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KSTU (channel 13) is a television station in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. KSTU is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside Provo-licensed KUPX-TV (channel 16), an independent station. The two stations share studios on West Amelia Earhart Drive in the northwestern section of Salt Lake City; KSTU's transmitter is located on Farnsworth Peak in the Oquirrh Mountains, southwest of Salt Lake City. More than 80 dependent translators carry its signal throughout Utah and portions of neighboring states.

Key Information

KSTU went on the air in 1978 as the third attempt at an independent station in the Salt Lake City market. It was by far the most successful to date; it was the first independent in the market to last longer than two years. Broadcasting on channel 20, it was also the first commercial UHF outlet in the state. It was built by and named for Springfield Television, the Massachusetts-based firm that owned it. KSTU was sold to Adams Communications in 1984 and affiliated with Fox at its launch in 1986.

While KSTU was starting on channel 20, a decade-long proceeding began to assign VHF channel 13, which had been made available in Salt Lake City in 1980. Eight applicants submitted bids; Mountain West Television, a consortium of mostly local partners, emerged with the construction permit after buying out its competitors' interests. In what the partners later described as coerced action coordinated by their legal counsel and financial backers, the company bought KSTU's intellectual property and moved it to channel 13 in November 1987 instead of building and staffing its own station.

Between 1989 and 2007, KSTU was a Fox owned-and-operated station. In 1991, the station began producing local newscasts, which Fox and subsequent owners would use as the foundation for an emphasis on news. After Fox spun off its smaller owned-and-operated stations in 2007, KSTU has been owned in succession by Local TV LLC, Tribune Media, and Scripps. KSTU broadcasts the Scripps-owned Ion Television as a subchannel.

History

[edit]

What would become the Salt Lake City market had an ignominious history with independent television before KSTU. Two attempts to operate independent stations on the VHF band in the late 1950s and early 1960s both fell through. KLOR-TV signed on in 1958 from Provo. However, poor transmitter site selection hindered reception for many viewers in the Wasatch Front whose antennas were aimed at the Oquirrh Mountains. It signed off in 1960, having been placed in bankruptcy,[2][3] and the license was sold to Brigham Young University for reactivation as KBYU-TV.[4] At the other end of the Wasatch Front, in Ogden, KVOG-TV began on channel 9 in 1960 but was sold to the Ogden city school board in 1962 and converted to educational use as KOET, which ceased broadcasting in 1973.[5] During KOET's life, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) blocked an attempt by the school board to sell the station back to a buyer to be reverted to commercial use because of the effects such a reclassification would have on the development of UHF, then an agency priority, and on educational broadcasting in northern Utah.[6]

The channel 20 years

[edit]

Channel 20 was allocated to Salt Lake City in 1952,[7] but there was no interest in the channel until a 1967 application was made by the Great Desert Broadcasting Company, which was never granted.[8]

In September 1977, Springfield, Massachusetts–based Springfield Television, whose other holdings were NBC-affiliated flagship WWLP in Springfield and ABC affiliate WKEF in Dayton, Ohio, applied to the FCC for channel 20.[9] There had been a previous full-service UHF educational station in the state: KWCS-TV (channel 18) in Ogden, owned by the Weber County school system.[10] The Springfield Television application came at a time when the Salt Lake market appeared "ripe" for a fourth station. By this time, two other events were occurring: another attempt was being made to restore channel 9 at Ogden to commercial status, and the FCC was also considering adding channel 13 to Salt Lake City.[11]

In March 1978, the FCC granted a construction permit to Springfield Television, which had previously announced that channel 20 would be Utah's only independent station and only commercial UHF outlet.[12][9] Office space in the Salt Lake International Center, west of the airport, was constructed,[13] KSTU began broadcasting on October 24, 1978,[14] with a programming lineup typical of independent stations[15] and broadcasting from a transmitter site leased from KSL-TV in the Oquirrh Mountains.[16] As the first UHF station in Utah in five years and the first-ever UHF outlet serving the full Salt Lake market, station promotions prior to the launch explained to viewers how to tune in: "Ever wonder what that other dial is for? It's for 'U'!"[17] Almost immediately, Springfield Television also began building translators of its own in order to match the total coverage area of the existing local stations.[18] The first KSTU-owned translator, on Levan Peak serving Aurora, went into service in September 1979.[19] Even though Washington County rejected KSTU's initial proposal when the station did not offer funding to connect KSTU into the county translator network,[20] new translators continued to come into service for several years in areas such as Orangeville,[21] Cedar City,[22] and Vernal.[23]

Springfield Television reached an agreement to sell its entire group to Adams Communications in 1983 for $47.3 million.[24][25] The Adams offer met the conditions for Springfield to sell: the stations were sold together, the current management was retained, and the price was agreeable.[26] The deal was closed in 1984.[27] On October 9, 1986, the station became a charter affiliate of the new Fox network. However, like most early Fox affiliates, the station was still mostly programmed as an independent due to Fox's limited output.[28]

