KNAZ-TV

KNAZ-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Flagstaff, Arizona, and affiliated with NBC. Its broadcast signal serves Flagstaff and surrounding areas of Northern Arizona, including communities where the over-the-air signal from Phoenix-based KPNX is weak or unavailable. The station transmits from Mormon Mountain southeast of Flagstaff and maintains a Northern Arizona news bureau on the campus of Northern Arizona University. The station began broadcasting on May 2, 1970, under the call sign KOAI. It was developed by the Grand Canyon Television Company, whose principal promoter was broadcaster Wendell Elliott Sr. The project was intended to give Flagstaff its first high-power local television service. Before KOAI launched, the market was primarily served by translators relaying Phoenix stations. The station originally planned to use Mount Elden as its transmitter site and was associated with channel 9, but the proposed site was changed to Mormon Mountain and the channel assignment was changed to channel 2 to address spacing concerns involving Tucson station KGUN-TV. KOAI initially operated as a locally originating station. Its programming history included local news and a notable Navajo-language news program hosted by Chester Yazzie. The program was distributed beyond Flagstaff and was described as the only Navajo-language television program in the world at the time. In 1974, after Wendell Elliott Sr. died, his son Wendell Elliott Jr. assumed operational responsibility for the business. Capitol Broadcasting Company acquired the station in 1981 and changed its call sign to KNAZ-TV on March 23 of that year. The new call sign was intended to identify the station with Northern Arizona. Capitol invested in a higher-power transmitter, expanded the news department, moved the operation to a new Flagstaff facility, and replaced film-based news gathering with electronic videotape production. The station's ownership later changed again, with Peter J. Klein acquiring it in 1988. Financial and governance difficulties led to a receivership proceeding in 1991, after investors holding a majority stake challenged Klein's management. The station subsequently emerged from receivership under the leadership of investor W. A. Franke. Gannett Company, owner of Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX, acquired KNAZ-TV in 1997. This transaction placed the two stations under common ownership and eventually made KNAZ a satellite of KPNX. KNAZ continued producing local newscasts for many years, including evening broadcasts that competed with Phoenix-originated programming in the Flagstaff area. Gannett announced plans to sell the station in 2005, but a buyer did not emerge while the company continued to operate it. The station reduced its local programming over time. Weekend newscasts ended in 2006 and were replaced by KPNX-produced broadcasts with Flagstaff-specific weather material. On August 15, 2008, KNAZ stopped producing its own local newscasts and became a full-time satellite of KPNX. The decision was attributed to insufficient advertising revenue and limited satellite carriage. A Flagstaff bureau was retained to support Northern Arizona coverage, while Northern Arizona University began producing the separate NAZ Today newscast for cable and streaming distribution. KNAZ is now primarily a retransmission and market-extension outlet for KPNX. On-air references to the station are generally limited to legally required hourly identifications during KPNX programming and newscasts. Its role is therefore less that of an independently programmed local television brand and more that of a network-affiliated full-power transmitter extending the KPNX/NBC service into Northern Arizona. The station is described as the only full-power television station in Northern Arizona carrying one of the major English-language broadcast networks.

