KUMV-TV

KUMV-TV is a television station licensed to Williston, North Dakota, broadcasting on virtual and VHF channel 8. The station is affiliated with NBC and also carries Fox programming on a digital subchannel. It is owned by Gray Media and operates within the NBC North Dakota regional television group, whose flagship is KFYR-TV in Bismarck. The group also includes KMOT in Minot and KQCD-TV in Dickinson, while KVLY-TV in Fargo participates in selected statewide news, sports, political, and production activities. KUMV-TV serves the Williston area and a broad rural region of western North Dakota, with coverage extending into eastern Montana and, over the air, portions of Saskatchewan. Its transmitter is located west of Williston near the North Dakota–Montana border. The station maintains a news studio and advertising-sales office in Williston, while master control and some other operational functions are handled from KFYR-TV's facilities in Bismarck. This shared infrastructure reflects the station's role as part of a regional network rather than as a fully independent local operation. The station signed on February 6, 1957, after its construction permit was obtained by Meyer Broadcasting. It initially operated as a semi-satellite of KFYR-TV. When KMOT signed on in January 1958, KUMV became a semi-satellite of KMOT, which itself remained linked to KFYR. This structure continues to shape KUMV's programming: the station generally clears network and syndicated programs supplied through KMOT, but inserts its own local commercial material, legal identifications, and portions of its weekday newscasts. KUMV's historical programming included NBC and, for periods, secondary ABC and CBS affiliations. The station was also an important part of the regional television distribution system in Saskatchewan during the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its signal was carried by terrestrial cable systems. That cross-border distribution ended in the mid-1980s after Saskatchewan providers replaced several North Dakota station feeds with CANCOM programming from Detroit stations. Its local news operation typically produces weekday evening newscasts at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. The opening portion, including regional news and weather, originates with KMOT, while KUMV contributes locally focused reporting, sports, and presentation from Williston. Weekend newscasts are simulcast from KFYR-TV. The broader NBC North Dakota operation has historically been a strong ratings performer in western North Dakota and also shares coverage, technology, and occasional programming with related stations. The station converted to digital-only broadcasting on February 16, 2009, moving its post-transition digital operation to VHF channel 8. MeTV was added in 2013. Following Gray's acquisition of Hoak Media stations in 2014, Fox programming formerly associated with KXND was moved to KUMV's second digital subchannel. KUMV therefore combines a locally branded Williston service with regional NBC programming, a Fox multicast service, syndicated and specialty programming, and local advertising.

KUMV-TV signed on February 6, 1957, serving Williston and the surrounding region of northwestern North Dakota. Meyer Broadcasting obtained the station's construction permit on July 18, 1956. During its first year, KUMV operated as a semi-satellite of KFYR-TV in Bismarck. The launch of KMOT in Minot on January 23, 1958, changed the arrangement: KUMV became a semi-satellite of KMOT, while KMOT remained part of the wider KFYR regional operation. The Meyer stations carried NBC as their principal affiliation and also maintained secondary programming relationships during the early decades of television in the region. Before KBMY and KMCY began broadcasting in 1986, the Meyer stations carried ABC programming on a secondary basis. KUMV also carried CBS programs on a per-program basis before KXMD-TV signed on in 1969. KUMV became notable for its distribution beyond its licensed market. In the late 1970s, it was among the first North Dakota stations to be delivered by terrestrial cable systems to much of Saskatchewan. The station maintained a sales office in Saskatoon, alongside other regional stations whose signals were distributed in the province. The arrangement ended in early 1985 when Saskatchewan cable operators replaced the North Dakota station feeds with CANCOM services carrying Detroit stations, citing improved signal quality. Meyer Broadcasting sold its television holdings in 1997 to Sunrise Television Corporation. Sunrise later sold the stations to The Wicks Group of Companies in 2002. In July 2006, Hoak Media acquired KFYR-TV, KMOT, KUMV-TV, KQCD-TV, and other stations, including KVLY-TV in Fargo and KSFY in Sioux Falls. The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction on November 17, 2006. The station ended analog transmission on February 16, 2009. Its digital signal moved from pre-transition UHF channel 52 to VHF channel 8, the station's former analog channel. In 2013, KUMV added MeTV, expanding its digital programming lineup. Hoak Media announced in November 2013 that most of its stations, including KUMV, would be sold to Gray Television. Gray initially proposed acquiring assets connected with Williston Fox affiliate KXND through Excalibur Broadcasting and operating the station under a shared-services arrangement. Prime Cities Broadcasting later asked the FCC to dismiss the proposed KXND sale. Gray instead acquired KXND's non-license assets and the license of the Williston low-power repeater KXND-LP. The Hoak transaction closed on June 13, 2014. Gray then shut down KXND's full-power signal and placed Fox programming on KUMV's second digital subchannel. KUMV remains part of the NBC North Dakota network. KFYR-TV supplies much of the regional infrastructure, including master control and certain internal operations. KMOT supplies the principal network and syndicated program feed for KUMV, while KUMV maintains its own identity and inserts local commercials, legal identifications, and local news segments. Weekday evening newscasts begin with regional news and weather from KMOT and continue with KUMV's local reporting and sports coverage. Weekend broadcasts are simulcast from KFYR-TV. The station's regional service also includes digital translators in Montana communities such as Fort Peck, Glasgow, Hinsdale, Poplar, Scobey, and Wolf Point. Through this structure, KUMV functions as both a Williston news outlet and a component of a geographically dispersed broadcast network serving central and western North Dakota and adjacent areas.