Channel 13 drops in

[edit]

When the FCC allocated television channels, the station spacing guidelines meant that inserting channel 13 in Salt Lake City was not possible. In 1968, the FCC denied a petition by Salt Lake radio station KLUB to add channel 13 to Salt Lake City so it could apply to build a companion TV station, which would have required changes in unused VHF assignments in Richfield, Vernal, and Rock Springs, Wyoming. That petition was opposed by Great Desert, which at the time was seeking channel 20; the Salt Lake VHF stations; and educational television interests in Utah, including KWCS-TV, who were concerned that a commercial station on channel 13 would affect the translators they used to rebroadcast their programming.[29]

The concept of VHF drop-ins—changes to station spacing that permitted the insertion of new VHF channel allocations in cities across the United States—continued to be of interest, particularly because, in other cities, there were not enough VHF television stations for all three major networks. In 1977, the FCC initially approved four drop-ins nationwide—including channel 13 for Salt Lake—having whittled down the number of proposed new channels in the preceding years.[30] Its studies found that Salt Lake could support not one but two independent VHF outlets.[31] Springfield Television, then still applying for a permit, asked for a chance to establish itself in the market before a VHF station was dropped in; the group contended that a VHF station would not mean automatic failure for a new UHF.[32] The FCC reaffirmed the decision on a 4–3 vote in 1980.[33][34] The approval came even though KSTU and KSL-TV had expressed renewed concern over a high-power channel 13 in Salt Lake City causing problems for the translator system.[35]

While KSTU was busy building translators to extend channel 20's reach, interested parties were busy filing applications for channel 13. In December 1980, the first application was received from Utah Television Associates, whose principals included Salt Lake businessman Richard S. McKnight. David and Deanna Williams, owners of a paging service and an AM station in Bountiful, submitted a bid on March 10, 1981, under the name Intermountain Broadcasting. By May, when the commission set a deadline to receive other applications, the field had grown to eight with six further bidders:[36]

  • American Television of Utah, a subsidiary of Salt Lake City–based American Stores Company, which had also applied for the unused UHF channel 14;
  • West Valley City Television Associates Limited Partnership, led by Salt Lake advertising and real estate figures;
  • Mountain West Television Company, in which the largest shareholders were KCPX radio news director Joseph C. Lee and Salt Lake City land developer Sidney Foulger;
  • Rocky Mountain Broadcasting, owned by real estate investor John Price;
  • Salt Lake City Family TV, consisting primarily of Pennsylvania and Tennessee interests;
  • and Salt Lake City Utah T.V., a company of Malcolm Glazer, who owned network-affiliated stations in three smaller markets.

This made Salt Lake City the first of the four drop-ins to attract more than one application.[36] By 1984, however, there were multiple applications in all four cities, and Salt Lake was the last of the four to receive a designation for comparative hearing among the applicants, on February 10, 1984.[37][38] By that time, two of the eight applicants had dropped out. American Television had already won the channel 14 construction permit (which eventually materialized as KXIV in 1989), and Rocky Mountain Broadcasting was no longer in contention by the time the hearing designation order was issued.[37]

FCC administrative law judge Edward Kuhlmann issued an initial decision in May 1985 that looked toward granting Salt Lake City Family TV the permit because of its superior proposal for the integration of ownership and management.[39] With Glazer's application having been abandoned, the four other contestants objected to the commission, whose review board scheduled oral argument in the case.[40] Mountain West Television retained the advice of Wiley Rein, a Washington, D.C., law firm.[41]

KSTU moves to channel 13; sale to Fox

[edit]

Wiley Rein attracted two other clients which had interest in channel 13. One was Northstar Communications, a Washington company financially backed by insurer Allstate. The Mountain West principals, with Northstar, formed MWT Limited Partnership; Northstar insisted that Mountain West buy out the other applicants, leading to it obtaining the channel 13 permit. MWT then signed an agreement to purchase all of KSTU's non-license assets from Adams for $30 million in June 1987.[42][43] Under the terms of the deal, MWT would operate channel 20 until the channel 13 facility was ready to be activated, after which it would surrender the channel 20 license.[44] The Mountain West partners later said that Northstar had refused to provide the financing to outfit a new station, essentially forcing the company to buy KSTU for relocation. It was later reported that Adams was a client of Wiley Rein.[41] To pay for the transaction, Mountain West borrowed $22.5 million; the deal included $10 million in a non-compete agreement with Adams.[45] On November 2, 1987, with the new transmitter facility complete, KSTU's intellectual property (call letters, Fox affiliation, syndicated programming and staff) moved from channel 20 to channel 13.[46] It also moved to channel 13 on local cable systems.[47] Due to the manner in which the changeover was structured legally, the FCC reckons KSTU's current facility on channel 13 as a new license dating from 1987; it was issued a construction permit under the call letters KTMW on July 17 and changed its call letters to KSTU on November 9.[48]

