KFDX, virtual channel 3, is the NBC affiliated television station located in Wichita Falls, Texas. It also serves Lawton, Oklahoma. Its transmitter is located at the studio in Wichita Falls. The KFDX antenna is 1047 feet (319 m) tall.
| |
| Wichita Falls, Texas/Lawton, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| Branding | KFDX 3 (general)
KFDX 3 News (news) |
| Slogan | The Spirit of Texoma(general)
Texoma's 24-Hour News Team(news) |
| Channels | Digital: 28 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | NBC
MyNetworkTV (DT2) |
| Owner | Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
(Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.) |
| First air date | April 12, 1953 |
| Sister station(s) | KJTL |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog:
3 (VHF, 1953-2009) |
| Transmitter power | 1000 kW |
| Height | 269.4 m |
| Facility ID | 65370 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 33°53′23″N 98°33′30″W |
| Website | www.texomashomepage.com |
In addition to over-the-air reception on digital channel 28, KFDX is also carried by more than 60 cable TV systems in Texas and Oklahoma and UHF translators at Quanah, Texas and Altus, Oklahoma.
KFDX-TV also runs a weather channel on Time Warner cable channel 17. The programming, selected by the on-duty meteorologist, switches between two different radar sources and a temperature and forecast display.
History[]
KFDX went on the air on April 12, 1953 as the third television station to serve the North Texas/Southern Oklahoma region. The station was originally owned by Wichitex Radio and Television under the direction of Darrold Cannan,Sr. and Howard Fry, which also owned KFDX Radio, an AM station with a frequency of 990 that went on the air in 1947. In addition to being a founder and general manager, Fry was best known by children in Texoma for his Uncle Howdy's House Party on both radio and television. In 1955, Wichitex sold the radio station, which continues to operate to this day, to concentrate on the television portion of the business until the firm sold KFDX to Clay Communications of Texas in 1971. Clay sold some of its stations, including KFDX to Price Communications in 1987. In 1995, Price sold KFDX and two of its NBC affiliates KJAC-TV (now KBTV-TV) in Port Arthur, Texas and KSNF in Joplin, Missouri to USA Broadcast Group which was later renamed the U.S. Broadcast Group. Current owner Nexstar Broadcasting bought the station from the U.S. Broadcast Group in 1998.
Don Alexander, leader of rock-and-roll band Alexander and the Greats, and composer of the 1964 hit single "Hot Dang Mustang", came to KFDX in the late 1950s. For several years, he hosted an afternoon children's program called Stage Coach Three. As "Pinto Bean", he donned cowboy garb to host afternoon western and horror movies. Alexander later served as anchorman and occasional news director at KFDX from 1963 to 1980.
Nat Fleming, a local country and western band leader, hosted his own afternoon variety program The Nat Fleming Show on channel 3 from its inception in 1953 until the early 1960s. Fleming was also the longtime owner of a Wichita Falls western wear store, The Cow Lot, which closed its doors in 2006. In his store's television commercials, Fleming was most popular for the tagline "You can tell by looking if it came from the Cow Lot."
The Channel 3 logo prior to the current one had been in use since the mid 1990s, both with and without the NBC Peacock. Several other Channel 3 logos have been used by KFDX throughout the station's history, most notably a Roman numeral 3 or "III" from 1967 to 1978 which was spelled out with the call sign KFDX capitalized and the letters "TV" in small lettering ahead of the numerals as "KFDX-tv III". During the Roman numeral era, Channel 3 programs were spelled out according to that logo including TV-III News, RFD-III, Matinee III, TV-III Golden Movies, News III and Newscenter III (became Newscenter 3 with 1978 logo change).
Newscasts and local programming[]
The long-running agriculture/public affairs program RFD-3 airs at 5:00 a.m. weekdays and 6:30 am Saturdays, and has been a staple of area television for decades. It is hosted by Joe Brown, the station's farm director and also farm editor of the Wichita Falls Times Record News.
News programming on weekdays includes KFDX 3 News Today at 5:30 a.m., KFDX 3 News at Noon at 12 p.m., KFDX 3 News at 5 at 5 p.m., KFDX 3 News at 6 at 6 p.m. and KFDX 3 News at 10 at 10 p.m. On weekends, KFDX 3 News is broadcast at 6 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday and 10 p.m. both nights.
KFDX produces 22 hours of news programming a week.
Ratings[]
KAUZ and KFDX primarily compete for the Texas audience, while KSWO has a stronghold on the Oklahoma market.
