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KDAF (channel 33) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving as the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex's outlet for The CW. It is owned and operated by network majority owner Nexstar Media Group (based in nearby Irving), although it is not considered the company's flagship station. KDAF's studios are located off the John W. Carpenter Freeway (State Highway 183) in northwest Dallas, and its transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas.

Key Information

KDAF launched in 1980 as KNBN-TV, which aired several types of specialty programs, including business news, subscription television, and Spanish-language programming. Metromedia acquired the station in 1984, converted it to an English-language independent station as KRLD-TV, and made the first of several efforts at local news. When Metromedia's television stations were purchased in 1986, KRLD-TV became KDAF and the Dallas–Fort Worth outlet of Fox; this continued until 1995, when a major realignment of affiliations saw Fox partner with another station and sell off channel 33. Tribune Broadcasting owned the station from 1996 to 2019; during this time, it was one of the most successful affiliates of The WB in the late 1990s and resumed local news production, which continued in some form for nearly two decades.

Prior history of channel 33 in Dallas

[edit]
Main article: KMEC-TV

Channel 33 was allocated to Dallas in 1966 as part of a settlement between two applicants that had been competing for channel 29: Maxwell Electronics Corporation and Overmyer Communications. In order to give each applicant a channel, Overmyer suggested moving channel 27 from Tyler to Dallas and substituting 33 for 29, with Overmyer taking 27 and Maxwell taking 33.[3] While the Overmyer application ultimately was dropped, Maxwell's channel 33 went ahead, launching as independent station KMEC-TV on October 1, 1967.[4] It was one of three new UHF independent stations in the Metroplex in six months (KFWT-TV [channel 21] had signed on September 19 and KDTV [channel 39] would debut in February 1968), and it was the first to fold. On October 25, 1968, Maxwell announced it was taking KMEC-TV dark and selling the station to Evans Broadcasting Company.[5]

Evans did not restore KMEC-TV to operational status. Instead, it sold the construction permit in 1971 to Berean Fellowship International,[6] which returned channel 33 to air as KBFI-TV on February 21, 1972. Berean, a locally based Christian ministry, operated the station as a family-oriented, general-entertainment independent with weekend religious programming.[7] KBFI-TV lasted 10 months, closing on Christmas Eve.[8]

The Portsmouth, Virginia–based Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) purchased the license and returned channel 33 to the air on April 16, 1973, as KXTX-TV. It was CBN's third operating television station, after WYAH-TV in Portsmouth, and WANX-TV in Atlanta. As did CBN's other independent stations (and KBFI-TV), it maintained a general entertainment and religious format.[9] However, just two months later, Doubleday Broadcasting, the owner of KDTV which had sought to sell or donate the facility to a nonprofit organization, opted to donate the channel 39 license to CBN, which paid for $1.2 million in program contracts that had dampened interest in Doubleday's offer from educational groups.[10] On November 14, 1973, KXTX-TV's programming and staff moved to channel 39, using the KDTV license and studio facilities.[11]

KNBN-TV

[edit]

In 1974, the National Business Network applied to the FCC for a new construction permit to launch a new station on that allocation, which was issued on June 13, 1977.[12] NBN was a locally based group operated by Nolanda Hill and Sheldon Turner (both of whom, who had previously successfully lobbied the Dallas City Council to have a cable television franchise established in the city, each owned a 40% interest); other investors included, among others, radio broadcaster Gordon McLendon, who had made previous failed attempts to launch a UHF television station in the market and served as a commentator on precious metals once it launched.[13]

The current television station that would become KDAF first signed on the air on September 29, 1980, as KNBN-TV.[14] It operated from studio facilities located in a converted warehouse on 3333 Harry Hines Boulevard near downtown Dallas. The initial programming format consisted of business news programming during the daytime hours; evenings, meanwhile, were occupied by the subscription television service VEU (owned by Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters), featuring a mix of feature films, specials and, during the NBA season, Dallas Mavericks game telecasts.[15] Golden West had purchased the franchise from Subscription Television of America, a company led by Dallas Cowboys owner Clint Murchison, as well as that company's franchises to operate in Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Providence, Rhode Island.[16]

The original mix changed within a year when the station added programming from the Spanish International Network in the early evening hours.[17] In March 1982, the remaining business programming disappeared after Turner was not able to build a national syndication base for NBN's output, and KNBN-TV began devoting its entire conventional broadcast day to Spanish programming from SIN.[18] When VEU bought the subscriber base of rival service Preview, the service transitioned from channel 33 to KTWS-TV channel 27 beginning in December; the decision was taken because the contract with KTWS-TV offered more flexibility for expansion than that with KNBN-TV, and Turner and Hill were reported to be unhappy with VEU.[19][20]

Metromedia ownership as KRLD-TV

[edit]

In 1983, Hill Broadcasting sold KNBN to New York City-based Metromedia, which already owned independent stations in five of the six major U.S. cities where it owned television stations, for $15 million; the sale was finalized on November 8 of that year. While KNBN continued its existing programming, it was immediately apparent that it would not last for long. Though Hispanic leaders protested the change at the Metroplex's only Spanish-language station, it was to no avail, as Metromedia sought to switch to an English-language format that would attract advertisers.[21]

On July 29, 1984, the station's call letters were changed to KRLD-TV to match radio station KRLD (1080 AM), which became a sister property to the television station after Metromedia successfully sought the FCC for a waiver of its cross-ownership regulations to let it retain KRLD radio and the UHF station.[22] (This made channel 33 the second KRLD-TV in Dallas; the call letters had been used on channel 4 when it was co-owned with KRLD until 1970.) That same day, channel 33 relaunched as an English-language general-entertainment independent. Its operations relocated to studio facilities located next door to KRLD radio at the station's current facility on John W. Carpenter Freeway on the northwest side of Dallas. The new studio facilities, which replaced the Harry Hines Boulevard site that incoming anchor Quin Mathews called "a dump" and "a warehouse that had not even been disguised effectively as a television station",[23] also included a newsroom, accommodating the centerpiece of KRLD-TV's programming, a 7 pm newscast.[24] The newscast, along with plans that were ultimately delayed and aborted to start a local news service at Metromedia's WFLD-TV in Chicago, were part of securing the ability to co-own KRLD radio with the UHF station.[25]

The new KRLD-TV was entering a very crowded marketplace, one of the justifications made by Metromedia in securing the waiver.[22] Its competition included KTXA, KXTX-TV, and KTVT, the latter of which was the leading independent in the market at the time. Months later, KDFI debuted on channel 27 after it was sold to a group that immediately dropped the VEU programming.[26] Even under Metromedia, one of the country's largest owners of major-market independents, channel 33 continued to underperform as most of the stronger programs available on the syndication market had been acquired by either its rival independents or by the market's network affiliates; the station also struggled to define a clear programming identity as it heavily incorporated movies, reruns, and children's programs, while the shows it did air were repeatedly moved to different time slots in hopes of shoring up their ratings. The station attempted a coup to improve viewership by acquiring the local rights to syndicated reruns of Dallas and Dynasty for a reported fee of up to $38,000 per episode, only for neither show to pull decent ratings locally when they joined the station in September 1985.[23]