The obligations incurred by the Mountain West partners were financially debilitating. In August 1989, Mountain West and Farragut Communications—part of the Northstar group—put KSTU on the market.[49] While multiple bidders, including Meredith Broadcasting and a group led by then-Fox executive Jamie Kellner,[50] inspected the station, the Fox network itself purchased KSTU. Fox had just sold WFXT in Boston, meaning it had the ability to buy another station.[51] The $41 million deal[52] resulted in the first network-owned TV station in Utah.[53]

The sale's outcome led to long-running litigation. Mountain West's partners said that Northstar capitalized on their weakened position to squeeze them out of profits on the sale to Fox.[45] In 1990, they sued Wiley Rein for $20 million, which they calculated as the financial value if Northstar had financed their venture as a competing independent station.[45] The case became one of the longest civil trials in Utah history; while a trial court initially dismissed the case, the Utah Court of Appeals ordered a trial be held in 1996. After a three-month trial in which 1,000 exhibits were presented and the case record filled 31 volumes, a jury awarded the partners a net total of $18 million in December 1998,[41] but the Utah Supreme Court discarded the monetary award in 2001 and ordered another trial be held, finding that the trial judge had improperly instructed jurors.[54]

Under MWT, KSTU replaced KSL-TV as the exclusive broadcast television home of Utah Jazz basketball in 1988, having carried some Jazz games over the preceding four seasons.[55] However, KSTU indicated that it would not renew the deal after 1993, due to Fox initiating programming seven nights a week. This resulted in KXIV being purchased by Jazz owner Larry H. Miller and becoming KJZZ-TV.[56]

Under Fox, KSTU began airing local news programming in December 1991, progressively expanding its offerings through the next 15 years. At one time in the early 1990s, Elisabeth Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's daughter, served as programming manager.[57] In 2000, when Fox Television Stations acquired the Chris-Craft Industries station group, it traded away ABC affiliate KTVX to keep KSTU.[58]

Local TV and Tribune ownership

[edit]

On June 13, 2007, Fox announced the sale of KSTU and seven other owned-and-operated stations to Local TV LLC, a subsidiary of Oak Hill Capital Partners. The sale was finalized on July 14, 2008.[59] Under Local TV LLC, KSTU bought the adjacent building to double its studio footprint to 26,000 square feet (2,400 m2), part of a construction project that also outfitted the station for high-definition news production.[60] On July 1, 2013, the Tribune Company acquired Local TV for $2.75 billion;[61] the sale was completed on December 27.[62][63] That year, KSTU ranked third in revenue among the four major Salt Lake TV stations, far behind KSL and KUTV but well ahead of KTVX.[64]

Sinclair and Fox purchase attempt; sale to Scripps

[edit]
Further information: Attempted acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group

Sinclair Broadcast Group entered into an agreement to acquire Tribune Media on May 8, 2017, for $3.9 billion plus the assumption of $2.7 billion in Tribune-held debt.[65][66] As Sinclair already owned KUTV, KJZZ-TV, and KMYU in the market, the company offered to sell KSTU back to Fox Television Stations as part of a $910 million deal;[67] Howard Stirk Holdings concurrently agreed to purchase KMYU.[68] The merger was terminated on August 9, 2018, by Tribune Media, nullifying both transactions;[69] this followed a public rejection of the deal by FCC chairman Ajit Pai and vote by the commission to designate it for hearing by an administrative law judge, which was seen as a death knell for the proposed transaction.[70][71]

Following the collapse of the Sinclair merger, Nexstar Media Group announced its intention to purchase Tribune Media on December 3, 2018, for $6.4 billion in cash and debt.[72] Due to Nexstar owning KTVX and KUCW,[73] the E. W. Scripps Company agreed to purchase KSTU as part of $1.32 billion in overall divestments by Nexstar in order to meet regulatory approval.[74] The sale was completed on September 19, 2019.[75]

In the 2023–24 NHL season, during Vegas Golden Knights conflicts on KUPX-TV, select Arizona Coyotes hockey games aired on KSTU's second digital subchannel, which usually carries Antenna TV.[76]

News operation

[edit]
A KSTU news van, with Fox 13 logo and fox13now.com URL emblazoned on it, parked outside a building
A KSTU news van in 2018

