KXMD-TV

KXMD-TV is a full-power television station serving Williston, North Dakota, and surrounding areas in western North Dakota, eastern Montana, and parts of South Dakota. Broadcasting on virtual channel 11, the station is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates within the KX Television regional network, whose flagship is KXMB-TV in Bismarck. KXMD carries programming from The CW and receives much of its network, syndicated, and local programming through the KX network’s operating structure. The station began broadcasting on October 25, 1969, as a semi-satellite of KXMC-TV in Minot. Before its launch, Williston-area viewers generally received CBS programming through cable carriage of KOOK-TV in Billings, Montana, rather than from a locally based CBS station. KXMD’s original role was therefore both geographic and affiliational: it extended the KX stations’ CBS service into the Williston market while sharing much of the programming and technical infrastructure of KXMC and KXMB. KXMD is identified locally as a station in its own right, but it functions operationally as a semi-satellite of KXMC-TV, which in turn is a semi-satellite of KXMB-TV. KXMA-TV in Dickinson completes the four-station KX network. Master control and portions of internal operations are based at KXMB’s facilities in Bismarck. The stations are commonly treated as one unit for ratings and regulatory purposes. KXMD maintains a Williston news bureau and advertising-sales office, while its transmitter is located west of the city near the North Dakota–Montana border. The station’s service area has historically required schedule and distribution adaptations. Because part of its Montana coverage falls in the Mountain Time Zone, prime-time programming begins at 6 p.m. in that portion of the signal area rather than at the conventional 7 p.m. Central Time equivalent. KXMD also previously served viewers beyond the United States: until 1986, cable systems in neighboring Saskatchewan carried its signal, and the station maintained a sales office in Saskatoon. Those arrangements ended after Canadian cable operators received permission to substitute network affiliates from Detroit and Toledo. KXMD’s identity has been closely connected to the broader KX Television and KX News brands. In 2006, the stations consolidated their online presence under KXNet.com, a portal that provided localized pages for each station. The network later expanded its digital journalism through DakotaPolitics.com, launched in 2007 with Midkota Solutions to cover North Dakota politics. KXNet.com also streamed special coverage of the 2008 presidential caucuses, an early example of live online news broadcasting by a North Dakota website. Local news is produced principally through KXMC and shared across the KX stations. The network has offered morning, noon, evening, and late-night newscasts, including KX News Morning and a jointly produced early-evening program. KXMD historically inserted locally focused segments into KXMC newscasts, but operational cutbacks have reduced or eliminated those separate inserts. The station therefore combines a local Williston presence with centralized regional production. Ownership changed substantially in 2016. Nexstar Broadcasting Group completed its acquisition of the Reiten Television stations, including KXMD-TV, on February 2, 2016, following an announced purchase agreement valued at $44 million. The transaction ended the Reiten family’s long ownership of the KX stations and placed KXMD within Nexstar’s national station portfolio. KXMD subsequently became associated with Nexstar’s broader network and affiliation strategy, including carriage of The CW. Its digital transition occurred on June 12, 2009: the analog VHF channel 11 signal was shut down, while the station retained UHF channel 14 for digital transmission and continued using virtual channel 11.

KXMD-TV began service on October 25, 1969, as a semi-satellite of KXMC-TV in Minot. Its launch gave Williston and nearby communities a more direct connection to CBS programming. Before KXMD signed on, viewers in the area often relied on cable carriage of KOOK-TV from Billings, Montana, while local station arrangements could interrupt or alter network feeds when major CBS programming was scheduled. The station was part of the KX group established around KXMB-TV in Bismarck and KXMC-TV in Minot. John Boler sold his interest in the KX stations to Chester Reiten in 1971. Reiten and his family subsequently controlled the group for decades. The portfolio later expanded to include KXMA-TV in Dickinson, acquired by Chester Reiten in 1985. The stations operated as a connected regional network, with KXMD retaining its own identity while depending on KXMC and KXMB for much of its programming and technical support. KXMD and the other KX stations had a secondary ABC affiliation for part of their history. That arrangement ended when KMCY became a full-time ABC affiliate in 1986. The stations had also briefly carried programming from the NTA Film Network during the late 1950s. Until 1986, KXMD was carried by cable systems in Saskatchewan and maintained a Saskatoon advertising-sales office. Canadian cable substitutions later removed the North Dakota stations in favor of affiliates based in Detroit and Toledo. The KX group expanded its digital presence in 2006 through KX Net, later represented by KXNet.com. The portal unified the stations’ web domains while preserving localized front pages for Bismarck, Dickinson, Minot, and Williston. The website won regional recognition in 2007, including awards for small-market television web design and service. In October 2007, KXNet.com and Midkota Solutions introduced DakotaPolitics.com, which supplied political profiles, voting-record information, analysis, and election-tracking material. In 2008, the online operation streamed a live special from the presidential caucuses, marking an important early digital-news initiative for the state. In July 2008, Reiten Television entered a joint sales arrangement with Forum Communications Company to sell advertising on the Reiten stations and KMCY. KMCY later became available in the Williston area through KXMD’s second digital subchannel in 2009. The commercial relationship ended after Nexstar acquired the Reiten stations. KXMD completed the United States digital television transition on June 12, 2009. Its analog VHF channel 11 transmission ended, while the digital signal operated on UHF channel 14 and continued to use virtual channel 11. The station also operates translator K22KY-D in Poplar, Montana. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the purchase of the Reiten Television stations, including KXMD-TV, on September 17, 2015, and completed the transaction on February 2, 2016. KXMD became part of Nexstar Media Group’s national television-station holdings. The station continued to function within the KX Television network, with master control and several internal functions located at KXMB’s Bismarck facilities. KXMD’s news operation has generally been integrated with KXMC. KXMC produces shared morning, midday, evening, and late-night news programming, including KX News Morning and a jointly produced early-evening newscast. These programs are distributed across the KX stations, with KXMD historically adding Williston-specific inserts. Later staffing and budget reductions consolidated more of the operation and removed many separate local inserts. KXMD continues to maintain a Williston bureau and advertising-sales office, while its transmitter serves the broad regional coverage area west of the city. The station has been described as a CW outlet within the KX regional network. The network’s stations are commonly counted together for ratings, and the group has historically competed with NBC North Dakota. KXMD’s present identity therefore reflects both its local license and its dependence on a larger regional news and programming system.

