KTMJ-CD
KTMJ-CD is a low-power Class A Fox-affiliated television station serving the Topeka, Kansas, market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KTMJ-CD is a low-power, Class A television station serving Topeka and surrounding communities in northeast Kansas. The station broadcasts as an affiliate of the Fox network and is part of the same operating group as NBC affiliate KSNT-TV. Its own digital transmitter provides local coverage, while Fox programming is also simulcast in high definition on KSNT's second digital subchannel, channel 27.2, to extend reception into portions of the market that are not adequately reached by KTMJ-CD's low-power signal. The station's history began on March 31, 1983, when K06KZ signed on from Junction City as an independent VHF station on channel 6. In 1987 it adopted the KTMJ-LP call letters, reflecting its intended coverage of Topeka, Manhattan, and Junction City. A series of associated repeaters and translators later expanded the service area. KTMJ became a primary UPN affiliate in January 1995, with secondary WB programming, before switching to primary Fox affiliation on April 1, 1996. UPN remained a secondary affiliation for several years and was eventually dropped in 2003. The station's organizational center shifted to Topeka in 2001, when the KTMJ calls were reassigned to the channel 43 facility and the Junction City outlet received different call letters. This made the Topeka station the flagship operation for the KTMJ group. New Vision Television acquired KTMJ and its repeaters from Montgomery Communications in 2008 and moved operations into the facilities of KSNT on Northwest 25th Street. The station has remained closely integrated with KSNT in programming, news production, technical operations, and advertising relationships involving KTKA-TV. KTMJ's local news service has changed substantially over time. It initially offered Junction City- and Manhattan-focused updates and later introduced a 9 p.m. newscast. After its 2001 relocation and operational restructuring, the station temporarily relied on short hourly updates and, beginning in 2007, simulcasts from Kansas City Fox affiliate WDAF-TV. KSNT replaced those arrangements with locally produced programming, including the weekday morning program Good Day Live in 2008 and a locally produced weekday 9 p.m. newscast in 2009. The news operation was later presented under the Kansas First News identity, then rebranded KSNT News in 2015. KSNT currently produces approximately 13.5 hours of local news each week for KTMJ-CD, including weekday morning and evening programming and weekend editions. Ownership of the station changed through several large television-group transactions. New Vision sold its station portfolio, including KTMJ and KSNT, to LIN TV Corporation in 2012. Media General acquired LIN Media in 2014, and Nexstar later acquired Media General, bringing KTMJ into the Nexstar portfolio. KTMJ-CD remains an active Fox station whose principal role is to deliver network entertainment, sports, syndicated programming, and locally produced news to the Topeka market through its own signal and KSNT's broader simulcast.
History
KTMJ-CD traces its origins to K06KZ, an independent station that began broadcasting from Junction City on March 31, 1983, on VHF channel 6. In 1987, the station adopted the KTMJ-LP call letters, a reference to the communities of Topeka, Manhattan, and Junction City that formed its intended service area. The station was often identified publicly as KTMJ-TV 6 even though its formal call sign used the low-power designation. Additional outlets were established to extend the station's coverage. K17CK signed on at Emporia on November 30, 1988, and eventually became a repeater of the Junction City operation. A further outlet began operating in Topeka on August 4, 1992, under the K15DQ call sign. These facilities later went through several call-sign, licensing, and Class A status changes. KTMJ became a primary UPN affiliate on January 16, 1995, while also carrying selected programming from The WB. It became a primary Fox affiliate on April 1, 1996, with UPN relegated to secondary status. The station discontinued the secondary UPN relationship in 2003. In 2001, the KTMJ call letters were transferred to the UHF channel 43 facility in Topeka, which became the flagship operation. The former Junction City station was renamed KTLJ-CA, and the Emporia outlet became KETM-CA. The change accompanied the relocation of KTMJ's operational base from Junction City to Southgate Drive in southwest Topeka. Master-control functions initially remained in Junction City but were moved to Topeka in May 2004. The station later operated under the KTMJ-CA designation before converting to digital Class A operation and adopting the present KTMJ-CD call sign. KTMJ's news service developed in stages. In its Junction City period, the station aired local updates centered on Junction City and Manhattan and introduced a half-hour 9 p.m. newscast in 1995. Following the 2001 restructuring, the prime-time newscast was discontinued and replaced by brief hourly updates. In April 2007, KTMJ began carrying weekday morning and evening newscasts from Kansas City Fox affiliate WDAF-TV. After New Vision Television acquired the station, KSNT introduced locally produced programming specifically for KTMJ. The WDAF morning simulcast was replaced on October 31, 2008, by Good Day Live, a two-hour weekday morning program. On February 10, 2009, a locally produced half-hour weekday 9 p.m. newscast replaced the WDAF evening simulcast. New Vision Television announced its acquisition of KTMJ and its repeaters from Montgomery Communications in July 2008, completing the transaction on September 1 of that year. The station moved its operations into KSNT's Northwest 25th Street facilities. In November 2008, KSNT also began carrying an HD simulcast of KTMJ on its second digital subchannel, helping the Fox service reach the northern and eastern areas of the Topeka market that were outside the effective coverage of the low-power channel 43 transmitter. Ownership subsequently moved to LIN TV Corporation, which acquired the New Vision station group in a transaction completed on October 12, 2012. Media General acquired LIN Media in December 2014. Nexstar later acquired Media General, and KTMJ thereby became part of Nexstar Media Group. During these ownership changes, KTMJ continued to share facilities and operational resources with KSNT. KSNT also provided services to KTKA-TV under shared-services and joint-sales arrangements involving other ownership entities. The station's local news was presented across the associated outlets under the Kansas First News brand beginning in 2012. The broadcasts were upgraded to high definition in 2013. In January 2015, the shared news operation adopted the KSNT News identity, and KTMJ expanded its 9 p.m. newscast to Saturday and Sunday evenings later that month. The current service consists of Fox programming, locally produced news, and other broadcast content delivered through KTMJ-CD's own digital signal and the KSNT 27.2 simulcast. Former associated translators and repeaters, including KMJT-LP and KETM-LP, had their licenses canceled in 2017.