1. 2014Gray ownership begins

   Gray completed its acquisition of KUMV and moved Fox programming to a KUMV digital subchannel.

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2. 2013MeTV added

   MeTV joined KUMV's digital programming lineup.

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3. 2009Digital transition

   KUMV discontinued analog broadcasting and moved its digital operation to VHF channel 8.

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4. 2006Hoak Media acquisition

   Hoak Media acquired KUMV and related North Dakota stations; the transaction received FCC approval in November.

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5. 2002Ownership passes to The Wicks Group

   Sunrise Television sold the station group to The Wicks Group of Companies.

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6. 1997Meyer sells its television holdings

   The Meyer broadcast group, including KUMV, was sold to Sunrise Television Corporation.

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7. 1985Saskatchewan cable distribution ends

   Saskatchewan cable systems replaced KUMV and other North Dakota station feeds with CANCOM services.

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8. 1958Becomes a KMOT semi-satellite

   After KMOT launched in Minot, KUMV became part of KMOT's semi-satellite operation within the Meyer network.

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9. 1957KUMV-TV signs on

   KUMV-TV began broadcasting on February 6 as a semi-satellite of KFYR-TV.

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10. 1956Construction permit obtained

    Meyer Broadcasting obtained the construction permit that led to the launch of KUMV-TV.

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A regional broadcast outlet combining locally produced Williston news and advertising with NBC North Dakota network operations, NBC programming, and Fox service for western North Dakota and nearby Montana communities.

• KUMV-TV main channelBroadcast television channel1957

  The station's primary broadcast service carries NBC network programming, syndicated shows, local commercial inventory, legal identifications, and KUMV's locally inserted news and sports content for the Williston area and western North Dakota.

• KUMV Fox digital subchannelDigital multicast television2014

  KUMV's secondary digital service carries Fox programming for the western North Dakota market. The service was established after Gray shut down KXND's full-power signal and transferred Fox programming to KUMV's second digital subchannel.

• KUMV local newsTelevision news

  KUMV produces local inserts within the regional NBC North Dakota news structure. Its weekday 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. broadcasts combine regional news and weather from KMOT with locally focused reporting and sports coverage from Williston.

• West Dakota Fox News at NineTelevision news2014

  This Fox-affiliated 9 p.m. newscast serves the western North Dakota audience and originates from the NBC North Dakota operation at KFYR-TV's Bismarck facilities.

• 2014Integration of Fox programmingM&A

  Following Gray's acquisition of Hoak Media stations and changes involving Williston Fox affiliate KXND, Gray reorganized the local Fox service.

  What changed. Gray shut down KXND's full-power signal and moved Fox programming to KUMV's second digital subchannel.

  Aftermath. KUMV became both an NBC affiliate on its primary service and a Fox outlet through digital multicasting.

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• 2013Addition of MeTVProduct launch

  KUMV expanded its digital multicast lineup to offer additional television programming beyond its principal NBC service.

  What changed. The station began carrying MeTV in April, with an official launch date of May 1.

  Aftermath. MeTV became part of KUMV's secondary digital programming offering.

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• 2009Conversion to digital-only broadcastingOther

  The United States television industry was transitioning from analog to digital transmission, and KUMV's pre-transition UHF assignment was among the channels being removed from broadcast use.

  What changed. KUMV shut down its analog VHF channel 8 signal and relocated its digital operation from UHF channel 52 to VHF channel 8.

  Aftermath. The station continued as a digital VHF broadcaster using its historic channel position.

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• 2014Gray acquires KUMV-TV through Hoak Media transaction

  Gray Television completed its acquisition of Hoak Media's stations, including KUMV-TV, on June 13. Fox programming was subsequently moved to KUMV's second digital subchannel after Gray shut down KXND's full-power signal.

  M&AProduct generation
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• 2014West Dakota Fox News at Nine launches

  The Fox-affiliated digital subchannel introduced a 9 p.m. newscast branded West Dakota Fox News at Nine, produced from KFYR-TV's Bismarck facilities.

  Product launch
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• 2013MeTV added to KUMV-TV's programming lineup

  KUMV added MeTV programming in April, with the formal launch scheduled for May 1.

  Product launch
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• 2009KUMV-TV begins digital-only broadcasting

  KUMV ended analog broadcasting on VHF channel 8 and continued with a post-transition digital signal on the same channel.

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1. KUMV-TV
2. KUMV-TV official website