KXLT-TV

KXLI satellite

KXLT signed-on in August 1987 as a full-time satellite of St. Cloud-based independent outlet KXLI. It was the market's first independent station, as well as the area's first new commercial station in 33 years. Its programming consisted mostly of low-budget syndicated fare and cartoons, though for a time it also aired Minnesota North Stars hockey. However, it found the going difficult, not in the least because KMSP-TV in Minneapolis–Saint Paul was already available on cable.

KXLI / KXLT were owned by Halcomm Inc. with its majority stockholder and president Dale W. Lang,^[3] chairman of magazine publisher Lang Communications Inc. ^[4] Lang attempted with partners to create the "Minnesota Independent Network" (MIN) with 11 stations but never got past planning and initial work. ^[3]

Lang also made a $9.6 million loan to Halcomm. The station closed down in December 1988 with Lang calling the loan in 1989 taking possession of the stations.^[3]

In 1989, Lang became the primary investor in a new television network, the Star Television Network, which featured 4 hours of infomercials and 8 hours of classic programming under the TV Heaven banner.^[4] KXLT returned on September 29, 1990 again simulcasting KXLI programming as an owned and operated Star station, with both stations on the air 22 hours a day.^[3] Following the closure of Star in January 1991, KXLI / KXLT implemented a schedule of infomercials, religious programming and the Home Shopping Network.^[4]

As a KXLI satellite, KXLT operated at lower-than-licensed power due to KXLI's financial problems. KXLI and KXLT were sold to Paxson Communications in 1996 which converted both stations to an all-infomercial format under Paxson's "inTV" network. In 1997, Paxson decided to sell KXLT to raise money to launch the Pax network (today's Ion Television). Late that year, Shockley Communications purchased KXLT.

Fox affiliate

On January 19, 1998, Shockley relaunched the station as a Fox affiliate. Previously, cable systems on the Minnesota side of the market carried WFTC (and before it KMSP) from the Twin Cities while those on the Iowa side carried KDSM-TV from Des Moines. Shockley instantly invested in the station upgrading it to full power operations and moving to new studios in November of that year. On November 1, 1998 in partnership with The WB, KXLT established a cable-only affiliate of the network. Known by the faux calls "KWBR", the station was programmed by the national The WB 100+ service but local promotion and advertising sales were handled by KXLT. ^[5]

In 2001, Shockley Communications was bought by Quincy Newspapers, owner of KTTC. However, Quincy could not buy KXLT due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules governing duopolies. The FCC does not allow two of the four highest-rated stations to be owned by one company. Additionally, Rochester/Austin/Mason City has only six full-power stations, not enough to legally permit a duopoly in any case. Nevertheless, Quincy took over KXLT's operations under a shared services agreement. As part of the arrangement, Quincy provides all technical support, promotions, commercial production, and master control for KXLT. Shockley would later sell the station to current owner SagamoreHill Broadcasting in 2005.

In September 2006, The WB and UPN merged to create The CW. KTTC subsequently established a new second digital subchannel to offer The CW through The CW Plus, a similar national programming service as The WB 100+. At that point, the "KWBR" operation was shut down. KXLT has been digital-only since February 17, 2009 ^[6] with it remaining on-air for a few more days airing "nightlight" service. KXLT's digital facility on channel 46 has been fully operational since 2004.