- 2017
Former repeater licenses canceled
[1]The licenses for the former KMJT-LP and KETM-LP repeaters were canceled in April 2017.
- 2015
KSNT News branding adopted
[1]KTMJ's local newscasts joined the KSNT News brand, replacing the Kansas First News identity.
- 2014
Media General ownership begins
[1]Media General completed its acquisition of LIN Media and assumed ownership of KTMJ.
- 2012
LIN Media ownership begins
[1]LIN TV Corporation completed its acquisition of the New Vision station group, including KTMJ.
- 2011
Digital high-definition operation starts
[1]KTMJ began broadcasting a high-definition digital signal from its channel 43 allocation.
- 2008
New Vision completes acquisition
[1]New Vision Television completed its purchase of KTMJ and moved operations into KSNT's Topeka facilities.
- 2008
KSNT begins HD simulcast
[1]KSNT added KTMJ programming to its second digital subchannel, improving market-wide access to the Fox service.
- 2001
Topeka channel 43 becomes flagship
[1]The KTMJ calls and flagship role were transferred to the Topeka channel 43 operation, while the former Junction City facility received the KTLJ call sign.
- 1996
Fox affiliation begins
[1]KTMJ became the Topeka market's primary Fox affiliate and moved UPN to secondary status.
- 1995
UPN affiliation begins
[1]KTMJ became a primary UPN affiliate and carried selected WB programming as a secondary affiliation.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Fox television outlet using low-power terrestrial broadcasting, an HD simulcast on KSNT, and shared regional news operations to serve the Topeka market.
Broadcast television network affiliate · 1996
KTMJ-CD Fox service
KTMJ-CD's principal offering is Fox network programming delivered over its own low-power digital signal. The schedule includes Fox entertainment, sports, specials, and other network content, supplemented by syndicated and locally produced programming. Because the station's transmitter does not fully cover the Topeka market, the same service is simulcast in high definition on KSNT's second digital subchannel.
Local news programming · 1988
KSNT News on KTMJ
KSNT produces local news for KTMJ, including weekday morning programming, a 9 p.m. newscast, and weekend editions. The service evolved from earlier Junction City-focused updates, WDAF-TV simulcasts, and the Kansas First News operation. It now uses the KSNT News identity shared by the associated Topeka stations.
Digital terrestrial television · 2011
KTMJ-CD digital broadcast signal
The station operates a digital signal on its channel 43 allocation. Its low-power coverage is supplemented by an HD simulcast on KSNT channel 27.2, allowing viewers across more of the Topeka market to receive KTMJ's Fox programming and local news.
Brand decisions
2015
Adopt KSNT News brandingStrategyBackground
KTMJ, KSNT, and KTKA had been presented under the Kansas First News identity.
Action taken
The shared operation replaced Kansas First News with KSNT News branding and a common visual identity.
Aftermath
The rebrand emphasized the stations' shared newsroom and operating structure.
2008
Add KSNT digital simulcastStrategyBackground
KTMJ's low-power signal did not reach all parts of the Topeka market.
Action taken
KSNT began simulcasting KTMJ in high definition on its second digital subchannel.
Aftermath
The arrangement broadened access to Fox programming and KTMJ local news across the market.
2008
Replace outsourced news with local productionStrategyBackground
KTMJ had been simulcasting morning and evening newscasts from WDAF-TV in Kansas City.
Action taken
KSNT introduced locally produced KTMJ programming, including Good Day Live and a locally produced 9 p.m. newscast.
Aftermath
KTMJ's news schedule became more closely integrated with KSNT's Topeka-focused newsroom.
1996
Switch to primary Fox affiliationStrategyBackground
KTMJ had been operating as a primary UPN affiliate with a secondary WB relationship.
Action taken
The station made Fox its primary network affiliation and retained UPN only as a secondary service for a period.
Aftermath
The change established KTMJ as the Topeka market's Fox outlet; the secondary UPN affiliation was later dropped.
Sources2 sources
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