In 1984, when the station was an independent owned by Adams, KSTU general manager Vickie Street told Electronic Media that the station could not hope to compete with the well-established VHF stations in news, commenting, "We have two giants here. Their news budget is bigger than my entire operations budget. It would be David versus Goliath."[77] However, the acquisition by Fox made KSTU one of just two stations owned by the company not to produce local news programming (the other was KDAF in Dallas). As part of a corporate push to bring news to the remaining stations,[78] in 1991, KSTU began building out a news department.[79] Nick Clooney, a veteran television anchor and the father of actor George Clooney, was the original news anchor.[80] In addition to serving the Salt Lake market, the KSTU newscast was intended as a prototype for the development of similar newsrooms at mid-market Fox affiliates, and it also functioned as a test bed for Sony and Fox to test a new video camera system based on the Hi8 format.[81]

The Fox News at Nine debuted on December 31, 1991.[82] It was not the first 9 p.m. newscast in modern Utah television, as KXIV briefly aired a KSL-TV-produced newscast between October 1991 and September 1992.[83] Clooney was dismissed in 1993 as part of a change in direction for the local newscast.[84] These changes were driven by Lisa Gregorisch-Dempsey—later the producer of syndicated newsmagazine Extra—who was placed at KSTU by Murdoch[57] and increased the pace of the format.[85] Gregorisch-Dempsey then left Salt Lake in 1994 to start a newsroom at KDAF in Dallas, which was eventually scrapped when Fox announced its plans to sell the station and move its affiliation.[86][87][88] The half-hour newscast became an hour-long show in 1994.[89]

The mid-1990s saw the start of KSTU's expansion beyond prime time news coverage with the addition of noon and morning newscasts in 1996.[90][91] While the noon newscast initially rated poorly, the morning news—now known as Good Day Utah—was expanded to a second hour the next year.[64] With expansions of newscasts in a variety of time slots,[92] KSTU was producing eight hours of news a day by 2012,[60] ten hours by 2015,[93] and 10+1⁄2 hours—part of 62+1⁄2 hours of news output a week—in 2016.[94]

On September 12, 2025, in the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, two men were arrested after an incendiary device planted under a KSTU news vehicle failed to detonate.[95][96]

Notable former on-air staff

[edit]

Technical information and subchannels

[edit]

The KJZZ-TV transmitter is on Farnsworth Peak.[1] Its signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KSTU[98]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
13.1 720p 16:9 KSTU-HD Fox
13.2 ION Ion Television
13.3 480i COURTTV Court TV
13.4 BOUNCE Bounce TV
13.5 QVC QVC
13.6 QVC2 QVC2
13.7 HSN HSN

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

KSTU shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 13, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television.[99][100] The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 28, using virtual channel 13.[98]

Translators

[edit]

More than 80 retransmitters broadcast KSTU's signal throughout Utah and into portions of neighboring states.[101]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

KSTU

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
KSTU, virtual channel 13 (UHF digital channel 28), is a -affiliated licensed to , , . The station, branded as Fox 13, signed on in September 1978 as an independent outlet before affiliating with in 1986 and relocating to its current channel position in 1987. Owned by the since 2019, KSTU serves the media market with local news, weather, and sports programming, operating from studios at 5020 West Drive. As Utah's primary Fox affiliate, KSTU delivers syndicated programming alongside original content focused on regional events, including coverage and investigative reporting tailored to the state's diverse communities. The station has undergone several ownership transitions, including stints under Local TV LLC and , prior to its divestiture to Scripps amid Nexstar's acquisition of Tribune assets to address FCC ownership regulations. In September 2025, KSTU reported an incident where an was placed under one of its news vehicles, leading to arrests, highlighting ongoing risks faced by local broadcasters.

History

Founding and early years on channel 20

KSTU signed on the air on October 9, 1978, as an independent commercial broadcasting on UHF channel 20 from studios in the International Business Center west of the . It marked Utah's first non-network-affiliated station and the state's initial commercial UHF outlet, operating as the sole occupant of channel 20 in the market during its initial decade. Early programming emphasized a mix of cartoons, classic films, syndicated series, and local public affairs content, supplemented by original productions such as the children's program Lighthouse 20 and the interview series Close-up. Broadcast hours were initially limited, reflecting the challenges of establishing viewership in a market dominated by established VHF network affiliates, though the station gradually expanded its schedule with acquired content. By the mid-1980s, KSTU had achieved significant growth, ranking among the top ten independent stations based on audience metrics and operational success. transitioned in when the station was acquired by Adams Communications, which had previously managed other broadcast properties and continued operations on channel 20 until a subsequent sale facilitated the shift to a new frequency.

