several years of planning, KOKI introduced a one-hour 9 p.m. newscast, establishing an in-house news department and creating a foundation for later morning and early-evening expansions.
Sources2 sources
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