For the May 2009 ratings period, KFDX ranked second for the morning time period, according to Nielsen Media Research. KFDX ties for first at 5 p.m. and ranks second at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
For the November 2008 rating period, KFDX's weekend evening newscasts were beaten out by KAUZ.
News/station presentation[]
Newscast titles[]
- Your Esso Reporter (1953–1956)
- KFDX-TV News (1956–1959)
- Channel 3 News (1959–1964)
- TV-3 News (1964–1967)
- TV-III News (1967–1976)
- News III: 6 O'Clock Report/10 O'Clock Report (1976–1977)
- NewsCenter III (1977–1978)
- NewsCenter 3 (1978–2006)
- KFDX 3 News (2006–present)[1]
NOTE: The noon newscast was also called the Noon Report for many years until 1980s in conjunction with the main newscast title. The 10 p.m. broadcast also had an exclusive title ofNewscenter 3 Nightcast during the 1980s and 1990s.
Station slogans[]
- Texoma's TV-3, in Living Color (1965–1967)
- Texoma's Television is KFDX, TV-III (1967–1970)
- TV-III News: Watch Us First (1970–1972)
- Count on the TV-III News - Always One Step Ahead (1972–1975)
- If It's News, It's On TV-III News (1975–1976)
- It's Happening on TV-III (1976–1977)
- Get the Picture on NewsCenter III (1977–1978)
- NewsCenter 3: The Team That Really Knows News (1978–1979)
- 3 People Do It Better (1979–1980)
- TV-3, Proud as a Peacock!
- The Best of the 3 (1980–1982)
- NewsCenter 3: Texoma's #1 News Team (1980–1981)
- TV-3, Our Pride is Showing (1981-1982; local version of NBC ad campaign)
- The Difference Between Fact and Fiction is NewsCenter 3 (1981–1982)
- We're TV-3, Just Watch Us Now (1982-1983; local version of NBC ad campaign)
- We're TV-3: Texoma's Very Own (1983–1986)
- TV-3 There, Be There (1983-1984; local version of NBC campaign)
- TV-3, Let's All Be There! (1984-1986; local version of NBC ad campaign)
- Come Home to TV-3! (1986-1987; local version of NBC ad campaign)
- If It Happens In Texoma, It Happens on NewsCenter 3 (1986–1988)
- Come on Home to TV-3 (1987-1988; local version of NBC ad campaign)
- Come Home to the Best, Only on TV-3 (1988-1990; local version of NBC campaign)
- TV-3, The Place to Be! (1990-1992; local version of NBC campaign)
- The Spirit of Texoma (?–present, primary slogan; used in an image campaign using "This is Your News" by Frank Gari)
- Texoma's News Team (?–1992)
- Texoma's 24-Hour News Team (1992–2005; news slogan)
- It's A Whole New TV-3 (1992-1993; local version of NBC campaign)
- The Stars Are Back on TV-3 (1993-1994; local version of NBC campaign)
- It's Channel 3! (1994-1995; local version of NBC campaign)
- Local. In Depth. Community. (2012–present; news slogan)
On-air staff[]
Current on-air staff
Anchors
- Ann Arnold - weekday mornings on KFDX 3 News Today (5-7 a.m.) and weekdays at noon
- Gwyn Bevel - weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
- Doug Bilyeu - weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.
- Darrell Franklin - weeknights at 10 p.m.; also reporter
- Melissa Foy - Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5, and weekends at 10 p.m.; also reporter
- David Gonzales -weeknights at 9 p.m. (KJTL); also reporter
- Greg Parker - weekday mornings on KFDX 3 News Today (5-7 a.m.)
Texoma's Weather Authority
- Skip McBride - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6, 9 (KJTL) and 10 p.m.
- Bryan Rupp - meteorologist; weekday mornings on KFDX 3 News Today (5-7 a.m.) and noon
- David Morris - staff meteorologist
- Eric Jeansonne - meteorologist; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5, and weekends at 10 p.m.
Sports team
- Tobin McDuff - sports director; weeknights at 6, 9 (KJTL) and 10 p.m.
- Alex Zannes - sports anchor; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5, and weekends at 10 p.m.