The KRLD 7 pm News

[edit]

After Channel 33 was sold to Metromedia, its new owners heavily invested in the creation of a news department for the-then KRLD-TV, acquiring modernized technology (including a computer system and several Sony Betacams) for production and newsgathering resources. The station's news staff was based in a small trailer parked within the Harry Hines Boulevard studios before moving into the larger Carpenter Freeway facility shortly before the newscast's launch.[23]

On July 30, 1984, Channel 33 debuted a nightly hour-long newscast at 7:00 pm, which at the time was the only independent television newscast in the market. Its debut was less than auspicious, earning a .7 rating (amounting to less than seven-tenths of 1% of all households in the Dallas–Fort Worth market that watched the premiere broadcast), eventually rising to a peak of 2.0 within several months but still half of the target promised to advertisers.[23] The KRLD 7 pm News would earn two United Press International awards in 1985 for "Best Newscast in Texas" and "Best Spot News" (for its coverage of the 1985 Mesquite tornado).[23]

The news department underwent tumultuous changes in 1986. After original news director Tony deHaro, who had previously served in that same role at KRLD radio prior to Metromedia's purchase of channel 33,[27] was fired by the station, he wrote a scathing letter to D Magazine criticizing the news department and KRLD-TV general manager Ray Schonbak, stating that Schonbak insisted on implementing "sensationalis[tic] and inflammatory" journalism techniques. At the time, station management acquired a state-of-the-art microwave live truck for newsgathering and drafted plans to open a bureau in Fort Worth. However, on May 10, 1986, shortly after News Corporation assumed control of the station following the completion of its merger with Metromedia, Schonbak announced Channel 33's news department would shut down, stating to staff that the move was his decision; in an August 1986 article that he wrote for D Magazine, former anchor Quin Mathews (who joined KRLD from KDFW in 1984, and was later hired by WFAA as its morning and midday anchor after Channel 33's news department folded) questioned whether the move was solely that of Schonbak or a directive by News Corporation management, noting that Schonbak had given Fox executives five different options for the news department to improve revenue and ratings, all of which were considered by the board to be unacceptable.[23] Art Chapman in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram found the newscast lacked any elements to distinguish it from the other offerings in the market and blamed the time slot.[28]

As a Fox owned-and-operated station

[edit]

In May 1985, Metromedia reached an agreement to sell KRLD-TV and its five sister independent stations–WNEW-TV (now WNYW) in New York City, KTTV in Los Angeles, WFLD-TV in Chicago, WTTG in Washington, D.C., and KRIV in Houston – to News Corporation for $2.55 billion.[29][30] Metromedia sold its radio stations, including KRLD, to Carl Brazell in a $285 million transaction completed in early 1986.[31]

That October, News Corporation–which had purchased a 50% interest in 20th Century Fox corporate parent TCF Holdings for $250 million in March 1985–announced its intentions to create a fourth television network that would use the resources of 20th Century Fox Television to both produce and distribute programming, intending for it to compete with ABC, CBS and NBC. The company formally announced the launch of the new network, the Fox Broadcasting Company, on May 7, 1986, with the former Metromedia stations serving as its nuclei.[32] The purchase of the Metromedia stations was approved by the FCC and finalized on March 6, 1986, with News Corporation creating a new broadcasting unit, the Fox Television Stations, to oversee the six television stations.[33] Concurrent with the completion of the Metromedia stations' acquisition by News Corporation, the station's call letters were changed to KDAF.[25]

Even before the Fox network launched on October 6, 1986, the new ownership put its stamp on channel 33 by axing the news department after two years and laying off its 24 staff; it was performing poorly in the ratings, and Metromedia's commitment to news did not transfer after the station was sold to Fox.[25] Although it was now part of a network, channel 33 was still generally an independent station, as Fox's initial programming consisted solely of a late-night talk show, The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers.[34][35]

In 1993, Fox became a seven-night-a-week network for the first time. "Fox 33" had momentum: the network had pulled off a coup by obtaining television rights to the National Football Conference of the NFL, including the Dallas Cowboys. As a result of the network's growth and the station's increasing revenues, and accelerated by the football rights, Fox selected Lisa Gregorisch, who had been news director at the company's KSTU in Salt Lake City, to lead the development of what would be channel 33's second local news service, to start August 1, 1994.[36] Former KSTU news director Lisa Gregorisch began hiring a "dream team" of reporters, editors, producers and photographers which would have staffed this news operation, which she stated in an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram "could have 'shaken up this news market like never before'."[37]

Renaissance Communications ownership and WB affiliation

[edit]
Main article: 1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment

The football deal, however, also led Fox to pursue a strategy of upgrading its stations in major markets to increase the network's profile. Fox strategized to strengthen its affiliate portfolio by recruiting more VHF stations, especially those located in markets with an NFC franchise; at the time, Fox's stations were mostly UHF outlets that had limited to no prior history as major network affiliates. On May 23, 1994, News Corporation—as part of a deal that included its acquisition of a 20% equity interest in the latter company—signed a long-term affiliation agreement with New World Communications, in which Fox would affiliate with heritage "Big Three" network stations that New World either owned outright or was in the process of purchasing in twelve markets once their existing respective affiliation contracts expired.[38][39][40][41]

The deal included four stations that New World would buy from Argyle Television Holdings for $717 million, including Dallas CBS affiliate KDFW-TV.[42] Although the network already owned KDAF, Fox sought the opportunity to affiliate with a stronger VHF station with an established news operation in what was then the nation's seventh-largest market. Fox would put two stations up for sale—KDAF and WATL in Atlanta, which was in an identical situation—and the news plans were canceled.[37] The news came with a gut punch, the very day the station took delivery of a fleet of news vans.[43] Most of those hired as part of the aborted operation—around 20 people that were already hired and several others, including some on-air personalities, that made commitments to join the staff—were either able to re-sign in their previous positions at other stations or were placed by the group in positions at other Fox Television Stations properties.[37]

The end of CBS's network's affiliation agreement with KDFW was July 1, 1995; the result was that KDAF remained a Fox affiliate through the 1994 NFL season. CBS, though, never pursued channel 33 as an affiliate. After approaching longtime NBC affiliate KXAS-TV (channel 5) and later being turned down for an affiliation deal by its then-owner LIN Broadcasting, on September 14, 1994, Gaylord Broadcasting reached an agreement to affiliate KTVT with CBS, in exchange for also switching its sister independent station in Tacoma, Washington, KSTW, to the network.[44]

On November 15, 1994, Fox Television Stations announced that it would sell KDAF to Greenwich, Connecticut–based Renaissance Communications for $100 million; in exchange, Renaissance would sell existing Fox affiliate KDVR in Denver to Fox Television Stations for $70 million. Under the terms of the deal, Renaissance also reached an agreement with Time Warner in which KDAF would become an affiliate of The WB once the Fox affiliation moved to KDFW. This resolved a problem created by the affiliation switch for The WB. Gaylord had signed a group affiliation agreement for KTVT, KSTW in Seattle, and KHTV in Houston to join The WB at launch in January 1995; however, Gaylord's pact to affiliate with CBS in the first two markets effectively nullified the agreement, resulting in Time Warner filing an injunction in an attempt to dissolve the pact. Since KDAF could not join the network until KDFW's contract with CBS expired and Fox moved its programming to that station, The WB entered into a temporary affiliation arrangement with KXTX-TV to serve as its local affiliate in the interim.[45][46][47]

