KVRR

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KVRR
city =
station_
station_slogan = First on Fox
station_branding = Fox
Your Fox station
analog = 15 (UHF)
digital = 19 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = Fox
network =
founded =
airdate = February 14, 1983
location = Fargo, North Dakota
callsign_meaning = KVRR: Red River Valley (coverage area)
Red River Broadcasting (owner)
KBRR: Red River Valley (coverage area)
Red River Broadcasting (owner)
former_callsigns = KVNJ-TV (1983-1985)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Red River Broadcasting Company, LLC
licensee = Red River Broadcast Company, LLC
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = independent (1983-1986)
effective_radiated_power = 4170 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 379 m (analog)
348 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 55372
coordinates = coord|46|40|28.9|N|96|13|41|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage =

KVRR is a Fox affiliate based in Fargo, North Dakota broadcasting on channel 15 (digital channel 19). The station also simulcasts from the Fargo Studio on KJRRchannel 7 (DT 18¹) Jamestown, KBRR channel 10 (DT 32¹) Thief River Falls/Grand Forks, and KNRR channel 12 (DT 15) Pembina (which also covers southern Manitoba).

^{1: KJRR and KBRR's digital channels are not on the air, but have been assigned by the FCC}

News

As with most programming, KVRR produces and simulcasts the newscasts on KNRR, KBRR, and KJRR. Regional Commercials are inserted in the microwave feed the other stations at the Fargo Studio. The newscasts have won local broadcaster awards, and have been competitive in viewership ratings.

atellite stations

KVRR is relayed by the following full-powered satellite stations:

Translators

Translators (low powered rebroadcasters) are:
*K33HB in Devils Lake, North Dakota (Channel 33)
*K05IV in Park Rapids, Minnesota (Channel 5)
*K61CM in Red Lake, Minnesota (Channel 61)
*K46BV in Roseau, Minnesota (Channel 46)

K54AT, K33HB and K05IV are owned by Red River; all others are owned by local governments or TV associations. Note that many of these repeaters are actually in the northwestern part of the market.

K61BJ in Donnelly, MN and K54AT in Brainerd, MN are no longer active translator sites for KVRR. K61BJ was thought to be in operation by KVRR but due to lack of communication it was found that the translator was struck by lightning around three years ago(2005 or so) and was not repairable.K54AT was taken off the air in mid-April 2008. This was due to several reasons, the most significant being that the company did not want to pay the escalating cost of tower rent. K54AT is off the air permanently and will not be restarted. KVRR gave no warning to the public that the translator was being removed.

KVRR originally had translators in Alexandria, MN, Bemidji, MN, Grand Rapids, MN, and in Walker, MN. However, the Bemidji translator was forced off the air by the sign-on of KFTC. The Grand Rapids translator now carries sister station KQDS, a Duluth Fox affiliate owned by Red River Broadcasting whose non-news programming originates from Fargo. The Alexandria and Walker translators, owned by private groups, now carry different stations.

On Air Personalities

Anchors

*Austen Schauer-"Fox News at 6 & 9"
*Andrea Larson-"Fox News at 6 & 9"
*Candace Thornberg-"Fox News at 9 (Weekend)"

Weather

*Kip Hines-"Fox News at 6 & 9"
*Rob Parrish "Fox News at 9 (Weekends)"

ports

*Greg Enkers-Sports Director, Anchor "Fox News at 6 & 9"
*Chris Obarski-Anchor "Fox News at 9" (Weekend)
*Zach Borg-Reporter/Photographer

Reporters

*Candace Thornberg
*Martina Del Bonta
*Diane Giscard D'Estaing
*Rebecca Gilbuena
*Whitney Hay

Photographers

*Cody Harmon
*Adam Stevens
*Zach Borg
*Nathan Aamodt

Production

*James Crawford (Lead Director)
*Matt Grenz (Assistant)
*Kyle Johnson (Assistant)

Former on air personalities

*Jeanine Noce (Interactive Content Producer, BCBSND)
*Amy Hockert
*Jeremy Jorgenson (NDSU Director of Sales & Broadcasting)
*Ryan Gellner
*Jason Hulm (News Director, Morning Co-Host KFYR Radio, Bismarck, ND)
*Jennifer Mitsch
*Barbara Lee
*Jennifer Chesak
*Adam Caskey (WJLA-TV Arlington, VA)
*Sarah Stokes (WEAU-TV Eau Claire, WI)
*Sarah Speer
*Scott Swanson (KVLY-TV/KXJB-TV Fargo, ND)
*Nicole Phillips
*Lauren Heflin (KTRE-TV Lufkin, TX)
*Katie Eggert
*Holly Samuels (WDTN-TV Dayton, OH)
*Lou Raguse (KELO-TV Sioux Falls, SD)
*Travis Skonseng (WDAY-TV Fargo, ND)
*Martha DeCrans
*Scott Heinle
*Christina Vaughan (WDAY-TV Fargo, ND)

History

KVRR signed on in 1983 as an independent station (with the call letters KVNJ-TV). Its satellite stations signed on a few years later. When the Fox network first signed on in 1986, KVRR, KBRR, and KNRR all became three of the original Fox affiliates. The stations also carried UPN programming at a recorded delay when UPN signed on in 1995 until 1998, since Minneapolis UPN station KMSP was available on cable television in most of the KVRR viewing area. (When KMSP switched to Fox in 2002, KCPM in Grand Forks signed on as a full-time UPN station in 2003.)

KVRR also became the first commercial station (Prairie Public was the first station) in eastern North Dakota to broadcast in digital. Currently, both KVRR and KNRR broadcast in digital although only KVRR is in high-definition, but the FCC shows that KBRR and KJRR have construction permits for digital transmitters.

KNRR and the old KCND

KNRR operates on a channel formerly occupied by KCND-TV, a station formerly owned by Gordon McLendon. In September 1975, Izzy Asper acquired the station and relocated it to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where it relaunched as CKND channel 9, a Global O&O today.

Ten years later, in 1986, channel 12 returned to the air, as KVRR satellite, KNRR.

While KNRR's coverage area includes Winnipeg, it is not carried on Shaw or MTS TV, who opted for Rochester's WUHF instead due to CRTC concerns that Winnipeg advertisers would purchase time from KNRR rather than Winnipeg television stations.

According to news reports at the time, KNRR was not easily available in Winnipeg (River Heights and Winnipeg's North End), due to the grade B contour of the signal (more than 100 kilometres and interference from hydro and telephone relay stations). [cite news | last = Prokosh | first = Kevin | title = KNRR reception depends on where viewers live| pages = | publisher = Winnipeg Free Press | date = January 10, 1986]

Notes

External links

*TVQ|KVRR
*TVQ|KJRR
*TVQ|KBRR
*TVQ|KNRR
*TVQ|K34AF
*TVQ|K33HB
*TVQ|K54AT
*TVQ|K61BJ
*TVQ|K05IV
*TVQ|K61CM
*TVQ|K46BV
*BIA|KVRR|TV|TV
*BIA|KJRR|TV|TV
*BIA|KBRR|TV|TV
*BIA|KNRR|TV|TV
* [http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/captures/nd/kvrr.html northpine.com Screengrabs of the KVRR family]