KMSS-TV

KMSS-TV (branded as "Fox 33") is the Fox affiliate in Shreveport, Louisiana. The station is seen via satellite through Dish Network and DirecTV. The station is co-managed in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate KSHV-TV (channel 45), which is owned by Communications Corporation of America.

They are a typical Fox affiliate station with a blend of Fox first-run prime time shows, syndicated talk shows, reality shows, court shows, and off-network sitcoms. Its transmitter is located near Mooringsport, Louisiana.

History
KMSS first went on the air on April 11, 1985 as the first independent station in the market and the first television station to sign on since ABC affiliate KTBS (channel 3) came on the air thirty years earlier in 1955. Although it was an independent station, it showed CBS programming when KSLA (channel 12) pre-empted them, mostly CBS' late night and morning lineup (with the exception of The Price Is Right and The Young and the Restless) and most of their Saturday morning lineup. In 1986, KMSS affiliated with the Fox network, one of the first stations in Louisiana to do so. It is one of two stations in the market (KSLA being the other) not to change affiliates, and the only station not to be affiliated with any other network. The station was the first one in Louisiana to broadcast in stereo. In the mid 1990s, it was an affiliate of PTEN, a syndicated programming venture between Chris-Craft and Warner Bros Domestic Television. For years it had been the de facto Fox affiliate for the Longview area until 1991 when then-CBS affiliate, and current sister station, KLMG switched to Fox and became KFXK.

[edit] Programming
In the early years, KMSS was the local home of both the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros, and was home to the (at the time) local minor league baseball team, the Shreveport Captains. It was also the home of Big 12 football when that conference began in the mid-90s back when Fox Sports Net was coming into its own.

In 1992, KMSS hired Chuck Smith, Director of News & Information to produce interstitial program elements pertaining to community relations / public affairs programming and newscasts/newsbreaks. "KMSS Kid's Club", which was similar to the "Fox Kids' Club", was introduced to incorporate short feature stories which were inserted during breaks in the Warner Brothers animation programs in the mornings and afternoons, increasing viewership and adding value to the children's program blocks. Other interstitial program elements included "ArkLaTex WEEKENDS" produced & hosted by Chuck Smith which featured local & regional events in the broadcast region.

It, along with KSHV, currently airs Southeastern Conference football and basketball from the SEC Network. KMSS was formerly one of several affiliates of Edward St. Pe's WeatherVision daily updates.

[edit] Digital television
Digital channels On June 12, 2009, KMSS-TV left channel 33 and moved to channel 34 when the analog to digital conversion completed.[1]

[edit] News operation
For a long period of time, KMSS was one of several Fox stations that did not have a local newscast, but that changed on April 23, 2007, when KMSS began airing Fox News Louisiana (which was later rebranded as Fox News Shreveport) weeknights at 9 p.m.

On August 20, 2007, KMSS debuted Fox News Louisiana AM, a morning news program seen weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Like the evening news, certain segments were taped and included stories by the Shreveport-based reporting staff, while other portions were carried live. While production of the evening show is now produced by KFXK, the morning show remained a production of Baton Rouge-based WGMB until it was canceled in December 2008. KMSS replaced the morning newscast with Montel Williams which previously aired on sister station KSHV.

Fox News Shreveport was produced by Baton Rouge Fox affiliate WGMB. Originally, the first 20 minutes of the program were taped earlier in the evening and geared specifically towards the Ark-La-Tex audience, with stories by Shreveport-based reporters, plus a local forecast. KMSS then joined the WGMB's live broadcast for the final two segments, which include national news, world news and a statewide sportscast. That format was later changed to where the entire KMSS newscast was taped. The final edition of Fox News Shreveport aired on September 5, 2008.

On September 8, 2008, KMSS replaced Fox News Shreveport with the 10-minute long Fox News Ark-La-Tex. It is produced by Tyler, Texas Fox affiliate KFXK. Much like Fox News Shreveport, it is taped earlier in the evening, with stories by Shreveport-based reporters, plus a local forecast and sportscast prepared by the Tyler-based crew. On September 20, 2010, it has reverted to a half hour newscast and was renamed again to Fox 33 News Ark-La-Tex. KMSS also airs a half-hour sports program called The Show on Sunday nights at 11 p.m. It is also produced by KETK in Tyler, TX.

Fox 33 News Ark-La-Tex (Weeknights 9 to 9:30 P.M.) KMSS uses additional news personnel from KETK in Longview, Texas, see that article for a complete listing
 * Anchor:
 * Crystal Kobza
 * Weather:
 * Scott Chesner
 * Sports:
 * Danny Elzner

Former on-air staff

 * Chuck Smith, Director of News & Information Services (1992-94)
 * producer & host: "ArkLaTEX WEEKENDS", "Celebrate America", "Red River Revel Report", "La. State Fair Reports"

Newscast titles

 * Fox News Louisiana (2007–2008; 9 p.m. newscast)
 * Fox News Louisiana A.M. (2007–2008; morning newscast)
 * Fox News Ark-La-Tex (2008–2010; 9 p.m. newscast)
 * Fox 33 News Ark-La-Tex (2010-present; 9 p.m. newscast)

Station slogans

 * It's On Us! (1986–1994)
 * Count On Us! (1994–1996)
 * Just One Fox 33 (1996–1999; localized version of Fox campaign)
 * You're in Fox 33 Country! / The Only Fox for the Ark-La-Tex (1999–2005)
 * Everything You Want To See (2005–2010)
 * It's First, It's Fast (2008–2010; news slogan)
 * Your Fox for the Ark-La-Tex (2010–present; general slogan)
 * So Fox 33 (2011-present; localized version of Fox campaign)
 * News With a Fox Edge (2010-present; news slogan)