The de facto trade of Dallas and Denver stations hit a roadblock that nearly prevented the exchange from taking place. On January 15, 1995, NBC filed a petition to the FCC that called on the agency to reject approval of the KDVR purchase, alleging that News Corporation, with its Australian-born CEO Rupert Murdoch, was in violation of FCC rules prohibiting foreign companies from holding more than a 25% ownership interest in an American television station. Fox had structured the KDVR-for-KDAF deal as two separate sales rather than as a trade with a cash exchange in likely anticipation of NBC trying to appeal the transaction and to ensure that Renaissance would continue on with its purchase of KDAF in either event.[48] NBC withdrew the petition, as well as others it filed regarding other Fox station purchases, on February 17, 1995.[49]

Fox's prime time and sports programming moved from KDAF to KDFW on July 2, 1995, with the CBS affiliation concurrently moving to KTVT. Although it lost the rights to most of Fox's programming, KDAF retained the local broadcast rights to the network's children's programming block, Fox Kids.[50] KDAF took over the WB affiliation three days later, on July 5; the sales of KDAF to Renaissance Communications and KDVR to Fox were finalized on July 9.[51] Channel 33 was able to upgrade its programming, particularly as KTVT's new network affiliation left several programs available in the market.[50]

Tribune Broadcasting ownership

[edit]

On July 1, 1996, Chicago-based Tribune Broadcasting announced that it would acquire Renaissance Communications for $1.13 billion.[52][53]

As a WB affiliate, KDAF benefited from higher-than-average ratings in Dallas–Fort Worth for WB network programs, and Tribune's buying power for syndicated shows also aided the station.[54] Fox Kids was dropped in 1997 and moved to KDFW's sister station KDFI when The WB started its own children's block, Kids' WB.[55] The success of KDAF spurred the launch of the third attempt—and second to become reality—at local news on channel 33, the "News@Nine", in 1999. By 2000, KDAF was considered one of The WB's strongest affiliates.[56] In 2004, the station changed its on-air branding to "Dallas–Fort Worth's WB", de-emphasizing the station's channel number.[57]

On January 24, 2006, Time Warner's Warner Bros. unit and CBS Corporation announced that the two companies would shut down The WB and UPN. In their place, the companies would combine the respective programming of the two networks to create a new "fifth" network called The CW. On that date, The CW also signed a ten-year affiliation agreement with Tribune Broadcasting, under which 16 of the group's 18 WB-affiliated stations—including KDAF—would serve as the network's charter stations.[58][59] KDAF was chosen over CBS-owned KTXA as the higher-rated outlet.[59]

News revival

[edit]

KDAF revived its plans to re-establish a news department under Tribune ownership later in the 1990s as part of corporate efforts to launch in-house newscasts on the group's WB network affiliates, similar to commitments made by those of the Fox network earlier in the decade. In January 1999, the station began producing a half-hour prime time newscast at 9:00 p.m. on weeknights, the WB 33 News @ Nine.[60] It was first anchored by Patrick Greenlaw and Crystal Thornton, alongside chief meteorologist Steve LaNore and sports director Bob Irzyk. The program was expanded to seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays, one year later in January 2000, with Dawn Tongish appointed as the program's weekend anchor; the Monday through Friday editions were then expanded to a full hour the year after that in January 2001,[61] with the weekend newscasts following suit by 2003. The KDAF 9:00 p.m. newscast continually placed a distant second behind KDFW's established hour-long prime time newscast, which had grown to become the ratings leader in that time slot since its debut in mid-1995 upon that station's switch to Fox; in May 2001, it drew half the viewers of the KDFW offering.[61]

In late February 2009, anchors Tom Crespo and Terri Chappell–who had served as main anchors of the program since 2004 and 2003, respectively–were replaced on the weeknight newscasts by existing general assignment reporter Amanda Salinas (later Fitzpatrick) and Walt Maciborski, who joined from WFTS-TV in Tampa.[62] On September 21, 2009, KDAF debuted a nightly half-hour newscast at 5:30 pm, also anchored by Salinas and Maciborski; this later moved to 5pm.[63]

On October 31, 2011, KDAF began airing the Tribune-distributed morning news program EyeOpener, which had originally premiered five months earlier on May 9 as a test concept on Houston sister station KIAH. Initially airing only on weekday mornings (for three hours starting at 5:00 am), before expanding to include hour-long weekend editions in April 2015, the program's hybrid format was billed as a "provocative and unpredictable" combination of daily news, lifestyle, entertainment, and opinion segments. The program's national segments were produced at KDAF.[64] Tribune gradually began syndicating the program to some of its other CW and independent stations as well as a non-Tribune station in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, all of which provided local news and weather segments during the program.[65]

During the summer of 2012, KDAF's news department underwent a series of staff departures: following ratings declines during his tenure, news director David Duitch left the station in July to become website editor for The Dallas Morning News;[66] that August saw the departures of chief meteorologist Bob Goosmann and sports reporter Chase Williams,[67] the resignation of reporter Giselle Phelps[68] and Walt MacIborski's departure for Fox-affiliated sister station WXIN in Indianapolis.[66] On August 16 of that year, EyeOpener senior producer Larissa Hall was promoted to a director of content position to oversee the newscasts.[66]

Nightcap

[edit]
The word "Nightcap", with a stylized N, in a geometric sans-serif font.
NightCap newscast logo, used from November 1, 2012, to May 19, 2014.

On September 4, 2012, KDAF management announced in a meeting with station staff that it would adopt a format similar to EyeOpener for the 5:00 and 9:00 pm newscasts, in order to reduce production and operation costs for the news department and to make the broadcast profitable. The evening newscasts were revamped under the Nightcap concept on November 1, 2012; the program made use of multimedia journalists (which require a single person to film, edit and report news stories) and incorporated humor within most of its story content, except for news items and feature pieces that warranted a more serious tone.[69] New staff members were hired to anchor and report for the newscasts, while about half of the newsroom staff (including several employees that were with KDAF since the current news department's inception in 1999) were laid off.[70]

Even with the format switch, KDAF remained in last place among Dallas–Fort Worth's news-producing English-language stations, with viewership having declined to the point of registering "hashmarks" (indicating viewership too low to register a ratings point) on some nights during the initial switch to the Nightcap format. Ratings slowly increased over the next year-and-a-half while the format was instituted, particularly in the key age demographic of adults 25–54.[71][72] Larissa Hall, who oversaw Nightcap's launch as KDAF's director of content, left the station at the end of 2012, shifting to other duties within the Tribune corporate umbrella and giving Nightcap only partial oversight.[73]

NewsFix and Morning Dose

[edit]