KNAZ-TV developed from a late-1960s effort to establish the first high-power television station serving Flagstaff. At that time, local viewers depended primarily on UHF translators carrying signals from Phoenix stations. The principal promoter was Wendell Elliott Sr., a broadcaster with earlier experience in Kansas radio and television. The venture was incorporated in 1968 as the Grand Canyon Television Company, with former Flagstaff mayor Charles L. Saunders among its other backers. The proposed station initially involved a Mount Elden transmitter site and a channel 9 assignment. After the United States Forest Service required a change in the proposed site, the company selected Mormon Mountain southeast of Flagstaff. It then successfully sought a change to channel 2 to avoid spacing problems with Tucson's KGUN-TV. The FCC granted the construction application on September 10, 1969. Construction followed quickly, including the installation of power infrastructure at the mountain site, and test patterns were transmitted in early April 1970. The station commenced regular broadcasting on May 2, 1970, using the call sign KOAI. KOAI's studios were not completed when transmission began, so local originating operations developed gradually. The station became an important early television outlet for the Navajo Nation after a tribe-owned translator was installed on Navajo Mountain in 1973. It also produced a daily Navajo-language news program presented by Chester Yazzie. The program was subsequently carried by stations in Farmington and Albuquerque and was regarded at the time as the only television news program in the Navajo language. Wendell Elliott Sr. died in 1974, after which his son Wendell Elliott Jr. took over the business. In 1980, the owners approved a sale to Capitol Broadcasting Company, a Mississippi-based broadcaster that also owned stations in Mississippi and Colorado. The transaction closed in February 1981. Capitol changed the call sign to KNAZ-TV on March 23, 1981, expanded the news operation, installed a 100,000-watt transmitter, and moved the station to a new Vickey Street building in 1982. The facility upgrade also enabled the station to replace film with electronic news gathering on videotape. Although Capitol placed its broadcast properties on the market in late 1982, it retained KNAZ for several years. During this period, Grand Canyon Television developed KMOH-TV in Kingman as a satellite of KNAZ; KMOH began broadcasting on February 29, 1988. KNAZ was sold later that year to Indiana investor Peter J. Klein. Klein's ownership became unstable in 1991 when four investors representing 72.5 percent of the company sought court-supervised receivership. They alleged that Klein was an absentee owner and that the company had lost $3.8 million. Separate reports also raised concerns about overdue property taxes and payroll, although the company's financial manager disputed the payroll allegations. The stations left receivership after approximately a year, with W. A. Franke becoming the leading figure in the reorganized business. By the early 1990s, KNAZ was again producing daily evening newscasts at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. and achieved stronger performance within the Flagstaff area than Phoenix-originated stations. In January 1997, Grand Canyon Television announced the sale of KNAZ-TV and KMOH to Gannett, owner of Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX. The transaction closed in May. Local viewers and civic observers expressed concern that common ownership would eliminate KNAZ's independent local news operation. Those concerns became more significant after Gannett announced in 2005 that it intended to sell KNAZ. Gannett progressively reduced KNAZ's local programming. Weekend newscasts were discontinued in 2006 and replaced with KPNX broadcasts containing Flagstaff-specific weather inserts. On August 15, 2008, KNAZ stopped originating local newscasts and became a full-time KPNX satellite. The company cited weak advertising revenue and the absence of sufficient satellite carriage. Some staff were retained to operate a Flagstaff news bureau, and Northern Arizona University introduced NAZ Today as a separate cable and streaming local-news initiative. The station's technical history also includes a complicated digital transition. The FCC assigned KNAZ digital channel 22 in 1997 and granted a construction permit in 2001. Full-power digital broadcasting began in January 2007. KNAZ had planned to move its digital operation to VHF channel 2 after the transition, but repeated ice-storm damage affected the channel 2 antenna. Inspections found electrical arcing, transmitter shutdowns caused by reflected power, and a substantial crack in the antenna mast. The antenna failed completely on April 16, 2009, and the station ultimately continued digital broadcasting on channel 22 after receiving FCC approval in September 2009. KNAZ remains a full-power NBC outlet for Northern Arizona but operates primarily as a direct simulcast of KPNX. Its transmitter extends KPNX programming into areas with marginal Phoenix signals, while local references are generally restricted to required station identifications. The referenced history places the station under Nexstar ownership following Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna.

1. 2009Digital operation remains on channel 22

   After failure of the damaged channel 2 antenna, the FCC approved continued digital operation on channel 22.

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2. 2008KNAZ becomes a full-time KPNX satellite

   The station ended its locally produced newscasts on August 15 and shifted to a full-time KPNX simulcast.

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3. 2007Full-power digital transmission begins

   KNAZ began full-power digital broadcasting after the FCC had assigned digital channel 22 and authorized construction.

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4. 1997Gannett acquires KNAZ-TV

   Gannett completed the purchase of KNAZ-TV and brought it under common ownership with KPNX.

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5. 1991Receivership and ownership reorganization

   A court-supervised receivership followed an investor challenge to Peter J. Klein's management of Grand Canyon Television.

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6. 1988KMOH-TV launches

   A Kingman satellite station associated with KNAZ began broadcasting on February 29.

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7. 1982New Flagstaff facility opens

   The station moved to a Vickey Street building and modernized its news-gathering technology.

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8. 1981Station becomes KNAZ-TV

   Capitol Broadcasting completed its acquisition and changed the call sign from KOAI to KNAZ-TV on March 23.

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9. 1973Navajo Nation translator expands coverage

   A translator on Navajo Mountain extended the station's reach across parts of the Navajo Nation.

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10. 1970KOAI begins broadcasting

    The station began operation on May 2 from its Mormon Mountain transmitter site.