Transition to channel 13 and Fox affiliation

In 1986, shortly after the launch of the , KSTU—then operating on UHF channel 20—became one of its charter affiliates, airing initial programming such as and . This affiliation marked a shift from its independent status, providing the station with network content amid growing competition in the market. Seeking improved signal coverage, as VHF channels generally propagate farther and more reliably than UHF in mountainous terrain like Utah's, KSTU transitioned to the newly available VHF channel 13 in November 1987. The move was enabled by an acquisition of the station by a led by Northstar Communications from Adams Communications earlier that year, allowing the reuse of channel 20's programming, call letters, and Fox affiliation on the superior VHF allocation without interruption. The station promoted the change with a "Lucky 13" campaign featuring a mascot, emphasizing the strategic upgrade to the last VHF channel slot in the market. The channel shift preserved and bolstered KSTU's Fox affiliation, which continued seamlessly and contributed to its growth; by 1989, Fox acquired ownership of the station outright, designating it as one of its owned-and-operated outlets until 2008. This transition solidified KSTU's position as the market's longstanding Fox representative, a status it has retained uniquely among Salt Lake City stations.

Ownership under Local TV and Tribune Media

In December 2007, Fox Television Stations sold KSTU, along with seven other Fox-owned affiliates, to Local TV LLC, a station group backed by the private equity firm , for an undisclosed portion of a broader $1.6 billion transaction involving Fox's non-Big Three stations. The sale closed in early 2008, transferring operational control to Local TV, which managed the station independently while maintaining its Fox affiliation and local programming focus. Local TV emphasized cost efficiencies and shared services among its portfolio of primarily Fox and affiliates, but no major structural changes to KSTU's operations were reported during this period. On July 1, 2013, Tribune Company announced its $2.7 billion acquisition of Local TV LLC and its 19 stations, including KSTU, to expand its broadcast holdings amid post-bankruptcy restructuring. The deal, which added seven affiliates to Tribune's portfolio, received FCC approval on December 20, 2013, and closed on December 27, 2013, integrating KSTU into (later rebranded under Company following the 2014 separation of Tribune's publishing assets). Under , KSTU continued as a key outlet in the Mountain West, benefiting from Tribune's national sales synergies and content distribution, though local management retained autonomy over news and programming. No significant ownership-related disruptions occurred, with the station focusing on digital expansion and ratings growth during Tribune's tenure.

Failed Sinclair acquisition and sale to Scripps

In May 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed to acquire Tribune Media Company, the owner of KSTU, in a $3.9 billion cash-and-debt transaction that would have expanded Sinclair's station portfolio significantly. The deal prompted intense regulatory review by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which raised concerns about Sinclair's projected national audience reach exceeding 72% of U.S. households—well above the statutory 39% cap—and the adequacy of proposed divestitures to mitigate local market overlaps. Sinclair planned to divest KSTU and its low-power sister station KMYU to an independent buyer in the Salt Lake City market to comply with ownership rules, but FCC scrutiny focused on the credibility of those sales, including ties to Sinclair-affiliated entities like Cunningham Broadcasting. The merger unraveled amid escalating disputes; in July 2018, the FCC designated the transaction for a hearing, effectively stalling approval. Tribune Media terminated the agreement on August 9, 2018, citing Sinclair's alleged delays and manipulations in divestiture efforts as breaches of contract. Sinclair faced a $48 million FCC fine in 2020 for misrepresentations related to the failed bid, including deceptive station-sharing arrangements. The collapse left seeking alternative buyers, ultimately leading to its acquisition by in a deal announced later that year. To secure FCC approval for the Nexstar-Tribune merger amid similar concentration concerns, Nexstar committed to divesting 19 stations across multiple markets, including KSTU. On March 20, 2019, E.W. Scripps Company agreed to purchase KSTU and seven other stations from Nexstar for $580 million as part of these divestitures. The transaction, which transferred operational control of KSTU to Scripps upon FCC consent, closed on September 19, 2019, marking the end of Tribune's ownership of the station. This sale preserved KSTU's independence in the Salt Lake City market, where Sinclair already operated competitors like KUTV.

Operations under E.W. Scripps ownership

KSTU was integrated into the E.W. Scripps Company's portfolio on September 19, 2019, following the closure of the acquisition of eight stations divested in connection with the Nexstar Media Group-Tribune Media merger. The station maintained its longstanding role as the for the designated market area, operating from studios at 5020 West Drive in . Under Scripps, KSTU has emphasized local news production, airing over 56 hours of news content weekly, the highest volume among stations in the market. This includes morning, evening, and late-night newscasts focused on regional coverage, alongside Fox network programming such as The Masked Singer, 9-1-1, and The Resident. The station has benefited from Scripps' broader resources for operational continuity and digital integration via its fox13now.com platform, though no major facility relocations or overhauls were reported post-acquisition. Leadership transitions have shaped news and station management. Merri Hanson was appointed vice president and general manager on June 23, 2023, overseeing overall operations. Effective April 21, 2025, Leona Wood assumed the roles of station manager and senior director of news, directing the newsroom's strategic direction and content production. These appointments aligned with Scripps' focus on experienced local media executives to enhance journalistic output and audience engagement.