In November 2013, KDAF hired Steve Simon (a former weekend anchor-turned-producer at KIAH) as its news director. While in Houston, Simon helped launch NewsFix, a stylized news format that first launched in March 2011 on KIAH and de-emphasized on-camera anchors and reporters, using only an off-camera narrator for continuity and requiring fewer staff than most news programs.[74] Many on-air members of the KDAF news staff departed in the months prior to the format change, including longtime reporter Barry Carpenter and anchor Amanda Fitzpatrick, both of whom were with the station prior to the adoption of the Nightcap format.[75] NewsFix officially debuted on May 20, 2014, beginning with the 5:00 pm broadcast, with Greg Onofrio – a Houston radio personality who also continued to serve in the same capacity on the KIAH edition of the program – serving as its narrator, in addition to making on-screen appearances for a commentary segment at the end of the broadcast.[75][76] On September 6, 2018, Tribune announced that NewsFix would be canceled effective September 14; Morning Dose, the successor program to EyeOpener, was concurrently canceled effective October 19.[77]

Nexstar ownership

[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 debt.[78][79] While Sinclair had initially intended on retaining KDAF, Cunningham Broadcasting—a partner licensee with family ties to Sinclair executive chairman David D. Smith—offered to purchase KDAF for $60 million,[80] with Sinclair filing a shared services agreement (SSA) to operate the station.[81] This proposed divestiture was one of several that attracted the scrutiny of FCC chairman Ajit Pai,[82] prompting Sinclair to abandon the Cunningham deal in favor of finding a third party for KDAF.[83][84] The FCC voted to send the entire merger before an evidentiary review hearing,[85] and Pai publicly rejected it.[86] Tribune Media terminated the merger proposal outright on August 9, 2018,[87] filing a breach of contract lawsuit against Sinclair in the process.[88]

Following the Sinclair deal's collapse, Nexstar Media Group—based in the Dallas suburb of Irving—announced their purchase of Tribune Media on December 3, 2018, for $6.4 billion in cash and debt.[89] The sale was completed on September 19, 2019.[90]

Local programming

[edit]

On March 13, 2019, the station began a partnership with Urban One, where the morning show from radio station KBFB (97.9 FM), Veda Loca in the Morning, was simulcast on KDAF from 6 to 8 am. During that time, it was known on-air as The Beat on 33.[91] The partnership quietly ended on January 3, 2020, when Veda Loca in the Morning itself was canceled.[92]

On June 1, 2020, the station premiered a daily morning talk show at 10 am called Morning After, which is based on the video podcast of the same name. The show is hosted by Ron Corning and Jenny Anchondo.[93]

Currently, the only local news on channel 33 is in the form of 30-second news inserts, introduced in April 2020.[93]

In January 2025, the Texas Rangers announced that as part of a new broadcast deal that would create the Rangers Sports Network, 15 regular-season games would air on KDAF on Friday nights and be syndicated on over-the-air stations across the Rangers' broadcast footprint.[94]

Technical information and subchannels

[edit]

KDAF's transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas.[2] The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KDAF[95]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
33.1 720p 16:9 KDAF-DT The CW
33.2 480i 4:3 Antenna Antenna TV
33.3 16:9 Grit Grit
33.4 4:3 Charge Charge!
33.5 Rewind Rewind TV

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

KDAF shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 33, at 8 am on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 32.[96]

References

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

KDAF

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
KDAF, branded on-air as CW33, is a The CW owned-and-operated television station licensed to , , , serving the via 33. The station is a property of , which purchased KDAF in 2019 and later obtained majority ownership of The CW network, elevating it to owned-and-operated status. KDAF maintains studios along the John W. Carpenter Freeway in northwest and transmits from a tower in . Originally signing on in 1980 as KNBN-TV, it has evolved through multiple affiliations and ownership changes before aligning with The CW in 2006 and becoming a key outlet for network programming, syndicated content, and locally produced lifestyle shows such as Inside DFW and Fun on the Run. The station broadcasts five digital subchannels and emphasizes regional entertainment, community events, and family-oriented programming tailored to audiences.

History

Prior history of channel 33 in

Channel 33 in the –Fort Worth metropolitan area was first activated on October 1, 1967, as the independent station KMEC-TV, owned by Carroll Maxwell operating under Maxwell Electronics Corporation. The station broadcast general entertainment programming but struggled amid competition from established VHF outlets and limited UHF converter penetration in households, ceasing operations after roughly one year in October 1968. The channel's construction permit was transferred to the Evans Company on April 2, 1969, yet no revival occurred under this ownership, leaving the frequency silent. Berean Fellowship International later acquired the permit, assigning the callsign KBFI effective September 1, 1971, and signing the station on air February 21, 1972, to air religious content; operations ended abruptly on December 6, 1972. The (CBN) obtained the dormant permit and launched KXTX—calls signifying "Christ X for "—on April 16, 1973, as an independent with a focus on faith-based and family-oriented fare. This iteration signed off December 20, 1973, after CBN relocated its programming and facilities to channel 39 via acquisition of that license, resulting in cancellation of the channel 33 authorization by regulators. The allocation lay dormant from late 1973 through April 1980, reflecting broader challenges for UHF independents in major markets, including high operational costs, signal propagation issues, and viewer reluctance without mandatory set converters. Studios for prior operations were situated at 3333 in .

Launch and operations as KNBN-TV (1980–1984)

KNBN-TV, the fourth station to operate on UHF channel 33 in , signed on the air on September 29, 1980, under the ownership of National Business Network Inc., with call letters reflecting its initial branding as the National Business Network. The station launched as a low-budget independent outlet emphasizing business news programming targeted at financial and commercial audiences in the . Early operations included daytime business blocks, supplemented by subscription television (STV) services in evenings, where select programming was scrambled and accessible only to paying subscribers via decoder boxes—a common model for UHF independents seeking revenue amid limited advertising support. Viewership remained niche, constrained by the specialized format and competition from established VHF stations. By the early 1980s, KNBN-TV shifted toward Spanish-language programming to capitalize on the region's expanding population, affiliating with the Spanish International Network (a precursor to ) for telenovelas, news, and variety shows. This transition broadened its appeal but did not significantly elevate ratings or financial stability. On May 3, 1983, Inc. agreed to purchase KNBN-TV from National Business Network Inc. for $14.9 million in an asset exchange, marking a shift toward repositioning the station for general-audience English programming. Operations under the KNBN-TV callsign persisted with the Spanish format until July 30, 1984, when completed the acquisition and rebranded it as KRLD-TV, introducing movies, syndicated reruns, and a short-lived 7 p.m. newscast from new studios.

