KXMC-TV

KXMC-TV is a television station serving Minot and north-central North Dakota. Broadcasting on channel 13, it is part of the KX Television group and is owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station operates in close coordination with KXMB-TV in Bismarck, which serves as the group’s central production and master-control hub. Although KXMC is treated as one of the KX network’s principal full-power stations, much of its network, syndicated, and shared local programming is supplied from KXMB. KXMC nevertheless retains a distinct local identity through Minot-focused commercial inserts, station identifications, weather and sports material, and local reporting where available. The station began broadcasting in April 1953 as KCJB-TV, making it the first television station to sign on in North Dakota. It was established as a sister outlet to KCJB radio and was associated with Minot businessman Chester Reiten and Fargo businessman John Boler. Reiten and Boler also owned the Bismarck station that became KXMB-TV. In 1958, the owners acquired KCJB-TV and changed its call sign to KXMC-TV, beginning the KX branding that later connected stations in Minot, Bismarck, Williston, and Dickinson. KXMC historically served as the flagship of the regional KX Television network. The network’s stations have shared programming, technical resources, news content, and branding while maintaining local operations in their respective communities. KXMD-TV in Williston generally simulcasts KXMC, while KXMA-TV in Dickinson follows KXMB. The four stations are commonly treated as a single unit for ratings and regulatory purposes. KXMC’s terrestrial signal also reaches parts of the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, although Canadian cable carriage arrangements that once distributed North Dakota stations more broadly were reduced in the 1980s. For much of its history, KXMC carried CBS programming and competed in the northern portion of the North Dakota market with other local television outlets. It also had earlier secondary relationships with ABC and, briefly, the NTA Film Network. In the digital era, the station became part of the KXNet.com web initiative, which consolidated the websites of the KX stations and expanded the group’s online news and political coverage. The group also launched DakotaPolitics.com and streamed special election coverage online. Reiten Television sold the KX stations to Nexstar Broadcasting Group in a transaction announced in 2015 and completed in February 2016. The acquisition moved KXMC from family ownership into Nexstar’s national station portfolio and was followed by reductions in locally produced newscasts at the Minot outlet. KXMC now contributes to shared KX programming, including the regional morning program Good Day Dakota and a shared 5 p.m. newscast, while airing local inserts and station-specific material. Its current broadcast identity is associated with The CW, according to the cited station description, although the KX operation has historically been strongly associated with CBS and has undergone affiliation changes within the North Dakota market.

