KFTA Begins Fox Broadcast

Fort Smith’s KFTA, Channel 24 began broadcasting Fox Network content and a “produced-for-Fox” news show on Aug. 28.

But viewers may have noticed the station is also broadcasting NBC content at different times of the day. That’s because KFTA is in the process of being sold by Nexstar Broadcasting Inc. of Irving, Texas to Mission Broadcasting Inc. of Brecksville, Ohio.

Until the Federal Communications Commission approves the sale, the station is a “hybrid,” said Blake Russell, manager of Nexstar-owned KNWA of Fayetteville, the official NBC affiliate.

Marty Houston, station manager for KFTA, said he hopes for FCC approval in the fall. But that late in the season, he said, most syndication agreements have been set, so he’ll have to scramble to fill the station’s non-Fox airtime.

Meanwhile, Mission has an agreement with Nexstar to share advertising sales and news content. So KNWA is producing the new Fox affiliate’s newscast in its Fayetteville studio. The newscast, which airs at 9 p.m., has its own look, news desk, news anchor and producer, but shares many reporters who also work for KNWA.