Metromedia acquisition and rebranding as KRLD-TV (1984–1986)

In November 1983, the approved 's acquisition of KNBN-TV (channel 33) from Hill Broadcasting Company for approximately $15 million. The station had previously operated with a mix of programming, including Spanish-language content, under limited viability as a UHF independent in the competitive –Fort Worth market. , which owned independent stations in other major markets like New York (WNEW-TV) and (KTTV), sought to bolster its national footprint by converting the Dallas outlet into a stronger English-language general-entertainment competitor. The deal closed in early 1984, prompting an overhaul of operations and branding. On July 30, 1984, KNBN-TV adopted the call letters KRLD-TV to synergize with Metromedia's recent alignment to local radio assets, including KRLD (1080 AM), emphasizing a unified "KRLD" identity across broadcast properties. The station shifted to a full independent format featuring syndicated off-network sitcoms, first-run talk shows, classic movies, and sports events—such as telecasts of the Sidekicks team for four consecutive seasons beginning that year—to attract a broader English-speaking in the metroplex's growing suburban demographics. Under ownership, KRLD-TV upgraded its technical facilities and programming slate to challenge established independents like (channel 11), investing in higher-profile syndication deals amid the era's syndication boom. This period marked 's strategic push into local news experimentation, though ratings pressures in a market dominated by network affiliates limited immediate gains. By mid-1985, as negotiated the $1.65 billion sale of its seven television stations to a led by and , KRLD-TV's operations were positioned for transition, culminating in the handover that ended 's direct control.

The KRLD 7 pm News experiment

In July 1984, shortly after acquiring the station formerly known as KNBN-TV and rebranding it as KRLD-TV, launched the station's first news department with an ambitious hour-long local newscast at 7:00 p.m., marking the debut of prime-time news programming for an in the Dallas–Fort Worth market. The program, produced in partnership with Metromedia-owned KRLD radio, featured live field reports, investigative segments, and documentaries, supported by four on-air reporters and advanced equipment including computer terminals and cameras. Metromedia invested heavily in the initiative, constructing a state-of-the-art newsroom with Italian designer furniture and acquiring a microwave-equipped live for remote broadcasts, as part of broader efforts to elevate the $15 million-acquired station's local identity amid FCC that encouraged expanded independent TV operations. Key staff included news director Tony deHaro, anchors such as Quin Mathews and Sonya Van Sickle, producer Michael McGee, and reporters like Debra Martine and Ruth Allen-Ollison, many with prior experience at established outlets. Promotion involved over 300 billboards and TV advertisements, though some campaigns drew criticism for their tone, such as slogans emphasizing "Good News For People Who Have Jobs." Despite earning United Press International awards for spot news and overall newscast quality, the program struggled with viewership, debuting at a 0.7 rating and peaking below 2.0—well short of the 4.0 rating guaranteed to advertisers—amid a saturated market dominated by network affiliates' evening . Internal tensions arose, with deHaro later alleging in a public letter that general manager Ray Schonbak pushed for , including directives to "create the " and prioritize "white collar dirt" stories over substantive . These factors contributed to deHaro's termination and broader newsroom upheaval in early 1986. The newscast was canceled on May 9, , less than two years after launch, due to persistent low ratings and financial unviability, coinciding with Rupert Murdoch's impending acquisition of Metromedia's independent stations and a corporate shift toward over experimental public-service programming. The experiment highlighted challenges for independents in building news audiences outside traditional time slots, ultimately leading KRLD-TV to abandon local news production until decades later.

Fox Television Stations ownership as independent and charter Fox O&O (1986–1995)

In March 1986, , a division of , completed its acquisition of seven independent television stations from , including Dallas–Fort Worth's channel 33 (formerly KRLD-TV), for approximately $2 billion as part of a strategy to establish a new . Concurrent with the ownership transfer, the station's call letters were changed to —standing for "Dallas And Fort Worth"—on March 6, 1986, marking its transition under control while it continued operating as an with a schedule dominated by syndicated sitcoms, talk shows, movies, and children's programming typical of UHF independents in major markets. KDAF remained independent for several months until the debut of the on October 9, 1986, at which point it became one of six charter owned-and-operated (O&O) stations launching the network with an initial lineup limited to late-night programming on Saturdays, followed by gradual expansion to include sports events like NFC football games acquired in 1994. As the network's Dallas–Fort Worth flagship, KDAF aired Fox's primetime slate—which grew to five nights a week by 1989—alongside a heavy emphasis on off-network reruns, first-run syndication such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and (once it premiered nationally), and weekend sports, filling non-network time slots with feature films often scheduled at 7:00 p.m. on evenings without Fox content. The station's UHF signal on channel 33 provided coverage to over 90% of the market's households, benefiting from Fox's investment in transmitter upgrades but facing competition from established VHF independents and affiliates. Under Fox ownership, KDAF eschewed local news production, a decision aligned with the network's early focus on cost-efficient entertainment over news operations at most O&Os, though a planned revival of evening newscasts in 1994 was abandoned amid shifting affiliation strategies. Programming emphasized youth-oriented and alternative content, including blocks starting in 1990, which aired animated series and live-action shows on weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings, contributing to the station's niche as a counterpoint to the Big Three networks' fare. Audience ratings during this era reflected Fox's disruptive growth, with KDAF capturing significant shares among younger demographics in the 18–34 range, particularly during broadcasts post-1994, though overall viewership lagged behind VHF competitors due to signal propagation challenges in the expansive . By 1994, amid Fox's $500 million acquisition of four New World Communications stations—including VHF affiliate (channel 4) in —regulatory pressures and strategic preferences for stronger-signal outlets prompted the divestiture of KDAF to avoid duopoly violations under FCC rules limiting in the same market. Fox announced the $100 million sale to Renaissance Communications on November 15, 1994, with the deal closing in June 1995; Fox's programming, including primetime and sports, shifted to on July 2, 1995, leaving KDAF to pivot toward independent status before affiliating with the nascent network later that year. This transaction underscored Fox's evolution from upstart network to major player, prioritizing VHF dominance in key markets like , where KDAF's nine-year O&O run had laid foundational viewership but yielded to tactical repositioning.

Shift to Renaissance Communications and WB affiliation (1995–1998)

In mid-1995, amid affiliation realignments stemming from 's acquisition of Communications stations, sold KDAF to Communications Corp. in a transaction valued at $100 million, involving an exchange for Renaissance's in . The sale was finalized on July 3, 1995, following 's relocation of its and sports programming to KDFW-TV (), which had been the market's affiliate until the switch. This left KDAF without a primary network affiliation initially, though it retained certain Fox children's programming under a clearance agreement. Renaissance, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based broadcaster specializing in mid-market and major-market UHF stations, positioned KDAF as an outlet for the newly launched Television– joint venture, Television Network, which had debuted nationally on January 11, 1995. KDAF assumed the Dallas–Fort Worth WB affiliation effective July 5, 1995, supplanting temporary carrier (channel 39) and rebranding as "WB 33" to emphasize its new network alignment and channel position. The station's schedule shifted to feature The WB's primetime lineup—initially anchored by imports like Saved by the Bell: The New Class and originals such as —alongside syndicated fare including talk shows, off-network sitcoms, and movies, targeting a younger demographic in a competitive market dominated by established Big Three affiliates. Under ownership, KDAF operated as a full-service affiliate through 1997, benefiting from the network's growth in youth-oriented content while maintaining a general-entertainment focus with local insertions for community events and promotions. weekday and Saturday blocks continued airing on the station until September 1997, when they were phased out in favor of The 's competing Kids' WB! programming, reflecting broader industry trends toward network-specific children's blocks. Renaissance's brief stewardship emphasized cost-efficient operations and syndication-driven revenue, aligning with its strategy of acquiring former network-owned properties displaced by affiliation upheavals. In July 1996, announced its $1.13 billion acquisition of , which included KDAF and facilitated deeper integration with The 's ownership structure, though the deal closed in early 1997.