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11. 1969FCC grants construction application

    The FCC approved the application for a new channel 2 station in Flagstaff on September 10.

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12. 1968Grand Canyon Television Company incorporated

    The company behind the proposed Flagstaff television station was formally incorporated.

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A full-power NBC service for Flagstaff and Northern Arizona, now functioning primarily as a satellite and market-extension station for Phoenix-based KPNX.

• NBC network programmingNetwork television1970

  KNAZ-TV carries NBC programming for Flagstaff and Northern Arizona. Because the station operates as a full-time satellite of KPNX, the network schedule is generally transmitted as part of the KPNX simulcast rather than through a separately programmed KNAZ schedule.

• KPNX / 12 News simulcastTelevision retransmission2008

  The station's principal current service is the direct retransmission of Phoenix-based KPNX programming. This arrangement extends KPNX's NBC and local-news coverage into Northern Arizona communities that may not receive a reliable Phoenix signal over the air.

• Local news broadcastsLocal television news1970

  KNAZ historically produced Flagstaff-focused newscasts, including evening broadcasts at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. Local originating newscasts ended in 2008, although the station retained a Flagstaff bureau supporting Northern Arizona coverage.

• Navajo-language news programIndigenous-language television1973

  During its early years, the station aired a daily Navajo-language news program hosted by Chester Yazzie. The program was also distributed to stations serving parts of New Mexico and represented an important early television service for Navajo-speaking audiences.

• 2009Continue digital broadcasting on channel 22Other

  Repeated ice storms damaged the original channel 2 antenna, causing arcing, reflected-power shutdowns, structural damage, and eventual antenna failure.

  What changed. KNAZ abandoned its planned digital move to VHF channel 2 and obtained FCC approval to continue digital broadcasting on channel 22.

  Aftermath. The station maintained digital service despite the permanent loss of its analog channel 2 transmission facility.

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• 2008End local newscast productionStrategy

  Gannett cited inadequate advertising revenue and limited satellite carriage as constraints on the station's locally originated programming.

  What changed. KNAZ ended its own local newscasts on August 15 and began operating as a full-time satellite of KPNX, while retaining a Flagstaff news bureau.

  Aftermath. KNAZ's role shifted from an independently programmed local station to a retransmission and market-extension outlet for KPNX.

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• 1997Gannett acquires KNAZ-TVM&A

  Gannett already owned Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX and sought common ownership of the Northern Arizona outlet.

  What changed. Gannett acquired KNAZ-TV and KMOH-TV, with the transaction closing in May 1997.

  Aftermath. KNAZ eventually became a full-time satellite of KPNX, prompting local concern about the future of independently produced Flagstaff news.

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• 1981Adopt the KNAZ-TV call sign and upgrade the stationStrategy

  After Capitol Broadcasting acquired the station, the KOAI call sign had a poor local reputation and did not clearly identify the station's service area.

  What changed. The station changed its call sign to KNAZ-TV, installed a 100,000-watt transmitter, expanded its news department, moved to a new facility, and modernized news gathering.

  Aftermath. The changes strengthened the station's technical capacity and local identity in Northern Arizona.

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• 2026Nexstar Media Group acquires Tegna

  The referenced station history states that Nexstar announced an acquisition of Tegna in August 2025 and completed the transaction on March 19, 2026, placing KNAZ-TV within Nexstar's ownership structure.

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• 2008KNAZ-TV ends locally produced newscasts

  On August 15, KNAZ ceased producing its own local newscasts and became a full-time satellite of KPNX. The company cited advertising revenue and satellite carriage limitations.

  Leadership change
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• 1997Gannett acquires KNAZ-TV and KMOH

  Gannett, which owned Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX, completed its acquisition of KNAZ-TV and brought the stations under common ownership.

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• 1991KNAZ-TV enters receivership amid ownership dispute

  Investors holding 72.5 percent of Grand Canyon Television petitioned for receivership, citing management concerns and alleged financial losses. The station later emerged under new leadership.

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• 1981Station call sign changes from KOAI to KNAZ-TV

  Following Capitol Broadcasting Company's acquisition, the station adopted the KNAZ-TV call sign to reflect its Northern Arizona service area.

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• 1970KNAZ-TV begins broadcasting as KOAI

  The new Flagstaff high-power television station began broadcasting on May 2, initially using the KOAI call sign.

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1. KNAZ-TV