Fox Station Coming to St. Joseph, Mo.

News-Press & Gazette to debut Fox, Telemundo affiliates in late spring

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/20/2012 9:47:22 AM

News-Press & Gazette (NPG) is launching a Fox station in St. Joseph, Mo., which it calls the "centerpiece" of several media moves in DMA No. 200. NPG will also be adding Telemundo and The CW to its lineup in St. Joseph. The moves follow an announcement two weeks ago that the company is reacquiring local news service News-Press 3 NOW.

No Fox or NBC affiliate currently exists in St. Joseph, according to BIA/Kelsey. Nexstar owns the ABC affiliate, KQTV, in St. Joseph; it commands around 87% of the market's TV revenue, reports BIA/Kelsey.

The new stations are expected to go live in late spring. NPG does not have call letters for them yet.

"We're delighted that News Press & Gazette will be bringing Fox's programming to the citizens of St. Joseph," said Fox in a statement.

NPG says it plans to invest heavily in local content, with "more than two hours of news daily" in St. Joseph. Much of the news gathering will be conducted by its local newspaper, News-Press.

"For the first time, viewers in the city and in the nearby region will be able receive a Fox-affiliated station with truly local news programming," said Eric Bradley, general manager for the St. Joseph stations. "Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas have proven to be exceptional markets for what we can provide-news, information and entertainment programming developed with attention to the specific needs and interests of local people and businesses. We couldn't be more pleased than to be able to announce these long-term investments and the new services we will be able to provide for both viewers and advertisers in this region."

Bradley said the Fox station will share resources with News-Press 3 NOW.

The stations will work out of studios in the News-Press newsroom in downtown St. Joseph. The staffs will be "closely integrated" with the news operations of the paper, according to a company press release.

Bradley most recently was general manager of NPG's KTVZ-KFXO Bend (Ore.).