KVLY-TV

KVLY-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Fargo, North Dakota, and serving the Fargo–Moorhead market and much of the Red River Valley. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 11 and is affiliated with NBC. It operates alongside KXJB-LD, a low-power station carrying CBS and CW programming, and presents much of its local news output under the Valley News Live brand. KVLY's principal studios are on 21st Avenue South in Fargo, while its main transmitter is near Blanchard, North Dakota. The station also maintains a news bureau and sales office in downtown Grand Forks. Channel 11 began broadcasting on October 11, 1959, as KXGO-TV. It was established by the North Dakota Broadcasting Company, controlled by John Boler, who also owned KXJB-TV. In its initial form, KXGO-TV had limited local infrastructure and functioned primarily as an ABC outlet, carrying network programming into the immediate Fargo–Moorhead area. Ownership changed in the early 1960s, and the station underwent a major technical and editorial expansion. It moved to a powerful new tower near Blanchard, adopted the call sign KTHI-TV in 1964, and expanded its service area to reach Grand Forks and other parts of eastern North Dakota. The tower became one of the most prominent structures in broadcasting history and was, for a period, the world's tallest structure. The expanded signal allowed KTHI-TV to replace KNOX-TV in the Grand Forks area and develop into a full-service station with local news and other original programming. Morgan Murphy Stations owned the station from 1969 to 1995. During much of that period, KTHI competed from a weaker position in local news, particularly against WDAY-TV and KXJB-TV, although it gradually expanded its morning and evening news schedules. In 1983, the station changed network affiliations from ABC to NBC after ABC moved its Fargo-area affiliation to WDAY-TV and WDAZ-TV. Meyer Television acquired the station in 1995, and the call letters changed to KVLY-TV that June. The new identity referred to the Red River Valley and separated the station from its former KTHI branding. Under Meyer and subsequent owners, KVLY improved its competitive position in local news, moving from a distant third toward second place and eventually becoming a strong competitor to WDAY. Meyer sold its television properties to Sunrise Television in 1998. A private-equity-backed group acquired the stations in 2002, and Hoak Media later bought them in 2006. KVLY's relationship with KXJB became increasingly integrated during the 2000s. In 2003, KVLY acquired KXJB's non-license assets and began providing most operational services under a local marketing agreement. The two stations eventually combined their late-evening and weekend news operations under the Valley News Live name. This arrangement helped create a larger regional news operation and allowed the stations to share facilities, personnel, and production resources. Gray Television acquired KVLY in 2014. Regulatory changes and the failure of a planned transaction involving KXJB prevented Gray from continuing the previous arrangement in its original form. CBS programming was moved to a KVLY digital subchannel, while KXJB's former full-power facility was sold and later taken off the air. Gray subsequently used low-power facilities in the region, including KXJB-LD, to maintain complementary service. KVLY now distributes NBC programming on its primary channel and participates in a broader Valley News Live operation that also produces news for CBS and CW outlets. As of September 2024, the combined operation produced approximately 39 hours of local news each week across its NBC, CBS, and CW services.