- Ben Coker - fill-in sports anchor
Reporters
- Mechell Dixon - general assignment reporter
- Lindsey Wopschall - general assignment reporter
- Spencer Williams - general assignment reporter
Station management[]
- Julie Pruett - General Manager
- Wayne Reed - Director of Sales
- Terry Porter - Chief Engineer
- Doug Bilyeu - News Director
- Lawrence (Yogi) Statser - Managing Editor
- Kyle Kleinecke - Promotions Director
- Greg Collier - Operations Manager
- Carolyn Schrick - News Production Manager
- Vinh Truong - Emedia Manager
- Chad Johnson - Creative Director
Former on-air staff[]
- Jerry Adams - news anchor (1965-1969)
- Don Alexander - Stage Coach Three host and anchorman/news director (1959-1980; deceased)
- Andy Austin - sports director (1986-1990)
- Shelby Baker - morning anchor/reporter (late 1990s-early 2000s)
- John Basham - staff meteorologist (1993-1994)
- Cindy Bradford - news anchor (1979-90)
- Fred Brooks - news director (late 1950s/early 1960s)
- Jason Calder - weekend anchor/reporter/producer (2007-2009 and was a producer from 2001-2005; currently at KOKI-TV Tulsa)
- Mark Clegg - weekend anchor/reporter (1988-1989; currently at KSHB-TV Kansas City)
- Scott Coppenbarger - reporter/anchor/news director (1986-1995 and 1997-1998)
- Heidi Collins - anchor/reporter
- Tom Crane "the Weathervane" - weathercaster (1954-1971; deceased)
- Bryce Daniels - news anchor/reporter
- Todd Davis - anchor/reporter/producer (1997-2001)
- Dan Dickens - staff meteorlogist
- Nelson Duffle - news anchor/producer/reporter (1979-1982)
- Norman Duncan - news anchor (1959-1964)
- Tim Elbertson - meteorologist (2001; currently in Colorado Springs, CO)
- Brad Fanning - sports
- Nat Fleming - host of The Nat Fleming Show (1953-early 1960s)
- Mark Fox - staff meteorologist (1990-1993 and 1995-1998)
- Gan Matthews - anchor/reporter (1975-1979; currently at KWTV Oklahoma City)
- Megan Henderson - news anchor/reporter (currently anchoring at KTLA in Los Angeles)
- Mike Hignite - news/sports anchor/reporter (1986 - 1990)
- Kerry Hinkle - news anchor (currently anchoring in Philadelphia, PA)
- Steve Holland - sports anchor (1968-1976)
- Tres Hood - news reporter and sports anchor (1987-1989; deceased)
- Ken Hughes - news director/reporter (1967-1982; deceased)
- Jerry Johnson - sports anchor (currently owns Jerry's Sporting Goods in Wichita Falls)
- Ken Kane - news reporter/anchor (1978-1979)
- Ricardo LeCompte - sports anchor/sports reporter (2007-2010)
- Sam Armstrong Lopez - news producer/reporter (1978-1980)
- Sheryl Lewis - anchor
- Erin Shryock- anchor (2007-2011)
- Emily Luxen - anchor (??-2007)
- Lynn Marshall - news director/anchor/reporter/announcer (1980-1996)
- Bill Martin - sports director (1990-1996)
- Gerry May - reporter/anchor (1986-1989)
- Tina Patel - news reporter
- Kimberly Price - anchor/reporter
- Dick Pryor - sports director (1979-1982)
- Steve Reska - sports anchor (1981-1983)
- Darius Radzius - news reporter (2004-2005)(now reporting for FiOS 1 News on Long Island, NY)
- Frances Rivera - news anchor/reporter (currently anchoring in Boston, MA)
- Erica Rosales - general assignment reporter (??-2009)
- Phil Schuman - sports anchor (1980-1981)
- Kevin Selle - meteorologist (2012-2021; now meteorologist at KFDA-TV in Amarillo, TX)
- Warren Silver - chief meteorologist/staff announcer (1953-1971); general manager (1971-1988); feature reporter (1988-2001; deceased)
- Jerry Smith - news reporter (1972-79; now lives outside Scotland, Tx.)
- Victoria Snee (now morning personality at KDMX Dallas)
- Ron Stahl - reporter (1975-1978; now co-host of "Discover Oklahoma" program on KWTV in Oklahoma City and KOTV in Tulsa)
- Kim Stamps - Assistant News Director/News Anchor (1985-1995)
- Ben Strickland - weathercaster and sports anchor (1957-1979)
- Don Teague - news reporter (currently reporting for CBS News)
- Dale Terry - reporter (1957-1970)
- Laura (Merrill) Von Loh- anchor
- Bill Warren - weathercaster and news anchor (1968-1992)
- Rachel Wheat - morning anchor/reporter (early 2000s-2005)
- Danny Wright - weathercaster and staff announcer (1974-1991)