KXMC-TV began operations in April 1953 as KCJB-TV, a Minot station associated with KCJB radio. Its launch made it the first television station in North Dakota. The station was linked to Minot businessman Chester Reiten and Fargo businessman John Boler, who also owned the Bismarck television station that later became KXMB-TV. In 1958, Reiten and Boler acquired the Minot station and renamed it KXMC-TV, bringing it into the developing KX Television family. The KX stations evolved into a regional television network serving multiple North Dakota markets. KXMC became the flagship in Minot, while KXMB served Bismarck, KXMD served Williston, and KXMA served Dickinson. The stations shared branding and substantial programming but preserved market-specific commercial and news functions. KXMC and KXMB were the group’s principal full-power operations, while KXMD and KXMA functioned largely as simulcasting satellites. The KX stations were counted collectively for ratings and regulatory purposes. KXMC carried CBS programming for much of its history and had earlier secondary affiliations with ABC. The station also briefly carried programming from the NTA Film Network in the late 1950s. Its reach extended beyond the United States: before 1986, cable systems in Saskatchewan carried KXMD and other North Dakota signals, sometimes supported by sales operations in Saskatoon. Those arrangements ended after Canadian cable operators received authorization to substitute stations from larger U.S. markets. Ownership of the KX stations remained connected to the Reiten family for decades. Boler sold his interest to Reiten in 1971. Chester Reiten later retired and transferred his interest to his five children, including Steve Reiten, Dave Reiten, Kathleen Reiten Hruby, Tim Reiten, and Melanie Reiten Shonkwiler. Tim Reiten served as company president. The KX stations occasionally shared news with related outlets, including KXJB-TV in Fargo, which had previously been co-owned but separately programmed. The group expanded its digital presence in 2006 with KX Net, a web portal structure that brought the individual station websites under KXNet.com while retaining localized front pages. The online operation later received regional recognition for its website. In 2007, KXNet.com and Midkota Solutions launched DakotaPolitics.com to provide North Dakota political reporting, candidate information, voting records, analysis, and election polling. In 2008, the operation streamed special coverage of the presidential caucuses, expanding the KX brand beyond conventional broadcasting. In July 2008, Reiten Television entered a joint commercial-sales agreement involving KXMC and KMCY, Minot’s ABC affiliate. The arrangement allowed advertising inventory for the two stations to be sold together, while KXMC housed sales and engineering personnel supporting KMCY’s operations. The relationship ended after Nexstar acquired the Reiten stations. KXMC also became an important local information source during the 2011 Minot flood. The station carried a 24-hour flood-coverage operation, reflecting the civic role of local television during a regional emergency. Its news operation historically produced separate noon, evening, and weekend newscasts, but these services were reduced after Nexstar’s acquisition. KXMC now relies more heavily on shared KXMB production, including Good Day Dakota and a shared 5 p.m. newscast, with local material inserted for the Minot market. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its acquisition of Reiten Television on September 17, 2015. The deal, reported at $44 million in the cited reference, closed on February 2, 2016. Nexstar subsequently ended the joint sales agreement with KMCY and consolidated portions of KXMC’s news and technical operations with the broader KX network. The station completed the U.S. digital television transition in 2009, shutting down its analog channel 13 signal and returning to VHF channel 13 for post-transition digital service. The cited reference identifies KXMC as a current CW outlet and describes it as a semi-satellite of KXMB, while also documenting the station’s long CBS history and subsequent affiliation changes.

1. 2016Nexstar ownership begins

   Nexstar completed its acquisition of Reiten Television and assumed ownership of KXMC-TV.

   Source
2. 2011Extended Minot flood coverage

   KXMC delivered 24-hour coverage during severe flooding in Minot.

   Source
3. 2009Digital television transition

   KXMC ended analog broadcasting on VHF channel 13 and continued digital operations on VHF channel 13 after the transition.

   Source
4. 2006KXNet.com consolidates station websites

   The KX stations introduced a shared web portal with localized pages for each market.

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5. 1986Secondary ABC affiliation ends

   The KX stations’ secondary ABC relationship ended after KMCY began operating as a full-time ABC affiliate.

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6. 1971Boler sells his interest in the KX stations

   John Boler sold his ownership interest to Chester Reiten, leaving the Reiten family in control of the KX stations.

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7. 1958Call sign changes to KXMC-TV

   After acquisition by Chester Reiten and John Boler, KCJB-TV adopted the KXMC-TV call sign and joined the KX Television family.

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8. 1953Station launches as KCJB-TV

   KCJB-TV began broadcasting in Minot in April, becoming the first television station in North Dakota.

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A regional network television station combining shared KX Television programming with locally targeted coverage, advertising, and weather and sports inserts for Minot and northern North Dakota.

• KXMC-TV broadcast serviceTelevision broadcasting1953

  The station’s primary over-the-air service for Minot and surrounding areas. It carries network and syndicated programming supplied through the KX Television operation, together with local identifications, commercial inserts, weather, sports, and market-specific news material.

• KX NewsLocal television news

  The KX stations’ shared news operation. KXMC contributes Minot-area coverage and local inserts while sharing selected broadcasts with KXMB and other KX outlets. The operation includes morning and afternoon or evening programming as well as weather and sports updates.

• Good Day DakotaTelevision news program

  A shared KX Television morning program, formerly known as KX News Morning. The program is produced for distribution across the KX stations and includes regional news, weather, traffic, and community information.