Tribune Broadcasting era (1998–2013)

completed its acquisition of KDAF through the purchase of parent company Renaissance Communications in early 1997 for $1.1 billion, integrating the station into its portfolio of affiliates. The station maintained its affiliation, airing network programming alongside syndicated shows and local content, with operations focused on serving the Dallas-Fort Worth market from studios in . In September 1999, KDAF debuted its first in-house news department under Tribune direction, launching a weekday newscast at 10:00 p.m. to capitalize on the growing viability of WB affiliates for local . This marked a reversal from earlier unsuccessful attempts at news programming during prior ownership, aligning with 's broader strategy to bolster news operations across its stations amid rising competition from established network affiliates. The newscast initially featured traditional anchoring but evolved over time to include experimental formats. On January 24, 2006, the formation of Television Network from the merger of and prompted KDAF to transition affiliations, becoming a charter CW outlet effective September 18, 2006, under a long-term agreement with 's stations. This shift retained much of the station's demographic-targeted programming while introducing CW's primetime lineup, including shows like and , which helped sustain viewership in the young adult quadrant. Tribune emphasized digital integration and multi-platform content distribution during this period to adapt to emerging media fragmentation. Tribune expanded KDAF's local programming in the late 2000s and early 2010s, introducing formats such as the late-night Nightcap variety-news hybrid in 2009 and the anchorless NewsFix newscast around 2011, aimed at differentiating from conventional broadcasts through faster-paced, video-driven storytelling. These innovations reflected 's push for cost-efficient, youth-oriented content amid industry pressures, though NewsFix and companion Morning Dose faced scrutiny for prioritizing brevity over depth. By 2013, as navigated financial challenges including debt from earlier expansions, KDAF's operations emphasized syndicated hits like and sports specials alongside fare, positioning the station as a key player in the market's duopoly dynamics with sister Fox O&O .

Revival of local news programming

In 1998, shortly after Tribune Broadcasting acquired KDAF from Renaissance Communications, the station relaunched local news operations with a weekday prime-time newscast at 9:00 p.m., the first such programming since the mid-1980s under prior ownership. This initiative, led by news director Anthony Maisel—who constructed the department from the ground up—sought to leverage KDAF's rising ratings as a WB affiliate to compete in the Dallas-Fort Worth market's fragmented news landscape. The debut program, a half-hour broadcast, focused on fast-paced local coverage tailored to evening viewers, including , , and community stories, without the full resources of a traditional morning or evening news block. Maisel, serving as news director from 1998 to 2007, emphasized innovative staffing and production to operate on a lean budget amid Tribune's broader strategy of testing news viability on superstation affiliates. By 2000, the newscast had stabilized, contributing to KDAF's overall audience growth, though it remained limited in scope compared to network-affiliated competitors like or KXAS. Throughout the Tribune era, the 9:00 p.m. program endured format tweaks but avoided expansion into additional time slots until later innovations, reflecting cautious investment in a market dominated by established players. Ratings data from the period indicated modest viewership gains, with the revival credited for enhancing KDAF's local identity prior to the WB network's 2006 dissolution and transition to . The effort underscored 's selective approach to news development on non-flagship stations, prioritizing prime-time slots over comprehensive operations.

Introduction of Nightcap and innovative formats like NewsFix and Morning Dose

In September 2012, Tribune Broadcasting directed KDAF to overhaul its evening newscasts into a more streamlined, cost-effective format amid staff reductions affecting roughly half the news team. This culminated in the debut of Nightcap on November 1, 2012, a half-hour late-evening program hosted by Spencer Harlan that emphasized engaging, personality-driven delivery over traditional anchor desks. The show incorporated comedic elements, as evidenced by hosts like contributing to its lighthearted news segments during this period. Tribune Broadcasting pioneered innovative news presentation styles across its stations, including the anchor-less, fast-paced NewsFix format, which originated on Houston sister station KIAH-TV in March 2011 as a video-centric alternative to conventional newscasts. Plans to extend NewsFix to KDAF were announced in November , just before Tribune's divestiture, reflecting the company's push toward experimental, viewer-focused programming to differentiate from competitors. Complementing these efforts, explored morning formats like Morning Dose, an evolution from syndicated shows such as EyeOpener, prioritizing integration and content to capture younger audiences. These initiatives under marked a shift toward agile, digitally influenced production at KDAF, prioritizing efficiency and innovation over expansive staffing.

Nexstar Media Group acquisition and CW affiliation (2013–present)

On December 3, 2018, Nexstar Media Group entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Tribune Media Company, the parent of KDAF, for $4.1 billion in a cash-and-stock transaction that positioned Nexstar as the largest U.S. local broadcaster by station count. The deal, subject to regulatory approvals including divestitures to address market concentration concerns, closed on September 19, 2019, transferring ownership of KDAF and Tribune's other 41 stations to Nexstar. This acquisition integrated KDAF into Nexstar's portfolio of over 200 stations, emphasizing operational synergies and expanded content distribution across digital platforms. KDAF has served as the Dallas–Fort Worth affiliate of The CW since the network's launch on September 18, 2006, succeeding its prior role as a WB affiliate under Tribune ownership. Under Nexstar, the station retained its CW affiliation, focusing on network programming alongside local lifestyle and entertainment content. In September 2022, Nexstar acquired a 75% majority stake in The CW from co-owners Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery for $2.7 billion, transforming affiliates like KDAF into owned-and-operated stations and granting Nexstar greater control over network strategy and scheduling. This shift enabled enhanced integration of local and national content, though it drew scrutiny over potential reductions in original scripted programming in favor of cheaper acquisitions and sports rights.

Expansion of local programming under Nexstar

Following Nexstar Media Group's completion of its acquisition of Tribune Media on September 19, 2019, KDAF-TV intensified efforts to bolster local content amid a company-wide emphasis on regional programming to displace some syndicated fare and strengthen community ties. This shift aligned with Nexstar's operational control, transforming KDAF into a company-owned CW outlet while prioritizing Dallas-Fort Worth-specific output over national repeats. A notable addition was the debut of the weekday morning lifestyle program Morning After on June 1, 2020, airing live at 10:00 a.m. and featuring hosts Ron Corning and Jenny Anchondo discussing local events, , and viewer engagement. The show extended KDAF's daytime footprint, building on prior Tribune-era formats but under Nexstar's directive to amplify live, interactive localism. Sports programming saw targeted growth, with High School Showdown—showcasing Thursday night Texas high school football matchups—positioned as a seasonal staple to capture regional audience loyalty. In January 2025, Nexstar announced a partnership with the Texas Rangers for over-the-air broadcasts of 15 regular-season games and four exhibitions, designating KDAF as the flagship station for the Dallas-Fort Worth market and marking a substantive entry into major-league sports telecasts. These moves enhanced KDAF's role in local event coverage, including holiday parades, while adhering to Nexstar's data-driven focus on high-engagement content.

