K41BZ - History

History

In February 1975, pioneering UHF broadcaster Edwin Cooperstein announced that the Federal Communications Commission had granted a construction permit to his company, New Television Corp., to build a television station in Phoenix on UHF channel 15. It was expected to begin broadcasting within a year and was intended to place a heavy emphasis on news, airing three 90-minute newscasts at different times between 4 p.m. to midnight. Plans were soon delayed by the inability to secure financing in a difficult economy, and by the end of 1976, the station still had not been built. Finally on September 9, 1979, more than four-and-a-half years after the construction permit was granted, KNXV-TV signed on the air. Its programming originally consisted of first-run and off-network syndicated shows, and children's programs during the day, and the subscription television service ONTV during the nighttime hours. One of the station's most memorable early promotions was the "Bluebird of Happy News," with the voice of Elroy "Buzz" Towers in a helicopter taking jabs at local news on other stations. An early station master control/videotape operator was the voice of "Buzz".

ON-TV lasted a few years, until cable television began to prosper across the Phoenix area. KNXV eventually became a full-time independent station, and ran a number of cartoons, old sitcoms, old movies and drama series. The station pulled in mediocre ratings, and lagged behind longtime independent station KPHO-TV (channel 5). Despite this, Cooperstein was able to sell the station to current owner Scripps in 1984, with the sale closing in 1985

Under Scripps, KNXV began to purchase more recent sitcoms, often outbidding KPHO for strong shows. After KPHO turned down an offer to affiliate with the fledgling Fox network, it approached KNXV. After Scripps promised to launch a news department, KNXV joined Fox at the network's inception in 1986. The first offering from the Fox network was an evening talk show hosted by Joan Rivers. KNXV kicked off the affiliation with a promotional campaign centered around the slogan "Light Up The Night with Late Night Fireworks". Also in 1986, KNXV began producing Friday Night at the Frights starring "Edmus Scarey" (portrayed by Ed Muscare), a series of decidedly campy B-movie wraparounds. Ed Muscare had previously hosted shows for KNXV sister station KSHB (channel 41) in Kansas City. Stuart Powell, general manager of KNXV in the late 1980s, coaxed Muscare out of retirement. By 1990, KNXV nearly tied KPHO in the ratings, even though the station still produced no local newscasts.