KQDS-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KQDS-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = Fox 21
analog = 21 (UHF)
digital = 17 (UHF)
subchannels = 21.1 FOX
other_chs = K39GG/K47IG Atkin
W45CI 45 Ashland, Wisconsin
K29EB 29 Grand Rapids
K31GH 31 Hayward, Wisconsin
K15GT 15 Hibbing
K45JD 45 International Falls
W32CV 32 Ironwood, Michigan
K47IR 47 Virginia
affiliations = Fox
network =
founded =
airdate = 1994
location = Duluth, Minnesota
callsign_meaning = Quality
Duluth
Superior
former_callsigns = KNLD (1994-1999)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Red River Broadcasting Company, LLC
licensee = KQDS Acquisition Corporation
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = independent (1994-99)
effective_radiated_power = 550 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 284 m (analog)
299 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 35525
coordinates = coord|46|47|37.5|N|92|7|4.4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.kqdsfox21.tv/ www.kqdsfox21.tv]

KQDS-TV, channel 21, is the Fox affiliate for Duluth, Minnesota, USA, serving Northeastern Minnesota, Northwestern Wisconsin, and a portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The station's digital signal, KQDS-DT, transmits on channel 17. Its transmitter is located in Duluth. KQDS is owned and operated by Red River Broadcasting, which also owns KQDS-AM 1490/FM 94.9, KZIO-FM 104.3/94.1, and WWAX 92.1 FM, as well as twelve other stations in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

History

Channel 21 signed on as KNLD on September 20, 1994. However, very few people knew the station was actually on the air at this time, as it broadcast at low power with an extremely limited schedule -- usually only a few hours in the morning to meet minimum FCC requirements for keeping its license. The station was independent, and although its lineup once included Big Ten college football, most of the schedule was filled with the Shop at Home Network by the late 1990s.

In 1998, Red River Broadcasting (via sister company KQDS Acquisition Corporation) purchased KNLD, KDDS 1490 AM (now KQDS-AM) and KQDS-FM 94.9 and later changed KNLD's callsign to KQDS-TV. The new owners found some controversy as they tried to upgrade; KQDS was constructing a new tower to replace its old one adjacent to Duluth Central High School and some school and city officials expressed concern about the danger of ice falling from the tower onto the Central parking lot. Although the new tower had already been approved by city officials, KQDS agreed to construct the new tower further from the parking lot than initially planned.

On September 1 1999, KQDS-TV became a Fox affiliate, increased its power and added eight translator stations across the Northland. This was the first time the full Fox programming lineup was available over-the-air in the market (Fox previously had secondary affiliations with KDLH, KBJR-TV, and WDIO-TV, while cable systems carried the national Foxnet service).

KQDS-DT signed on several years later, and increased to 1,000 kilowatts in 2006 following construction of a new transmitter plant.

Newscasts

Early in KQDS's Fox affiliation, the station experimented with a 9 p.m. newscast produced by NBC affiliate KBJR. It was broadcast out of KBJR's studios and anchored by KBJR's Mark Mallory (news), Keith Marler (weather) and Tom Hansen (sports). The newscast was cancelled after about nine months due to low ratings, and was replaced by a half-hour simulcast of CNN Headline News. KBJR's 9 p.m. newscast resurfaced in September 2002, when that station launched "UPN9".

KQDS-TV currently produces "Fox 21 News at 9", a live 35-minute newscast airing Sunday through Friday. The weekday newscasts debuted March 12, 2007, with co-anchors Amy Rutledge and Nick LaFave, the only dual anchor team in the market. Rutledge co-anchored at KDLH until the station was combined with KBJR in March 2005. The "Fox 21 News" staff at one time included veterans of every commercial station in the market. The Sunday newscast was added on August 26, 2007; it was the first such newscast at 9 p.m. in the market.

In its first ratings period in May 2007, KQDS was third among all evening newscasts. "Fox 21 News at 9" drew more viewers than KDLH's 10 p.m. newscast and KBJR's "NewsCenter @ 9 on My9", which essentially succeeded KQDS's original newscast.

In August of 2007, after just six months on the air, "Fox 21 News" was nominated for three Upper Midwest Emmy Awards, in the categories of Best Newscast, Best News Special, and Investigative Series.

KQDS provides weather for the Red Rock-owned radio stations in the market. They also maintain a partnership with the Duluth News Tribune in which they share news reports and Karl Spring's weather blog is printed.

News team

Anchors
*Nick LaFave- Weeknights
*Beth Jett- Weeknights
*Melissa Ganje- SundaysWeather
*Karl Spring- Sunday - Thursday
*Chris Snider - FridaysSports
*Chris Nettleton- Weeknights
*Greg Chandler- Sports Reporter, Weeknights. Sports Anchor, SundaysReporters
*Vanessa Feltes
*Melissa Ganje
*Joy Redmond
*Weeknight anchors Beth Jett and Nick LaFave, along with News Director Julie Moravchik, file regular stories.
*Writers for the Duluth News Tribune deliver one story in each newscastPhotojournalists
*Harry Baker
*Steve Doroff
*Carrie Kohlmeier
*John ThainNews Directors
*Julie Moravchik
*Jon Ellis (Assistant News Director)

Past personnel

*Randy Howe (now at KVBC Las Vegas)
*Lisa Waldrup
*Chris Misun
*Jenn O'Neill
*Amy Rutledge
*Todd Nelson

Translators

*K39GG/K47IG, Aitkin, Minnesota
*W45CI, Ashland, Wisconsin
*K29EB, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
*K31GH, Hayward, Wisconsin
*K15GT, Hibbing, Minnesota
*K45JD, International Falls, Minnesota
*W32CV, Ironwood, Michigan
*K47IR, Virginia, Minnesota

External links

* [http://www.kqdsfox21.tv/ KQDS Website (Currently under construction)]
*TVQ|KQDS
*BIA|KQDS|TV|TV
* [http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/captures/mn/kqds.html KQDS-TV screengrabs from NorthPine.com]
* [http://www.businessnorth.com/viewarticle.asp?articleid=1735 Press release announcing the hiring of Nick LaFave and Amy Rutledge]
* [http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/Orders/1998/fcc98244.txt 1998 FCC order approving the sale of KNLD-TV]