KPXJ

KPXJ is the CW-affiliated television station for Shreveport, Louisiana. Licensed to Minden, the station broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 21. KPXJ's transmitter is located in Mooringsport. The station is owned by The Wray Family as part of a duopoly with the area's ABC affiliate KTBS-TV. The two stations share studios located on East Kings Highway in Shreveport.

Although KPXJ only broadcasts over-the-air via a digital signal, it is offered on Comcast cable in Shreveport, Suddenlink Cable in Bossier City, Cableone in Texarkana, AR/TX, and various other cable systems in the region as well as DirecTV and Dish Network.

History

KPXJ launched on August 31, 1998. The station's calls were originally WPXO and it served as the area's PAX (now ION Television) affiliate which launched the same day. On January 8, 1999, WPXO's calls changed to the current KPXJ.

In 2003, KPXJ was sold by Paxson Communications to The Wray family who also owns the area's ABC affiliate KTBS. That station's 5 and 10 PM newscasts were already being rebroadcast on KPXJ in addition to KTBS handling KPXJ's sales and advertisements.

In September of the same year, KPXJ became the area's UPN affiliate after being on KSHV for many years, and even earlier but briefly in 1995 on CBS affiliate KSLA. KPXJ continued to broadcast PAX programming on a secondary basis until April 2004, and, to this day, continues to air the Worship Network late at night. In the 2006 United States broadcast TV realignment, KPXJ became the CW affiliate, and WB affiliate KSHV took the MyNetworkTV affiliation. That summer, KPXJ removed its UPN branding, unlike most UPN and WB stations converting to The CW, replacing it with the CW branding.

After MyNetworkTV launched September 5, 2006, KPXJ began broadcasting the final two weeks of WB programming late at night. KPXJ began broadcasting The CW on September 18, 2006.

Digital television

The station's digital signal is UHF 21, multiplexed:

Digital channels

In September 2005, the station launched its digital signal on UHF channel 21. Because KPXJ never got a companion digital channel, it had to turn its analog NTSC signal off (a move called a "flash-cut"). This move caused an uproar with viewers of the station who did not have the equipment to receive over-the-air digital broadcasts or cable. Three months later, DirecTV put the station on their signal. Dish Network added the station in April 2007.

Programming

Due to its relations with KTBS, KPXJ can take on the responsibility of airing ABC programming when KTBS is not able to do so due to a special event or an emergency. An example is that when KTBS aired the Louisiana Governor Election, KPXJ aired an ESPN on ABC football game between Michigan and Illinois.

Schedule

Weekdays

Weeknights

Saturdays

Sundays

Newscasts

KPXJ began rebroadcasts of news from KTBS in 2001 when it and numerous other PAX affiliates began airing rebroadcasts of news from a "Big Three" station.

In 2003, after KPXJ was sold to become a duopoly with KTBS, that station began producing a daily 9 PM newscast. It was the first, and to this day, only locally produced 9PM newscast in the market (KMSS airs a 9PM newscast, but it's produced by sister station KFXK in Longview). Additionally, KTBS produces a weekday morning newscast for KPXJ entitled KPXJ 21 News at 7.

On August 3, 2009, KPXJ expanded its 9PM newscast to an hour, making it the first hour-long newscast in the market, in the process, it was renamed The KTBS 3 9:00 News Hour.

On Friday nights during high school football season, KPXJ airs an hour-long highlights show called Friday Football Fever. The show is hosted by KTBS Sports Director Tim Fletcher.

KTBS 3 News at 7 Weekday Mornings (7 to 8 A.M.)

• Anchors:
  • Ed Walsh
  • Sonja Bailes
• Weather:
  • Jennifer Gray

KTBS 3 9:00 News Hour (9 to 10 P.M.) Weeknights

• Anchor:
  • Trish Williford
  • Gerry May or Sherri Talley (fill-in)
• Weather:
  • Joe Haynes
• Sports:
  • Tim Fletcher

Weekends

• Anchor:
  • Chrissi Coile
• Weather:
  • Marcy Novak
• Sports:
  • Leslie Spoon

KPXJ used additional news personnel from KTBS, see the KTBS article for a complete listing

Administration

• Lauren Ostendorff - Station Manager / Owner
• Jan Elkins - Community Affairs
• Cheryl May - Station Promotions
• Randy Bain - News Director
• Jill Davies - Assignment Desk Editor
• Ron Thoma - Production Manager
• David Rowe - Local Sales Manager
• Valerie Cosby - Regional Sales Manager
• Steve Masters - Life Wise Cable Media Sales Manager
• Bernadette Collier - Life Wise Cable Media Operations Manager

Internet Team

• Linda Howard
• Cathy Basham
• Alicia Todd
• Jan Elkins
• Steve Anderson
• Brad Pollitt
• Randy Bain
• Carline Procell

News/Station presentation

Newscast Titles

• UPN 21 News (2003-2006)
• KPXJ 21 News (2006-2009)
• KTBS 3 News at 7 (morning newscast; 2009-present)
• KTBS 3 9:00 News Hour (9PM newscast; 2009-present)

Station slogans

• Straight To The Point (2003-present; newscast)

External links

• Station Website
• KPXJ on Myspace
• KTBS Website
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KPXJ
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KPXJ-TV

Categories: CW network affiliates | Channel 21 digital TV stations in the United States | Television channels and stations established in 1998 | Television stations in Shreveport, Louisiana