Response to recent industry controversies involving ownership (2020s)

In September 2025, Nexstar Media Group, which owns KDAF, joined Sinclair Broadcast Group in preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC affiliates nationwide after host Jimmy Kimmel's on-air comments criticizing President-elect Donald Trump following the 2024 election. Nexstar cited the remarks as crossing into "personal attacks" unsuitable for local audiences, framing the preemption as an exercise of editorial discretion rather than censorship. The decision affected over 100 ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar, prompting accusations from Democratic lawmakers of political retaliation amid the company's $6.2 billion bid to acquire TEGNA Inc., which required FCC approval under a Trump-appointed commission. Nexstar responded via an internal memo to employees, asserting that affiliates retain independent rights to curate programming and that the action complied with First Amendment protections, as network affiliation agreements do not mandate airing all content. The company rejected claims of regulatory influence, with spokesman Gary Weitman stating the preemption stemmed solely from content concerns, not the TEGNA merger review. Publicly, Nexstar emphasized its commitment to localism, arguing that station owners must balance network obligations with community standards, a position echoed in statements to the FCC defending affiliate autonomy in carriage disputes. Critics, including media watchdogs and four Democratic congressional representatives, launched inquiries into potential viewpoint , linking the timing to Nexstar's merger strategy and past industry practices like centralized mandates. Nexstar countered by highlighting its history of diverse programming decisions and noting that affiliates had preempted controversial content before without regulatory repercussions. By late September 2025, ABC resumed distributing Jimmy Kimmel Live! after negotiations, with Nexstar stations gradually reinstating it, framing the resolution as evidence of collaborative resolution rather than capitulation. The drew to Nexstar's concentration—controlling about 200 stations—but the company maintained that such scale enables robust local journalism, not undue influence. Separately, in October 2025, a federal appeals court upheld a order against Nexstar for alleged unfair labor practices at a station, including retaliatory firings during union organizing. Nexstar appealed, arguing the board overstepped in interpreting employee protections, but complied pending further review, underscoring ongoing tensions in ownership-labor dynamics amid industry consolidation. No direct impacts on KDAF operations were reported, though the rulings reinforced calls for FCC scrutiny of Nexstar's expansion.

Programming and content

Syndicated and network programming

KDAF carries the full primetime lineup of Network as the affiliate for the –Fort Worth market, typically airing original and acquired series from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. CT on weekdays, with weekend blocks extending to include sports programming such as . This network content emphasizes unscripted competitions, dramas, and acquired franchises, reflecting The CW's shift toward cost-efficient formats since its launch as a merger of and networks. To fill non-network slots, including daytime, early evening, and late-night periods, KDAF broadcasts syndicated programming dominated by off-network sitcom reruns. Key offerings include Friends, , , , and , which draw on established viewer familiarity to support local advertising revenue. Additional syndicated fare, such as CBS sitcom in overnight slots, complements these reruns by providing filler content outside primetime. This mix prioritizes high-repeat-value comedies over first-run talk or reality shows, aligning with Nexstar's strategy for CW affiliates to maximize cost-effective audience retention in competitive markets.

Sports broadcasting and special events

As a CW affiliate owned by , KDAF carries The CW's national sports lineup, which includes weekly broadcasts, select NASCAR Xfinity Series races, League events, and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) college and games following the launch of in 2023. In partnership with the Texas Rangers, KDAF serves as the over-the-air flagship station for 15 regular-season games during the 2025 season, scheduled on select Friday nights, along with four spring contests. The station also holds exclusive local rights to broadcast the full schedule of , a prominent program in the –Fort Worth area. KDAF covers special local events, including live telecasts of community parades and gatherings such as the annual Dallas Holiday Parade, earning a 2024 Lone Star Emmy for outstanding special event coverage.

Children's and family-oriented content

KDAF airs children's programming primarily through The CW's "" block on Saturday mornings, which debuted on the station in October 2014 as a replacement for traditional animated cartoons. This five-hour lineup consists of live-action educational and informational series aimed at viewers aged 7 to 13, covering topics such as science, nature, , and to meet FCC requirements for children's educational content. Examples include programs like Xploration Outer Space, focusing on astronomy and space exploration, and , which highlights national parks and environmental awareness. The shift to "" emphasized factual, curriculum-aligned content over entertainment-focused animation, with producers designing episodes to incorporate real-world experts and field footage for authenticity. , KDAF's owner since 2013, has maintained this block to comply with regulatory standards while providing family-suitable viewing options during weekend mornings. Family-oriented content extends to syndicated reruns in daytime and late-night slots, including multi-generational sitcoms like and , which feature humor accessible to children and adults without explicit themes. These shows air regularly, such as in evening repeats, contributing to KDAF's appeal as a general-entertainment outlet for households. Weekend schedules may also include family movies or specials during non-primetime hours, though the station prioritizes network and syndicated fare over locally produced children's segments.

News operations

Evolution of news format and style

KDAF's news operations originated in 1984 under its prior KRLD-TV designation, launching a traditional nightly hour-long newscast at 7:00 p.m. featuring on-air anchors and reporters covering local events in a standard broadcast format. This early effort emphasized straightforward reporting, but the department faced significant upheaval in following the station's acquisition by , which led to the discontinuation of the newscast as regulatory obligations eased and ownership priorities shifted away from production. News programming remained absent through the station's Fox affiliation era in the , with proposed revivals shelved amid low ratings potential for a UHF independent-style outlet. Under ownership starting in 1996, KDAF relaunched in 1998 with a conventional 9:00 p.m. weekday newscast, directed by Anthony Maisel, focusing on anchor-led segments and field reporting to compete in the prime access slot against established network affiliates. By 2012, overhauled the format into Nightcap, introducing a more engaging, personality-driven style hosted by , incorporating comedic elements and lighter segments to appeal to younger demographics while retaining core news content. This evolved further in May 2014 when Nightcap was replaced by NewsFix, an innovative, anchor-less program originating from sister station in ; it featured rapid-fire video packages narrated off-camera, de-emphasizing traditional studio presentation in favor of concise, visually dynamic storytelling to differentiate from competitors. Tribune cancelled NewsFix and the morning counterpart Morning Dose in September 2018, resulting in the elimination of approximately 120 positions across affected stations and effectively dissolving KDAF's dedicated news division amid cost-cutting measures. Following Nexstar Media Group's acquisition in 2019, full-length local newscasts were not reinstated; instead, programming shifted to minimal local inserts, such as 30-second news briefs introduced in April 2020 and occasional weather updates, reflecting a broader industry trend toward streamlined content on affiliates prioritizing network and syndicated fare over expansive news operations.

Key personnel and on-air talent

KDAF's on-air talent emphasizes programming, , and , with contributions from the shared Nexstar Weather Center serving the Dallas-Fort Worth market. The station features hosts and reporters focused on local features, entertainment, and sports rather than traditional evening newscasts. Jenny Anchondo, an Emmy Award-winning anchor, host, and reporter with experience at , , and affiliates nationwide, hosts Inside DFW weekdays at 9 a.m. Yolonda Williams hosts Fun on the Run, covering local events and segments. Multimedia journalists include Lauren Negrete and Brittany Breeding, who produce stories on community issues and features. Daniel Esteve joined as sports multimedia journalist in March 2025, providing coverage of local teams including the and from his prior role in . The weather team, integrated across Nexstar properties, is led by Chief Meteorologist Brian James, who joined in 2024 after stints at stations including ; he holds a meteorology degree from the and focuses on . Senior Meteorologist Jim Danner brings nearly 30 years of experience from markets like Austin and , specializing in Texas-specific phenomena such as hurricanes. Meteorologist Darrius Stringer, with prior work in Abilene, handles weekend forecasts and tornado coverage inspired by the 2011 outbreak near Birmingham. Key behind-the-scenes personnel supporting on-air content include Kinya Cano and Digital Abbey Bowling, who oversee production for and digital segments.

