KXNW
An independent television station in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation serving Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas River Valley.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KXNW is a full-power television station licensed to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and serving viewers across Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas River Valley. Although its city of license lies in the Springfield, Missouri, designated market area, Nielsen places the station in the Fort Smith–Fayetteville television market. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 34 and is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which operates it alongside KNWA-TV and KFTA-TV. Nexstar's Tegna subsidiary separately owns KFSM-TV, another major station in the market. The station began broadcasting on June 19, 2000, under the call sign KWBS-TV. Its original ownership was Equity Broadcasting, which initially intended the station to represent the WB network in the Springfield area. Equity instead launched Harrison-based KWBM as the Springfield WB affiliate, leaving channel 34 to affiliate with Pax, the network now known as Ion Television. In 2003, the station moved to Lick TV, a short-lived Equity network that included professional wrestling programming. That affiliation ended after approximately one year, and the station subsequently became the WB affiliate for Northwest Arkansas under the call sign KWFT. The impending 2006 shutdown of The WB and UPN created another series of changes. The station adopted the KBBL-TV call sign in July 2006 and was initially associated with Equity's Retro Television Network. Following broader affiliation changes in the Fort Smith market, however, it adopted the KPBI call sign in September 2006 and carried the programming schedule of KPBI-CA, including MyNetworkTV programming. The station later moved through several ownership and programming arrangements, including a period under Pinnacle Media and its successor, Riverside Media. It also carried Retro Television Network and later MeTV programming before becoming part of a larger local television group. Local TV, owner of KFSM-TV, agreed to acquire the station in a transaction structured under the Federal Communications Commission's failing-station waiver provisions. The sale closed on January 5, 2012, when the station became KXNW. Local TV immediately replaced the previous programming with a simulcast of KFSM's digital subchannel, which carried MyNetworkTV during weekday prime time alongside syndicated and other secondary programming. KXNW also carried simulcasts of KFSM services on additional digital subchannels. Tribune Broadcasting acquired Local TV's stations in 2013, making KXNW part of Tribune's portfolio. Tribune was later the subject of a proposed acquisition by Sinclair Broadcast Group, but that transaction was terminated following regulatory scrutiny and litigation. Nexstar Media Group subsequently agreed to acquire Tribune Media. Because KXNW did not create a prohibited top-four ownership conflict in the local market, Nexstar retained it while divesting KFSM to Tegna. The Nexstar-Tribune transaction closed on September 19, 2019. KXNW's programming is primarily independent in character, with a continuing secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation. The station's local news output has changed with ownership. KFSM-produced morning and evening newscasts began in 2012 but ended after Nexstar retained KXNW and Tegna acquired KFSM in 2019. KNWA began producing a 7 p.m. newscast for KXNW in 2020. Because KXNW's over-the-air signal does not reach Fort Smith, its high-definition service is also simulcast through a digital subchannel of KFTA-TV, mapped to virtual channel 34.1. The station's transmitter is located on Humphrey Mountain near Garfield.
History
KXNW began operations on June 19, 2000, as KWBS-TV, a new channel 34 station licensed to Eureka Springs. Equity Broadcasting initially associated the call sign with the WB network, but it selected another Equity-owned station, KWBM in Harrison, to serve as the Springfield-area WB affiliate. As a result, KWBS-TV instead affiliated with Pax. In 2003, it replaced Pax with Lick TV, an Equity-controlled network known in part for professional wrestling programming. That arrangement was short-lived, and the station later joined The WB as the Northwest Arkansas affiliate and adopted the KWFT call sign. When The WB and UPN announced plans to cease operations and be replaced by The CW, the station changed its call sign to KBBL-TV on July 6, 2006. It was initially expected to carry Retro Television Network programming after The WB closed. Market affiliation developments soon altered that plan. On September 22, 2006, the station became KPBI and adopted the programming schedule of KPBI-CA, including MyNetworkTV programming. A related low-power repeater retained the KWFT-LP call sign. Equity Broadcasting entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in December 2008, complicating the station's digital-facility plans and ownership arrangements. After the station failed to attract a buyer at a bankruptcy auction, Pinnacle Media acquired it in 2009 through a transaction initially involving Silver Point Finance and a local marketing arrangement with Equity. Pinnacle assumed operational control on August 5, 2009, and completed the purchase on November 3. The company was reorganized as Riverside Media in August 2010, with a change in minority ownership. KPBI was announced as a Retro Television Network affiliate in August 2009, but that affiliation later ended. By October 30, 2011, the station had replaced RTV with MeTV programming. Local TV, the owner of KFSM-TV, filed to purchase KPBI on September 1, 2011, relying on an FCC failing-station waiver because the local market had a limited number of independent full-power stations. The sale closed on January 5, 2012, and the station became KXNW. Its former MeTV and RTV schedule was replaced with a simulcast of KFSM's digital subchannel, including MyNetworkTV in weekday prime time, syndicated programs, and limited Antenna TV content. Its digital subchannels also carried simulcasts of KFSM services. KXNW entered the Tribune Broadcasting group when Tribune completed its purchase of Local TV stations on December 27, 2013. Tribune's later proposed sale to Sinclair Broadcast Group was terminated after regulatory objections and a dispute that led Tribune to sue Sinclair. Nexstar Media Group then agreed to acquire Tribune Media in a transaction announced in December 2018. To address ownership issues, KFSM was sold to Tegna, while KXNW remained with Nexstar because its audience position did not create a top-four conflict under applicable FCC rules. The transaction closed on September 19, 2019. KXNW's physical operations are linked to other Northwest Arkansas stations. Its studios are shared with KNWA-TV and KFTA-TV on Dickson Street in downtown Fayetteville, with additional facilities in Rogers and Fort Smith. The transmitter is on Humphrey Mountain near Garfield. Since the main signal does not adequately reach Fort Smith, KFTA-TV carries an HD simulcast mapped to virtual channel 34.1. KFSM-produced local newscasts launched on KXNW in March 2012, but ended after the 2019 ownership separation. KNWA began producing a 7 p.m. KXNW newscast in 2020. The station remains primarily independent while maintaining a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.