• KXNet.comDigital news platform2006

  A web portal that unified the online presence of the KX stations while retaining localized landing pages. It expanded the group’s distribution of local news, weather, video, political reporting, and live online broadcasts.

• DakotaPolitics.comPolitical news website2007

  A political news and information website launched by KXNet.com with Midkota Solutions. Its reported features included candidate profiles, voting records, analysis, and tracking polls for the 2008 elections.

• 2011Minot flood coverage

  Minot, North Dakota

  KXMC organized 24-hour news coverage during the major Minot flood, providing continuous updates and emergency information to residents. The operation demonstrated the station’s role as a local emergency-information service.

  Outcome. The coverage became one of the station’s notable examples of extended community-focused broadcasting.

  Source
• 2008Presidential caucus livestream

  North Dakota

  KXNet.com streamed a one-hour special covering the 2008 presidential caucuses, using the Internet to extend the KX news operation beyond conventional television distribution.

  Outcome. The initiative was described in the reference material as the first live online news broadcast by a North Dakota website.

  Source

• 2016Consolidation of local news productionStrategy

  After the Nexstar acquisition, the KX stations reorganized news production around KXMB’s Bismarck facilities.

  What changed. KXMC discontinued its noon, weekday evening, and weekend newscasts and shifted toward shared KXMB-produced broadcasts with Minot-specific sports and weather inserts.

  Aftermath. KXMC continued operating as a local station and KX semi-satellite, but with a smaller separately produced news schedule.

  Source
• 2015Sale of Reiten Television to NexstarM&A

  The Reiten family’s KX Television stations were offered for acquisition as part of a broader ownership transition.

  What changed. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the purchase of Reiten Television, including KXMC-TV, in September 2015; the transaction closed on February 2, 2016.

  Aftermath. KXMC became part of Nexstar’s station portfolio. Nexstar terminated the KXMC–KMCY joint sales agreement and consolidated portions of KXMC’s news operation with KXMB.

  Reported transaction value. $44 million (2015 announcement; closed February 2, 2016)

  Source
• 2008Joint advertising sales with KMCYStrategy

  Reiten Television controlled KXMC while Forum Communications owned Minot ABC affiliate KMCY. The stations sought to coordinate commercial sales despite having different owners.

  What changed. Reiten Television began a joint agreement to sell advertising inventory for both stations, with KXMC hosting sales and engineering personnel supporting KMCY.

  Aftermath. The arrangement ended after Nexstar acquired the Reiten stations in 2016.

  Source

• 2016KX Television newscast operations were consolidated after the Nexstar acquisition

  Following Nexstar’s acquisition of the KX stations, KXMC’s noon, weekday evening, and weekend newscasts were discontinued. The station retained shared programming and inserted Minot-focused sports and weather material into certain KXMB-produced broadcasts.

  Leadership change
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• 2015KX stations sold to Nexstar Broadcasting Group

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced an agreement to acquire Reiten Television, including KXMC-TV, for a reported transaction value of $44 million. The sale closed in February 2016 and transferred the station from the Reiten family’s ownership to Nexstar.

  M&A
  Source
• 2011KXMC provided extended coverage of the 2011 Minot flood

  During extensive flood coverage in Minot, KXMC carried a 24-hour news operation. Actor and Minot native Josh Duhamel called the station from Moscow to express support for the affected community.

  Other
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• 2008KXNet.com streamed statewide caucus coverage online

  The KX web operation streamed a one-hour special covering the 2008 presidential caucuses, described in the reference material as the first live news broadcast delivered over the Internet by a North Dakota website.

  Product launchCampaign
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• 2008KXMC entered a joint advertising-sales arrangement with KMCY

  Reiten Television began jointly selling commercial inventory for KXMC and KMCY, the latter being Minot’s ABC affiliate owned by Forum Communications Company.

  Other
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• 2007KXNet.com launched DakotaPolitics.com

  KXNet.com and Midkota Solutions introduced a digital publication focused on North Dakota political news, candidate profiles, voting records, analysis, and election polling.

  Product launch
  Source

1. KXMC-TV