KMSP
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KMSP is a television station in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market that broadcasts on channel 9 (26 digital). KMSP, which began broadcasting as KEYD by 1954, was an ABC network affiliate from 1961 until 1979. Then it became an independent station, showing primarily syndicated (and locally-produced first-run) programming until 1987, when it became one of the original affiliates of the newly-launched Fox network.
However, it did not remain a Fox affiliate for long. In 1995, it became affiliated with the United Paramount Network. KMSP remained as a UPN affiliate until 2001, when the station was sold to the News Corporation, swapping affiliations with local Fox station WFTC 29, which then became a UPN station. This move made KMSP a Fox station once again, and this was accompanied with a long "Make the Switch" campaign. The studios of KMSP and WFTC are currently co-located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Annually, KMSP airs the Minnesota State High School League Prep Bowl (state football championship games), held at the Metrodome. The KMSP TV Tower is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. KMSP owns the tower, which stands 1466 feet (446.8 m) tall, but shares it with WFTC and the Twin Cities Public Television stations, KTCA and KTCI. Several FM stations are also on the tower: KQRS, KXXR ("93X"), KTCZ ("Cities 97"), KTIS, KSJN, KJZI, KDWB, KEEY ("K102"), WLTE, and KZJK.
The station has had a long-running 9 PM newscast (Fox 9 News at 9), which airs an hour before most other news broadcasts in the area (being in the Central Time Zone, Minnesota TV stations usually air their nightly newscasts at 10 PM). The two primary news anchors are Jeff Passolt and Robyne Robinson, who have been paired longer than any other area news readers, according to the station. Channel 9 also produces a morning show that airs from 5 to 9 AM each weekday.
KMSP was one of the most successful and profitable independent stations in the country. The station continues to do quite well today as a network affiliate.
External link
- KMSP Fox 9 (http://www.kmsp.com/)