KDSM-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KDSM-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = You're Set on Fox 17
station_branding = Fox 17
analog = 17 (UHF)
digital = 16 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = Fox
network =
founded =
airdate = March 7, 1983 [cite news|first=Dave|last=Rhein|title=New DM station sends first signals|work=The Des Moines Register|date=1983-03-08|page=1B]
location = Des Moines, Iowa
callsign_meaning = Des Moines
former_callsigns = KCBR (1983-1986)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
licensee = KDSM Licensee, LLC
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = independent (1983-1986)
effective_radiated_power = 3030 kW (analog)
500 kW (digital)
HAAT = 612 m (both)
class =
facility_id = 56527
coordinates = coord|41|49|48.5|N|93|36|54.6|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.kdsm.com/ www.kdsm.com]

KDSM-TV is a television station that broadcasts on channel 17 in Des Moines, Iowa. It is an affiliate of the Fox Broadcasting Company and serves most of central Iowa. Its transmitter is located near Alleman, Iowa.

History

Des Moines' first television station, KGTV, signed on channel 17 in 1953. (WOI-TV in Ames was the only television station serving central Iowa at that point, as WHO-TV and KRNT-TV, now KCCI, had yet to sign on.) Financial problems, coupled with the fact that very few television sets were able to get UHF signals at the time, forced KGTV off the air after less than a year. [cite book|first=Jeff|last=Stein|title=Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting|location=Cedar Rapids, Iowa|publisher=WDG Communications|year=2004|id=ISBN 0-9718323-1-5] The KGTV calls now reside on the ABC affiliate in San Diego, California, broadcasting on channel 10.

Channel 17 remained silent for nearly 30 years until March 7 1983, when KCBR, "The Great Entertainer," signed on. It was Iowa's first independent television station, as well as the first new commercial station in central Iowa since KRNT/KCCI signed on 28 years earlier. KCBR's call letters were changed to KDSM ("DSM" is the IATA airport code for the Des Moines International Airport) on January 17, 1986 [cite web|author=Federal Communications Commission|title=Call Sign History|url=http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=56527&Callsign=KDSM-TV|accessdate=2007-02-24] , and later that year KDSM became one of the charter affiliates of the Fox Network.

KDSM came under the ownership of River City Broadcasting in 1991. In 1996, Sinclair acquired the station as part of its purchase of River City.

Sinclair and Fox cut a six-year affiliation contract extension for Sinclair's 19 Fox affiliates; thus, Fox will remain on KDSM at least through March 2012.

At midnight on January 6, 2007, Sinclair pulled KDSM from Mediacom cable systems in central Iowa, including those in Des Moines and Ames, as part of Mediacom's ongoing retransmission dispute with Sinclair. KDSM began offering $150 rebates (payable as $10 monthly bill credits) for Mediacom subscribers to switch to DirecTV during that time period. Mediacom offered free dipole antennas to subscribers and aired programming from other cable networks in KDSM's place during the impasse. [cite news|first=William|last=Ryberg|title=Talks Fail; Mediacom Loses KDSM Programming|url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070106/BUSINESS/701060348/1001|work=Des Moines Register|date=2007-01-06] The impasse, which attracted attention from lawmakers in Iowa and in Washington, D.C., ended on February 2 when Mediacom announced that it had signed a retransmission consent agreement with Sinclair. KDSM was restored to Mediacom systems shortly after the announcement. [cite news|first=Shirley|last=Brady|title=Mediacom and Sinclair Make A Deal|url=http://www.cable360.net/competition/broadcast/21913.html|work=Cable360|date=2007-02-02]

Personalities and programming

KDSM carries all Fox Network programs, including the 4Kids TV children's lineup. Syndicated programs on KDSM's current schedule include "Maury", "The Jerry Springer Show", and reruns of "The Simpsons", "Two and a Half Men", "Seinfeld", "Frasier", and "Everybody Loves Raymond".

On March 4, 2001, KDSM debuted "Fox 17 News at Nine." The newscast was produced by KGAN-TV in Cedar Rapids, from 2001 until September 2, 2008, when WHO-TV in Des Moines took over production. While partnered with KGAN, the newscast featured that station's anchors and reporters.

Partnered with WHO, the newscast is titled "Channel 13 News at Nine on FOX 17," and now airs for an hour weeknights, and a half hour on the weekends.

Previously serving as WHO's weekend anchor, Lynn Melling anchors the hour-long newscast Monday-Friday. Chief Meteorologist Ed Wilson handles weather and Keith Murphy does sports weeknights. On the weekends, Dave Price anchors news, Brett McIntyre does weather and Shawn Terrell has sports.

External links

* [http://www.kdsm.com/ KDSM website]
*TVQ|KDSM
*BIA|KDSM|TV|TV

References