Programming and affiliations

Primary network affiliation with Fox

KSTU maintains its primary affiliation with the Broadcasting Company, carrying the network's national programming on its main 13.1. The station has held this affiliation continuously since Fox's launch on , , positioning it as a charter affiliate and the sole broadcaster to retain unbroken loyalty to one network throughout that period. Fox's primetime schedule on KSTU includes drama series such as 9-1-1 and The Resident, alongside reality formats like The Masked Singer. Sports broadcasts feature regular-season games produced by , with the station serving as the market's outlet for these events. Weekend programming incorporates , the network's public affairs show, typically aired Sunday mornings. Early in the affiliation, KSTU aired foundational Fox content including animated sitcom The Simpsons, action-drama 21 Jump Street, and sitcom Married... with Children, while also holding local rights to Utah Jazz NBA telecasts. Preemptions of network material remain rare, ensuring alignment with Fox's distributed schedule across affiliates. Fox Television Stations purchased KSTU in 1989, designating it an owned-and-operated station until divesting to Local TV LLC (backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners) on July 14, 2008. Subsequent transfers—to Tribune Broadcasting in December 2013 and E.W. Scripps Company in September 2019—preserved the core Fox affiliation without disruption.

Syndicated and local content

KSTU airs syndicated programming primarily during daytime hours outside of Fox network and news blocks, featuring court shows, talk formats, and reality series distributed nationally. Common offerings include Hot Bench at 2:30 p.m. weekdays, which presents arbitration-style cases hosted by Judge Patricia DiMango and Tanya Acker, and Judge Judy at 3:00 p.m., featuring retired Judge Judy Sheindlin adjudicating small claims disputes. These programs, produced by Warner Bros. Television Distribution and CBS Media Ventures respectively, draw from a pool of episodes emphasizing real litigant conflicts resolved through judicial rulings. Additional syndicated fare has included educational content like Xploration Super Animals on weekends, aimed at family audiences with explorations of wildlife behaviors. Local original programming complements the syndicated lineup with Utah-focused content produced in-house. The station's flagship non-news local show is The Place, airing weekdays at 1:00 p.m., which covers lifestyle topics including local events, health advice, dining recommendations, and community features tailored to Utah residents. Hosted by a rotating panel, the program emphasizes practical living, working, and entertainment within the state, often highlighting regional businesses and seasonal activities. This format has sustained viewer engagement by prioritizing regionally relevant discussions over national syndication. Historically, KSTU's local efforts evolved from early productions like Lighthouse 20 in the late 1970s, a children's program, to more contemporary lifestyle-oriented content amid shifts toward syndicated acquisitions.

Special events and community programming

KSTU produces community-focused programming such as Positively Utah, which features stories highlighting individuals and organizations improving life in the state, emphasizing positive developments amid routine news coverage. The segment reflects 's community spirit by showcasing acts of kindness, local innovations, and resilience, distinct from formats. Through the Dream Team initiative, KSTU partners with and Master Autotech to recognize and assist unsung heroes in communities, providing tangible support like vehicle repairs or home improvements to those making quiet contributions. This program identifies nominees via public submissions and executes projects to alleviate personal burdens, fostering goodwill without specified annual quotas or recipient numbers. KSTU collaborates with the Scripps Howard Fund on literacy efforts, including promotion of the Upstart program, a free digital initiative using animated games featuring characters Rosie and Rusty to teach reading skills to Utah's 4-year-olds. Targeted at underserved families in , the partnership aligns with state goals under Senate Bill 127 (2022) to reach 70% third-grade reading proficiency by 2027, following 2023 data showing only 48% at grade level; for instance, Ogden School District reported 190 sign-ups in the prior year. Special broadcasts include the 2025 FOX 13 Special: Visiting 's Main Streets, a one-off program touring small-town highlights to promote local heritage and economic vitality across the state. Additionally, Cool School spotlights innovative educational approaches at schools, airing weekly features on unique teaching methods and student successes to encourage dialogue on education. KSTU's broader role extends to partnerships like Driven to Change, which drives local impact through targeted campaigns, though details on event frequency or scale remain program-specific rather than quantified annually. These efforts underscore a commitment to proactive involvement, including event calendars (discontinued online after November 1, 2021) and on-air promotions of volunteer drives.

News operations

Development and expansion of news department

KSTU launched its news department with the debut of Fox 13 News at Nine, a half-hour evening newscast, on , 1990. This marked the station's entry into production following its establishment as an in 1978 and affiliation with in 1986. Under Local TV ownership starting in 2008, KSTU undertook major expansions to its facilities and news programming in July 2008, enhancing production capabilities and content output. These upgrades supported growth in news hours and laid the foundation for further development. By 2013, following the station's acquisition by , KSTU introduced Fox 13 News Live at 4 in September 2013 and extended its morning newscast by one hour, contributing to subsequent ratings leadership in multiple dayparts. In April 2016, KSTU expanded its midday newscast from 90 minutes to two hours effective April 25, increasing weekday live to 9.5 hours and weekly total to 57 hours. This period also saw a content-sharing with announced on June 11, 2018, involving , collaborative newsgathering, and mutual story highlighting to bolster local coverage. By the mid-2020s, the news department broadcast over 56 hours of weekly, positioning it as the market leader in volume.