- 2020
KNWA-produced news service begins
[1]KNWA starts producing a 7 p.m. newscast for KXNW.
- 2019
Nexstar becomes owner
[1]Nexstar completes its Tribune acquisition and retains KXNW while KFSM is transferred to Tegna.
- 2013
KXNW joins Tribune Broadcasting
[1]Tribune completes its acquisition of Local TV's stations on December 27.
- 2012
Local TV acquires the station and renames it KXNW
[1]The sale closes on January 5, and channel 34 adopts the KXNW call sign.
- 2009
Pinnacle Media assumes control
[1]Pinnacle Media takes operational control in August and completes its acquisition in November.
- 2006
Call signs and network plans change
[1]The station becomes KBBL-TV in July and then KPBI in September as market affiliation plans surrounding The WB's closure change.
- 2004
Station joins The WB
[1]The station becomes the Northwest Arkansas affiliate of The WB and adopts the KWFT call sign.
- 2003
Pax affiliation is replaced by Lick TV
[1]The station moves from Pax to Equity's short-lived Lick TV network.
- 2000
Channel 34 begins broadcasting
[1]The station signs on June 19 as KWBS-TV, licensed to Eureka Springs.
Products and positioning
A locally licensed Northwest Arkansas television station combining independent programming, MyNetworkTV content, syndicated shows, and selected local news services within the Nexstar station group.
Broadcast television · 2000
KXNW channel 34 service
KXNW's principal broadcast service is transmitted from Humphrey Mountain near Garfield and serves Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas River Valley. Its signal is also distributed in high definition through KFTA-TV's fifth digital subchannel because the main transmitter does not adequately cover Fort Smith. The service is primarily independent, supplemented by MyNetworkTV and syndicated programming.
Network television · 2012
MyNetworkTV programming
MyNetworkTV is carried as a secondary affiliation rather than as the station's sole programming identity. The affiliation supplies weekday prime-time network content, while other dayparts may contain syndicated shows and additional programming arranged by the station group.
News programming · 2012
Local news
KXNW has carried locally produced news at different points in its history. KFSM-produced morning and evening newscasts began in 2012 and ended after the 2019 ownership changes. KNWA later began producing a 7 p.m. newscast for the station in 2020.
Brand decisions
2019
Nexstar retains KXNW after acquiring Tribune MediaM&ABackground
Nexstar already owned KNWA-TV and KFTA-TV in the market, while Tribune owned KXNW and KFSM-TV. Regulatory clearance required changes to the combined station portfolio.
Action taken
Nexstar retained KXNW and divested KFSM-TV to Tegna as part of the broader Tribune transaction and related station transfers.
Aftermath
KXNW became part of Nexstar's Northwest Arkansas station group, and its previous KFSM-produced news arrangement ended.
Tribune Media acquisition value. $6.4 billion in cash and assumed debt (Transaction announced December 3, 2018; completed September 19, 2019)
2012
Local TV purchases KPBIM&ABackground
Local TV sought to combine the station with its KFSM operation in a relatively small television market where ordinary duopoly rules presented a regulatory obstacle.
Action taken
The acquisition was structured through an FCC failing-station waiver, closed on January 5, and was followed by the adoption of the KXNW call sign.
Aftermath
KXNW began carrying a simulcast of KFSM's MyNetworkTV-associated digital service and related syndicated programming.
Purchase price. $784,000 (Purchase filing announced September 1, 2011; transaction closed January 5, 2012)
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