KVLY-TV's channel allocation originated in a broader reorganization of television assignments in the Upper Midwest. Fargo had initially been associated with channel 13, but that allocation changed after a civic request sought channel 13 for Bemidji, Minnesota. A subsequent application by the Fargo Telecasting Company was withdrawn, leaving the North Dakota Broadcasting Company, controlled by John Boler, as the principal applicant for channel 11. The Federal Communications Commission approved the application in 1959. The station signed on October 11, 1959, as KXGO-TV. Its studios were associated with Boler's Fargo broadcasting operations, and its early schedule was dominated by ABC network material. It had little local programming or production capacity at launch. In 1962, ownership passed to interests associated with Ferris Traylor, who also controlled KNOX-TV in Grand Forks and KCND-TV in Pembina. The new owners planned a major restructuring of channel 11's coverage and transmission facilities. The station changed its call sign to KEND-TV in 1963 and constructed a new tower near Blanchard. Engineering delays, including a problem involving defective tower steel, postponed activation, but the facility became operational in February 1964. The call sign was changed again to KTHI-TV, referring to the tower's exceptional height. The new signal substantially enlarged channel 11's reach and made KNOX-TV in Grand Forks redundant. KTHI absorbed elements of the former station's operation and established a more substantial local presence in both Fargo and Grand Forks. Ownership moved through Polaris, Natco, and Fuqua-related corporate structures before Morgan Murphy Stations acquired the station in 1969. KTHI remained financially challenged during its early Morgan Murphy years, but gradually developed its news operation. It introduced or expanded early-evening, morning, and Grand Forks-focused programming at different points. Despite these efforts, its late news initially trailed the established competition from WDAY–WDAZ and KXJB. The 1983 affiliation change was a major strategic turning point. ABC sought a stronger Fargo-market partner and moved its relationship to WDAY-TV and WDAZ-TV. KTHI consequently became an NBC affiliate, a role it retains. The station was also distributed on Canadian cable systems in Manitoba for a period, but those systems later replaced it and KXJB with network affiliates supplied through CANCOM. Meyer Television acquired KTHI in 1995. The station adopted the KVLY-TV call sign in June of that year, using a regional identity connected to the Red River Valley. Meyer sold its television assets to Sunrise Television in 1998. In 2002, a consortium of private-equity firms acquired KVLY and related stations. The following year, KVLY assumed most operating functions for KXJB under a local marketing agreement. The stations' facilities and news resources became progressively integrated, culminating in the Valley News Live shared-news brand in 2007. Hoak Media acquired KVLY and related stations in 2006. Gray Television announced its acquisition of most Hoak stations in 2013 and completed the transaction in 2014. Gray could not preserve the intended KXJB arrangement because of regulatory restrictions and the collapse of a proposed ownership structure. KXJB's CBS service was transferred to a KVLY subchannel, while the former full-power facility was sold and later shut down. Gray subsequently added low-power facilities to support CBS and related service in the market. KVLY remains an active NBC affiliate and a central component of Gray's Fargo-area television operations. Its current identity combines network distribution with the Valley News Live regional news brand. The station's programming includes local news, weather, severe-weather information, community coverage, advertising, and occasional sports. North Dakota State football was formerly part of its sports portfolio, but those rights moved to WDAY-TV in 2021.

1. 2021North Dakota State football rights depart

   Regular-season NDSU football broadcasts and related pregame programming move to WDAY-TV.

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2. 2014Gray Television becomes owner

   Gray completes its acquisition of KVLY from Hoak Media.

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3. 2014CBS programming shifts to a KVLY subchannel

   The market's CBS service moves to a digital subchannel of KVLY following changes to the KXJB transaction.

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4. 2007Valley News Live brand introduced

   KVLY and KXJB combine major portions of their news presentation under a common regional brand.

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5. 2003KXJB operating consolidation

   KVLY begins providing most operational services for KXJB under a local marketing agreement.

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6. 1998Sale to Sunrise Television

   Meyer exits television broadcasting and sells KVLY and related stations to Sunrise Television.

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7. 1995Meyer Television acquisition and KVLY rebrand

   Meyer Television acquires the station, which changes its call sign from KTHI-TV to KVLY-TV.

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8. 1983NBC affiliation begins

   KTHI-TV exchanges ABC for NBC as the Fargo market's network affiliations are realigned.

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9. 1969Morgan Murphy Stations acquires KTHI-TV

   KTHI-TV is sold to Spokane Television, a Morgan Murphy Stations subsidiary.

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10. 1964KTHI-TV launches expanded service

    The station activates its major tower facility, changes to KTHI-TV, and begins serving a much larger area including Grand Forks.

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11. 1963Call sign changes to KEND-TV

    The station adopts a call sign associated with eastern North Dakota while preparing its expanded transmission facility.

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12. 1959Channel 11 signs on as KXGO-TV

    The Fargo television station begins broadcasting as an ABC affiliate.

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A regional NBC television outlet combining network programming with locally produced news, weather, sports, digital journalism, and advertising services for eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.

• NBC programmingNetwork-affiliate television1983

  KVLY-TV's primary service carries NBC network programming for viewers in the Fargo–Moorhead and surrounding Red River Valley market. The affiliation has been continuous since 1983, when the station, then branded KTHI-TV, changed from ABC to NBC during a broader local network realignment.