Reporting style, format, and technological advancements

![A KSTU news van, with Fox 13 logo and fox13now.com URL emblazoned on it, parked outside a building][float-right] KSTU's news department prioritizes factual, on-the-ground reporting centered on stories, maintaining standards of accuracy, , and transparency as outlined by its parent company, E.W. Scripps. This approach aligns with evaluations rating the station as least biased in story selection with minimal editorializing and high factual reliability. The broadcast format features extensive local newscasts, totaling over 56 hours weekly—the highest in the market—including the flagship Fox 13 News at Nine launched in 1990 and tailored to the network's late-evening slot. Daily programming includes morning shows like Good Day Utah, midday updates at noon, early evening editions at 5 p.m., and weekend variants, often incorporating live segments for , weather, and traffic. Content structure emphasizes straightforward delivery of headlines, investigative pieces via FOX 13 Investigates, and community-focused segments without heavy reliance on . Technological integration supports multiplatform delivery, with producers handling desktop editing for rapid web uploads and live streaming across fox13now.com and YouTube for extended reach beyond traditional broadcasts. The station utilizes mobile units for field reporting and maintains digital subchannels for additional content distribution, enhancing accessibility amid the shift to hybrid linear and online news consumption. Studio designs, crafted by FX Design Group, facilitate modern production workflows, though specific innovations like advanced LED integration remain undocumented in public sources.

Notable on-air personnel and contributions

Bob Evans joined KSTU in 1995 as a reporter and soon became co-anchor of the 9 p.m. newscast, forming a partnership with Hope Woodside that lasted 23 years and established the longest-running primetime anchor team in market history. Evans has received two , two Telly Awards, and multiple and Broadcasters Association honors for his reporting on local issues, including business, science, and community stories. His tenure, marking 30 years by October 2025, has emphasized consistent delivery of evening news amid shifts in ownership and format expansions. Hope Woodside anchored alongside Evans from 1995 until her departure in September , contributing to the station's growth in primetime viewership during a period when KSTU expanded its news footprint against established competitors. Prior to KSTU, she had experience at Chicago's Cableland News, bringing a professional style that helped solidify the 9 p.m. broadcast as a key affiliate offering. Kelly Chapman succeeded Woodside as lead anchor in October 2018, handling the 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. newscasts, with a focus on community-driven reporting rooted in her background as a former Miss Utah USA in 2003. Her promotion aligned with efforts to maintain viewer loyalty through familiar local ties and versatile anchoring. Max Roth has served as an anchor and reporter since approximately 2002, reaching 20 years by June 2022, and currently co-anchors the Live@Noon and Live@4 programs while specializing in data-driven stories on and . His longevity has supported midday news expansions, contributing to investigative pieces that leverage quantitative analysis for audience engagement. Earlier, anchored KSTU's inaugural 9 p.m. newscast launch in 1991, drawing on prior experience from Cincinnati's WCPO to establish the station's initial news presence in a market dominated by longer-established outlets. His role helped pioneer Fox-affiliated local news in before departing for other opportunities. Several reporters have earned Emmys for specific contributions, including Katija Stjepovic for and investigative work on consumer and public safety issues. Bob Evans' awards further highlight the team's recognition for in-depth local coverage, such as Sue Thompson's 2005 Society of Professional Journalists honor for the series "Searching for Acacia," which examined child welfare cases.

Ratings performance and market impact

KSTU's news programming has demonstrated strong performance in the advertiser-preferred demographic of adults aged 25-54, often leading competitors in key dayparts. According to Nielsen ratings data cited by the station, KSTU achieved the number one ranking among adults 25-54 for and programming in May 2020, amid record viewership growth during the early period. In late evening newscasts as of March 2020, KSTU led KSL by 8% and by 34% in the 25-54 demo, though it trailed in total viewers where older-skewing outlets like KSL held advantages. Earlier sweeps periods underscore this demographic strength. In November 2014, KSTU's 9 p.m. newscast posted a 30% gain in total viewers year-over-year, outpacing declines at and KSL, while securing an 80% edge over KSL in adults 25-54 for evening news. By December 2014, the station swept all newscasts in the 25-54 category, holding a 14% lead over . In morning slots as of , KSTU dominated viewers aged 18-49 and 25-54, remaining competitive in broader 35-64 groups against and KSL. This demo leadership has bolstered KSTU's market impact in the designated market area (DMA), ranked 29th nationally with 1,163,520 TV households in the 2024-2025 season. By capturing younger viewers valued for higher ad rates, KSTU has pressured incumbents like KSL ( affiliate) and ( affiliate), which often lead in total but older-skewing audiences, fostering a competitive environment where demo performance drives revenue and programming investments. Claims of overall number one status by KSTU and rivals reflect selective metric emphasis, with independent analyses confirming its edge in commercially significant groups.