1. 2016Nexstar completes acquisition

   Nexstar completes its purchase of the Reiten Television stations, including KXMD-TV.

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2. 2009Digital transition completed

   KXMD ends analog broadcasting on June 12 and continues digitally on UHF channel 14 using virtual channel 11.

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3. 2008Online live-news streaming expands

   The KX digital operation streams a live special covering the presidential caucuses.

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4. 2007DakotaPolitics.com launches

   KXNet.com and Midkota Solutions create a North Dakota political-news website with election and public-record features.

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5. 2006KX Net launches

   The KX stations consolidate their online presence through a portal with station-specific local pages.

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6. 1986Saskatchewan cable carriage ends

   Canadian cable systems replace KXMD and other North Dakota signals with affiliates from Detroit and Toledo.

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7. 1971Reiten ownership begins

   John Boler sells his interest in the KX stations to Chester Reiten, whose family later retains ownership for decades.

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8. 1969KXMD-TV begins broadcasting

   KXMD signs on October 25 as a semi-satellite of KXMC-TV in Minot, initially providing CBS service to the Williston area.

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A locally rooted but centrally operated regional television station, combining Williston-area advertising and news presence with the programming, production, and technical infrastructure of the broader KX Television network.

• KXMD-TV local television serviceBroadcast television station1969

  KXMD-TV is the Williston-licensed broadcast outlet of the KX Television network. It carries network and syndicated programming, local commercial inserts, legal identifications, and regionally produced news. Its terrestrial signal covers western North Dakota and reaches portions of Montana and South Dakota.

• KX NewsLocal television news

  KX News is the shared news operation serving the KX stations. Programming includes morning, midday, evening, and late-night coverage, with KXMD receiving much of its output from KXMC and KXMB and historically adding Williston-specific inserts.

• KXNet.comDigital news platform2006

  KXNet.com is the KX stations’ unified web portal, combining the group’s former station domains while presenting localized news and information for each market. Its digital initiatives included live online coverage and the DakotaPolitics.com project.

• K22KY-DBroadcast translator

  K22KY-D is a translator associated with KXMD-TV that serves Poplar, Montana, extending the station’s broadcast reach in the surrounding region.

• 2008Presidential caucus live stream

  North Dakota

  KXNet.com streamed a one-hour special covering the 2008 presidential caucuses from Bismarck.

  Outcome. The broadcast was presented as the first live online news stream by a North Dakota website.

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• 2007DakotaPolitics.com

  North Dakota

  KXNet.com partnered with Midkota Solutions to launch a digital political-information service featuring candidate profiles, voting records, analysis, and tracking polls for the 2008 elections.

  Outcome. The initiative broadened the KX group’s digital-news role beyond conventional broadcast programming.

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• 2016Nexstar acquisition of KXMD-TVM&A

  The Reiten family had owned the KX stations for many years before agreeing to sell them to Nexstar Broadcasting Group.

  What changed. Nexstar announced the transaction on September 17, 2015, and completed the purchase on February 2, 2016. The announced transaction value was $44 million.

  Aftermath. KXMD became part of Nexstar’s station portfolio and continued operating within the KX Television regional structure.

  Acquisition value. $44 million announced transaction value (Announced September 17, 2015; completed February 2, 2016)

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• 2009Analog-to-digital television transitionGeneration change

  Federal requirements moved full-power United States television stations from analog to digital broadcasting.

  What changed. KXMD shut down its analog VHF channel 11 signal on June 12 and continued using digital UHF channel 14 with virtual channel 11.

  Aftermath. The station continued full-power digital broadcasting and retained its established channel identity for viewers.

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• 2008Joint advertising arrangement with KMCYStrategy

  Reiten Television sought to broaden commercial inventory by combining sales efforts for its stations with those of Forum Communications’ KMCY.

  What changed. The companies began jointly selling television advertising in July 2008, and KMCY later became available through KXMD’s second digital subchannel.

  Aftermath. Nexstar terminated the joint sales arrangement after completing its acquisition of the Reiten stations.

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• 2016Reiten Television stations, including KXMD-TV, acquired by Nexstar

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group completed its acquisition of the Reiten Television stations on February 2, 2016. KXMD-TV thereby became part of Nexstar’s station portfolio, and Nexstar ended the joint sales arrangement involving KMCY.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2008KXNet.com streams live coverage of the 2008 presidential caucuses

  The KX network streamed a one-hour special covering the North Dakota presidential caucuses, described as the first live news broadcast delivered online by a North Dakota website.

  Product launchOther
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• 2007KXNet.com expands regional digital news coverage

  The KX network’s web operation received regional recognition for its website and launched DakotaPolitics.com, a dedicated North Dakota political-news project.

  CampaignOther
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1. KXMD-TV