Ratings performance and market impact

KDAF's programming has historically achieved low ratings in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, the fourth-largest designated market area in the U.S. with over 3.26 million television households. Early attempts at a prime-time newscast, including the "Nightcap" show launched in the early , drew modest audiences; a November 2013 edition averaged 11,363 total viewers and 6,188 adults aged 18-49. By 2014, following a promotional campaign emphasizing expanded coverage, the station reported short-term gains of up to 36% in women 25-54 viewership for select newscasts, though sustained performance remained behind major affiliates like and . In 2013, KDAF transitioned from Nightcap to the NewsFix format, a segment-driven, video-heavy presentation produced for select CW affiliates, but viewership continued to trail competitors, consistently ranking last among English-language stations offering news. Ratings declines persisted into the mid-2010s, with 9 p.m. newscasts failing to compete effectively in key demographics despite format tweaks. As of 2023, KDAF no longer produces traditional local newscasts, limiting output to brief updates and lifestyle-oriented content, a decision aligning with Nexstar's focus on syndicated programming, sports, and entertainment over resource-intensive news operations. This shift has confined the station's news to a supplementary role, overshadowed by established leaders in households and demographics, while its overall over-the-air penetration exceeds the market average at 49%. The absence of full news programming reflects broader industry trends favoring cost efficiency amid and streaming competition, reducing KDAF's influence on local discourse compared to ABC, , and affiliates.

Technical information

Subchannels and digital broadcasting

KDAF's digital signal operates on UHF channel 32 at a power of 1,000 kilowatts from a transmitter located in Cedar Hill, Texas, with PSIP mapping its primary feed to virtual channel 33.1 for The CW affiliation. The station's full-power digital transition occurred prior to the 2009 federal mandate, maintaining its pre-transition physical channel while adding subchannels for multicast programming. As of 2024, KDAF broadcasts five subchannels, providing a mix of network, syndicated, and niche content to over-the-air viewers in the –Fort Worth market. These include classic television reruns, action movies, and digital multicast networks owned or distributed by parent company . Subchannel affiliations have evolved from earlier offerings like to current lineup focused on retro and genre-specific programming.
Virtual ChannelPhysical ChannelResolutionAspect RatioProgramming Network
33.132.11080i16:9
33.232.216:9
33.332.316:9Grit
33.432.416:9Charge!
33.532.516:9
The subchannels primarily air in standard definition except for the main CW feed in high definition, optimizing bandwidth for the station's ATSC 1.0 signal without support for as of late 2025. This configuration allows KDAF to reach approximately 7.5 million households via antenna, supplemented by cable and streaming .

Analog-to-digital transition (2009)

KDAF discontinued regular programming on its , broadcast over UHF channel 33, on June 12, 2009, in accordance with the Federal Communications Commission's nationwide mandate for full-power television stations to cease analog transmissions and transition to digital-only operations. The station's digital facility on UHF channel 32, which had been operational since receiving FCC construction permit approval in the early , continued broadcasting post-transition without interruption. To ensure viewer continuity, KDAF utilized (PSIP) to map its physical digital channel 32 to 33, preserving the station's longstanding channel position in electronic program guides and receiver displays. This transition aligned with the broader rollout, enabling enhanced features such as multiple subchannels and improved signal efficiency over the previous analog format, though it required over-the-air viewers without digital converters to rescan or acquire new equipment for reception. The analog shutdown freed spectrum in the 700 MHz band for other uses, including public safety communications, as stipulated in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 that set the transition framework.

Transmitter and signal coverage details

KDAF's transmitter is situated in , south of Belt Line Road in Dallas County, approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of downtown . This location is part of the , a common site for multiple television stations serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area. The station transmits on UHF digital channel 32 (617–623 MHz), with a of 33, using horizontal polarization. Its (ERP) is 780 kW, supported by an antenna mounted at a (HAAT) of 1,761 feet (537 m). These parameters, licensed by the (FCC), enable robust over-the-air signal propagation. The signal provides primary coverage across the Dallas–Fort Worth designated market area (DMA), encompassing 12 counties and serving a population of over 7.9 million households. Grade B contour extends roughly 60–70 miles (97–113 km) from the transmitter, reaching urban centers like , Fort Worth, Arlington, and Plano, as well as suburban and rural areas in ; however, terrain variations and urban obstructions can affect reception in fringe zones. The configuration complies with FCC noise-limited service contours for UHF stations, prioritizing interference protection within TV Zone 2.

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  40. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/jimmy-kimmel-democratic-lawmakers-letter-nexstar-sinclair-rcna233307
  41. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/09/kimmel-response-local-tv-stations-abc-conflict/684388/
  42. https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/nexstar-sinclair-jimmy-kimmel-networks-affiliates-battle-1236537252/
  43. https://thedesk.net/2025/10/nlrb-order-nexstar-media-group/
  44. https://www.cwtv.com/schedule/
  45. https://cw33.com/on-air/program-schedule/
  46. https://www.cwtv.com/sports/
  47. https://cw33.com/sports/cw33-to-air-select-texas-rangers-games-for-free-during-2025-season/
  48. https://cw33.com/cw33/saturday-morning-changes-on-cw33/
  49. https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/listings/channel/69022689/kdaf-hdtv.html
  50. https://cw33.com/news/this-is-newsfix/
  51. https://www.dallasobserver.com/uncategorized/dallas-cw33-lays-off-news-staff-11159725/
  52. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/jobs/2018/09/11/kdaf-tv-owner-cutting-120-jobs-after-its-decision-to-cancel-morning-dose-show/
  53. https://cw33.com/people/
  54. https://cw33.com/author/jenny-anchondo/
  55. https://cw33.com/author/daniel-esteve/
  56. https://cw33.com/meet-the-weather-team/
  57. https://www.nexstar.tv/stations/kdaf-d-3/
  58. https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/kdaf-news-explains-why-more-is-more/
  59. https://unclebarky.com/dfw_files/1cab0f22beff33ddc8dabb9abc7a7419-2600.html
  60. https://www.nexttv.com/news/local-news-close-up-north-texas-stations-cowboy-up
  61. https://www.nexttv.com/news/dueling-and-pooling-deep-in-the-heart-of-texas
  62. https://fiberfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/FiberFirst_Channel-Guide_DFW.pdf
  63. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=22201
  64. https://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/maps_current/Dallas-Ft_Worth_TX.pdf
  65. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=22201
  66. https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=22201
  67. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?mktid=23
  68. https://www.rabbitears.info/tvq.php?request=items&facid=36916
  69. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-68A1.docx
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