Technical information

Digital subchannels and multicast programming

KSTU operates on virtual channel 13 via RF channel 28 (UHF) at an of 45.7 kW from its transmitter atop Farnsworth Peak. The station's primary subchannel, 13.1, broadcasts network programming in high definition with 5.1 audio. Subchannel 13.2 carries , a multicast network owned by (KSTU's parent) since its acquisition of in September 2023, featuring syndicated sitcoms, dramas, and movies in . Subchannel 13.3 airs , a Scripps-owned network focused on live trial coverage, documentaries, and legal analysis in standard definition . Additional subchannels include paid programming and niche entertainment:
Virtual ChannelProgramming NetworkFormat
13.4480i
13.5480i
13.6480i
13.7480i (with audio option)
These lower-bandwidth subchannels primarily feature home shopping content from and , alongside 's lineup of movies and series targeted at African American audiences. Prior configurations included networks like Charge!, Justice Network, and Stadium on subchannels 13.3 and 13.4 until at least 2018, reflecting shifts in multicast affiliations common among affiliates to monetize spectrum.

Analog-to-digital conversion process

KSTU transmitted its analog signal over VHF channel 13 from its transmitter site on Farnsworth Peak west of . As mandated by the and Public Safety Act of 2005, the station participated in the national conversion to , which required full-power television stations to cease analog operations by June 12, 2009. Initially, KSTU and other broadcasters planned to end analog transmissions early on February 17, 2009, ahead of the original deadline, but deferred following Congress's extension of the cutoff and industry coordination to align with the national date. The conversion process for KSTU involved relocating its primary signal to UHF channel 28 while retaining 13.1 through (PSIP) mapping, allowing viewers to continue tuning to channel 13 on digital receivers. The station's digital facility operates at an of 1,000 kilowatts with a , providing coverage comparable to its prior analog footprint across the market and surrounding areas via numerous translators. During the transition period, KSTU programming on both analog and digital channels to minimize viewer disruption, a standard FCC requirement for stations not opting for early termination. Analog service officially ended at noon MDT on June 12, , when KSTU powered down its VHF transmitter, completing the shift to all-digital operations. This aligned with the nationwide shutdown, after which over-the-air viewers without digital tuners or converter boxes lost access to KSTU's signal, prompting the FCC's coupon program for digital-to-analog converters. The transition enabled enhanced features such as high-definition programming and subchannels, with KSTU initially launching 13.2 for affiliation before later expansions. Post-conversion, the vacated VHF channel 13 spectrum was reclaimed for other uses, while KSTU's UHF digital signal supported multicast capabilities without altering its core affiliation.

Broadcast translators and signal reach

KSTU transmits its primary digital signal from Farnsworth Peak in the , approximately 30 miles southwest of , at coordinates 40° 39' 32.8" N, 112° 12' 10.8" W, with an of 350 kW using a on physical UHF channel 28 ( 13.1). The antenna (HAAT) measures 167 feet above ground level and 9,134 feet above mean , enabling coverage of the and adjacent areas, though Utah's mountainous topography restricts reliable over-the-air reception to line-of-sight distances typically within 60-70 miles. To overcome terrain limitations and achieve broader accessibility, KSTU operates a network of approximately 70 low-power digital broadcast translators that rebroadcast its signal to underserved rural, valley, and canyon communities across . These translators, licensed by the FCC as fill-in or booster stations, vary in power from under 1 kW to several kW and are strategically placed on high elevations to serve specific locales, such as southern Utah's Washington County (e.g., St. George via KKRP-LD on channel 21 and K25PA-D on channel 25), northern (Logan via K28OS-D on channel 28), and eastern Uintah Basin areas like Vernal. The following table lists selected active translators illustrating the network's geographic distribution:
Call SignPhysical ChannelCommunity Served
KVBT-LD26Santa Clara, UT
KKRP-LD21St. George, UT
K25PA-D25St. George, UT
K28OS-D28Logan, UT
This translator infrastructure extends KSTU's over-the-air footprint throughout most of , from the border to near the line, and into limited portions of adjacent states including Nevada's Clark County fringes, southeastern communities like Preston and City, and southwestern near Cortez. Following the digital transition, all translators converted to digital operation, aligning with the station's post-repack retention of channel 28, which maintains signal integrity without significant coverage loss. Overall, the system approximates statewide availability for free over-the-air viewing, critical in a region where cable and satellite penetration is high but OTA remains vital for remote households.

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