WKNX-TV

WKNX-TV is an independent television station licensed to Knoxville, Tennessee, and identified on channel 7. The station serves the Knoxville television market from facilities in the Green Valley section of the city, where its studios are located on Executive Park Drive near the Interstate 75 and Interstate 40 corridor. Its transmitter is situated on Sharp's Ridge near Knoxville's Oakwood section, just north of downtown. The station is owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group and operates alongside Lockwood's Fox affiliate WTNZ, creating a local broadcast relationship centered on general entertainment and syndicated programming rather than a national network affiliation. The station began broadcasting on July 31, 2004, under the call sign WMAK. It was among the early full-power American television stations to launch as an all-digital service without a full-power analog counterpart. Its initial programming model was independent television: syndicated shows, recent movies, and classic films were used to fill the schedule. This positioned the station as a locally available alternative to Knoxville's network affiliates, with programming flexibility rather than a single network identity. WMAK added Retro Television Network programming to its second digital subchannel in September 2008. The relationship later expanded, and by the middle of 2012 RTV programming had moved to the primary service while the secondary channel carried Daystar programming. This period reflected the station's changing ownership and evolving use of its digital multicast capacity. In 2009, Daystar Television Network acquired WMAK from South Central Communications for $2 million. Daystar ultimately used the station as part of its religious broadcasting portfolio, while the call sign remained WMAK for several years. Lockwood Broadcast Group agreed to acquire the station from Daystar in November 2012. The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction in December, and Lockwood assumed control in February 2013. The station returned to a general-entertainment format and adopted the consumer-facing identity “WKNX, The Knox.” The call sign formally changed to WKNX-TV in March 2013. Lockwood's acquisition initially paired WKNX with CW affiliate WBXX-TV, producing Knoxville's first television duopoly. That pairing ended after Gray Television acquired WBXX from Lockwood in a transaction associated with Gray's purchase of Schurz Communications' broadcasting assets. Gray took operational control of WBXX in February 2016, while WKNX remained with Lockwood. A later ownership transaction again created a duopoly relationship for WKNX. In 2018, Lockwood announced an agreement to acquire Fox affiliate WTNZ from Gray Television as part of divestitures connected to Gray's merger with Raycom Media. The WTNZ transaction closed on January 2, 2019, leaving WKNX and WTNZ under common ownership. WKNX therefore functions within a small Knoxville television group while retaining an independent identity. Its core offering is local access to syndicated entertainment and other independently scheduled television content, supported by digital broadcasting and the station's Knoxville-area transmission facilities.

WKNX-TV began service on July 31, 2004, as WMAK, an independent Knoxville station launched as a digital-only full-power television outlet. Its early schedule relied on syndicated programming and a mixture of newer and older motion pictures. The station was established by South Central Communications, a company with longstanding Knoxville broadcasting interests that also owned or operated local radio stations and had previously owned WVLT-TV. In September 2008, WMAK introduced Retro Television Network programming on its second digital subchannel. The station's digital arrangement later changed, with RTV programming moving to the main channel by the middle of 2012 and Daystar programming appearing on the secondary service. This transition coincided with a change in ownership. Daystar Television Network agreed to buy WMAK in April 2009, and the transaction was completed in July of that year for a reported $2 million. Lockwood Broadcast Group announced an agreement to purchase WMAK from Daystar on November 13, 2012. As part of the proposed transaction, Lockwood asked the FCC to approve a new call sign, WKNX-TV. Regulatory approval came on December 21. Lockwood took operational control on February 25, 2013, and returned the station to a general-entertainment format. The station began using the “WKNX, The Knox” identity, although the formal call-sign change did not take effect until March 19. The purchase was formally completed on March 4, 2013. At that point WKNX was paired with WBXX-TV, a CW affiliate, in Knoxville's first television duopoly. The WBXX relationship was later unwound. Gray Television announced in October 2015 that it would acquire WBXX from Lockwood as part of a larger transaction involving Schurz Communications' broadcast assets. The arrangement included asset exchanges and a payment from Lockwood to Gray; Gray assumed operation of WBXX in February 2016. WKNX continued as a Lockwood station. In August 2018, Lockwood announced another Knoxville acquisition: Fox affiliate WTNZ, purchased from Gray Television in a broader set of divestitures related to Gray's $3.5 billion merger with Raycom Media. The WTNZ sale closed on January 2, 2019. This transaction made WKNX and WTNZ sister stations and restored a duopoly structure for WKNX, this time with a Fox affiliate rather than the former CW partner. WKNX remains an independent station serving the Knoxville area through its studios on Executive Park Drive and transmitter on Sharp's Ridge.