• Valley News LiveLocal news2007

  Valley News Live is the shared regional news identity associated with KVLY and related Gray-operated services. It presents local reporting, weather, severe-weather coverage, sports, investigations, and community features for Fargo–Moorhead, Grand Forks, and nearby areas. The combined operation produces news for NBC, CBS, and CW services.

• Regional sports programmingSports broadcasting

  KVLY has periodically carried regional sports, including North Dakota State Bison football and a related pregame program. The station's NDSU football rights ended after the 2020–2021 season when Forum Communications secured the broadcasts for WDAY-TV.

• Digital broadcast subchannelsMultichannel television2014

  KVLY's digital transmission supports additional services alongside its primary NBC channel. Following the 2014 restructuring of KXJB, CBS programming was placed on a KVLY subchannel, allowing the group to continue offering multiple network services in the Fargo market.

• 2014Acquisition by Gray TelevisionM&A

  Hoak Media announced the sale of most of its television stations, including KVLY-TV, to Gray Television.

  What changed. Gray completed the acquisition and assumed control of KVLY's operations.

  Aftermath. Gray reorganized the relationship with KXJB and developed a structure using KVLY subchannels and low-power facilities for complementary network services.

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• 2014Move CBS programming to a KVLY subchannelStrategy

  A planned sale and local marketing arrangement for KXJB could not proceed after regulatory changes and the proposed buyer's withdrawal.

  What changed. Gray moved CBS programming to a digital subchannel of KVLY after KXJB was sold and its full-power facility was later taken off the air.

  Aftermath. Gray acquired and operated low-power facilities, including KXJB-LD, to supplement CBS service in the region.

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• 2007Launch of Valley News Live shared news identityProduct launch

  KVLY and KXJB had already been sharing some news resources, including weekend programming.

  What changed. The stations combined their weeknight late-evening news operations and adopted Valley News Live as a common brand.

  Aftermath. The shared operation became a central regional news platform and continued under Gray ownership.

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• 2003Consolidation with KXJB-TVStrategy

  KVLY and KXJB operated in the same regional market and sought to share production and operating resources.

  What changed. KVLY acquired KXJB's non-license assets and began providing most operating functions under a local marketing agreement.

  Aftermath. The stations expanded facility sharing and later combined major news presentations under the Valley News Live name.

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• 1983Switch from ABC to NBCStrategy

  ABC sought a stronger affiliation in the Fargo market and moved its relationship to WDAY-TV and WDAZ-TV.

  What changed. KTHI-TV accepted the NBC affiliation, beginning the station's long-running relationship with NBC.

  Aftermath. The station retained NBC affiliation after later changing its call sign to KVLY-TV.

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• 2021North Dakota State football rights move from KVLY

  North Dakota State Bison football broadcasts moved to WDAY-TV after Forum Communications obtained the rights.

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• 2014Gray Television completes acquisition of KVLY-TV

  Gray Television completed its acquisition of KVLY and other Hoak Media stations, while regulatory changes disrupted the planned continuation of the KXJB operating arrangement.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2014CBS programming moves to KVLY subchannel

  After the KXJB transaction changed course, CBS programming began airing on a KVLY digital subchannel.

  Product launch
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• 2007Valley News Live launches combined news branding

  The stations combined their weeknight late news and used Valley News Live as a shared news identity.

  Product launch
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• 2003KVLY and KXJB consolidate operating functions

  KVLY began providing most non-programming operations for KXJB under a local marketing agreement, leading to closer integration of the stations.

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• 1995KTHI-TV becomes KVLY-TV

  Following Meyer Television's acquisition, the station adopted the KVLY-TV call sign to emphasize its Red River Valley service area.

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• 1983KTHI-TV changes affiliation from ABC to NBC

  KTHI became an NBC affiliate after ABC shifted its Fargo-market relationship to WDAY-TV and WDAZ-TV.

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• 1964Station adopts KTHI-TV identity and activates expanded tower facility

  The station moved to its major new transmission facility, expanded its coverage toward Grand Forks, and changed its call sign to KTHI-TV.

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• 1959KVLY-TV begins broadcasting as KXGO-TV

  Channel 11 launched in the Fargo area as KXGO-TV and initially carried ABC programming with little local production.

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1. KVLY-TV
2. Valley News Live