Nexstar Goes Northwest With KNWA Change

On Aug. 13, Nexstar Broadcasting Group of Irving, Texas, changed the call letters and concept for its NBC affiliate in the area.

That night, Blake Russell, the television station’s general manager, announced that NBC 24/51, KPOM/KFAA-TV, had changed to KNWA. With the change, the station has moved all of its newsroom operations to the Fayetteville office to concentrate on Northwest Arkansas coverage, leaving an office in Fort Smith for some sales and support staff.

“Realizing our growth potential was not down there, I see it in a business sense being up here,” Russell said.

“This is not about what I think of Fort Smith,” he said. “I think Fort Smith is a wonderful community. I think Fort Smith has made their decision of who they have watched over the years. It has primarily been Channel 5, and 40/29 has been right up there. We’ve kept a consistent audience but see our biggest growth potential in Northwest Arkansas.”

Russell was referring to the other two area television stations: KFSM, Channel 5, which is owned by the New York Times Co., and KHBS/KHOG, Channels 40/29, which is owned by Hearst-Argyle Television Inc.

Russell said 51 percent of the viewers in the 11-county dominant market area are now in Northwest Arkansas. Previously, Fort Smith was the area’s population center. Russell said KNWA will continue to cover Fort Smith news from the Fayetteville newsroom.

Russell said he had received about 50 e-mails concerning the change. Half of those (all from the Fort Smith area) were complaining. The other half (from Northwest Arkansas) supported it.

The change also included new call letters for the station in Fort Smith, KFTA, Channel 24, but those won’t be used in Nexstar’s marketing.

“We’ve gone with a brand and a message that’s so defined that people know what they can expect from us,” Russell said.