• 2019

  WTNZ becomes a sister station

  [1]WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Lockwood completes its purchase of WTNZ, placing the independent WKNX and Fox affiliate WTNZ under common ownership.

• 2016

  WBXX leaves the Lockwood pairing

  [1]WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Gray completes its purchase of WBXX, ending WKNX's first Knoxville duopoly.

• 2013

  WKNX identity and general-entertainment format introduced

  [1]WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Lockwood assumes control, repositions the station as a general-entertainment outlet, and completes the WMAK-to-WKNX-TV call-sign transition.

• 2012

  Lockwood agrees to buy WMAK

  [1]WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Lockwood announces its planned acquisition and seeks approval for the WKNX-TV call sign.

• 2009

  Daystar completes WMAK acquisition

  [1]WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Daystar Television Network completes its purchase of WMAK from South Central Communications.

• 2008

  RTV launches on a digital subchannel

  [1]WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Retro Television Network programming is added to WMAK's second digital subchannel.

• 2004

  WMAK signs on

  [1]WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting in Knoxville on July 31 as an independent, full-power digital-only service.

A Knoxville-focused independent broadcast station offering general entertainment, syndicated programming, and films, with the flexibility of a non-network schedule.

• Broadcast television station · 2004

  WKNX-TV independent television service

  The station's primary offering is an independent over-the-air television service for Knoxville and surrounding East Tennessee communities. Its non-network status allows the schedule to be assembled from syndicated entertainment, films, and other acquired programming rather than being determined by a national broadcast network.

• Digital television · 2008

  Digital multicast services

  WKNX has used digital television capacity for additional programming services. Its history includes Retro Television Network programming and a period in which Daystar programming was carried on a digital subchannel, illustrating the station's use of multicast capacity to expand or modify its programming proposition.

• Station branding · 2013

  The Knox

  “The Knox” is the consumer-facing identity introduced when Lockwood converted the former WMAK into WKNX-TV. The branding connects the station directly with Knoxville while emphasizing its locally identifiable independent-station position.

• 2019

  Acquire WTNZ and form a new Knoxville duopolyM&A

  Background

  Gray divested selected stations in connection with its merger with Raycom Media.

  Action taken

  Lockwood acquired Fox affiliate WTNZ, completing the transaction on January 2, 2019.

  Aftermath

  WKNX gained WTNZ as a sister station and Lockwood again operated two Knoxville television outlets under common ownership.

  Source

• 2016

  Separate WKNX from WBXXM&A

  Background

  Gray Television's acquisition of Schurz Communications' broadcasting assets required related ownership changes involving WBXX.

  Action taken

  WBXX was transferred from Lockwood to Gray, while WKNX remained with Lockwood.

  Aftermath

  WKNX ceased to share ownership with WBXX and continued as a standalone Lockwood station in Knoxville.

  Source

• 2013

  Return to a general-entertainment independent formatStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring the station from Daystar, Lockwood changed its programming and market identity.

  Action taken

  Lockwood restored a general-entertainment schedule, introduced the “WKNX, The Knox” brand, and completed the call-sign change from WMAK to WKNX-TV.

  Aftermath

  The station resumed its role as an independent Knoxville entertainment outlet and became paired with WBXX-TV.

  Source

• 2008

  Add Retro Television Network programmingProduct launch

  Background

  WMAK sought to use its digital multicast capacity to broaden its schedule beyond the primary independent service.

  Action taken

  The station placed Retro Television Network programming on its second digital subchannel.

  Aftermath

  The distribution arrangement later changed, with RTV programming eventually moving to the primary channel before the station's 2013 ownership and branding transition.

  Source

1. 1WKNX-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official WKNX-TV websitetheknoxtv.com