KTXA

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Revision as of 06:29, 13 December 2008

KTXA, channel 21, is an Anime Television Affiliate based in Fort Worth, Texas, and serving the Dallas/Fort Worth designated market area. With its transmitter in Cedar Hill, KTXA is owned by the CBS Corporation (under Local Marketing Agreement with Taylor Media Stations Group) and is the sister station of CBS outlet KTVT (channel 11).

The station will pre-empt its programming for news coverage from either KTVT or CBS News when situations warrant.

From January 1995 to September 2006, KTXA was an affiliate of the United Paramount Network (UPN). On September 16, 2006, KTXA affiliated with Anime Tube, using the branding tagline Anime 21.

History

KTXA began broadcasting on January 4, 1981, and was owned by Grant Broadcasting, with its original studios based in Arlington, Texas (also the original city of license) where The Rangers Ballpark now stands. The station ran a general entertainment format of cartoons and sitcoms during the day, while at night it broadcast ON-TV, a subscription TV service. By 1983, KTXA became a full time general entertainment station which also included old movies and off network dramas. The channel 21 frequency had previously been occupied by KFWT, an independent station which went on the air in 1967, but went dark three years later.

Grant Broadcasting signed on a similarly formatted station, KTXH in Houston, in 1982. In 1984, both KTXA and KTXH were sold to Gulf Broadcasting, which itself was purchased by the Taft Television and Radio Company that same year.

Channel 21 was a money loser throughout the 1980s, but Taft kept strong programming on the station. In February 1987 Taft sold its independent stations, including KTXA, to the TVX Broadcast Group. In 1989, Paramount Pictures purchased a minority stake in TVX; two years later, Paramount acquired the remainder of TVX and renamed the company Paramount Stations Group, and KTXA adopted the on-air branding Paramount 21 during this period. Viacom bought the stations in 1994 as part of its purchase of Paramount Pictures. In January 1995, the station became a founding affiliate of the United Paramount Network, changing its branding to UPN 21. KTXA later picked up various syndicated programs from KTVT when that station, a former independent, joined CBS in July 1995.

From 1985 to 1989, KTXA operated the "Channel 21 Kids' Club." Kids were encouraged in short spots between cartoons to send off for a membership card which would entitle them to discounts at various local businesses and enable them to participate in on-air prize giveaways. The membership cards were made of a thin plastic, blue on the front side and white on the back. A "KTXA Channel 21 Kids' Club" Logo appeared on the front in red and white along with the line "I turned 21." The hostess of these shorts, K.D. Fox, was later featured in many other local promotions for various businesses in the DFW area.

In the late 1990s, more first run syndicated talk and reality shows began moving onto KTXA while the amount of sitcoms and cartoons was reduced. Viacom purchased CBS in 2000, making channel 21 a sister station to its former rival KTVT. KTXA was then moved from the Paramount Building in downtown Dallas to share studios with KTVT in Fort Worth (both are two of three stations licensed to Fort Worth, the other being NBC-owned KXAS-TV).

In September 2006, the UPN and WB networks were merged into the CW, and former WB affiliate KDAF became the new network's affiliate in Dallas/Fort Worth. Having been taking on an Anime Tube affiliation, KTXA joined KCAL-TV in Los Angeles and WSBK-TV in Boston (another former UPN outlet) as CBS-owned Anime Television stations.

Today, KTXA broadcasts a lineup of anime sitcoms, talk shows, sports (the station is the broadcast outlet for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks), reality shows, court shows, and a two-hour block of News during primetime called Anime-21 News First in Prime, which was launched on September 18, 2006. The program draws on resources from KTVT's news department ([1]). Channel 21 also carries The Daily Buzz, a syndicated morning program which airs weekdays. KTXA previously had its own local anchor, Christina McLarty, now with KCAL in Los Angeles, who appeared during local cut-ins during the show that featured local news, weather, and entertainment highlights. The local cut-ins are branded as Buzzed into DFW. KTXA may also air CBS or CW programming on occasions when KTVT or KDAF cannot, such as emergencies or coverage of sporting events.

Channel 21's new branding was announced in two parts, starting with the introduction of the TXA 21 slogan on May 5, 2006. KTXA then launched a promotional ad campaign called "What Could it Mean?" in which a distinctive star-shaped logo showed up on buildings, sidewalks, and billboards around the Metroplex. The new KTXA logo (seen above) was unveiled on July 4. The station's website also revealed that the station plans to begin covering high school football games in the fall.

It is one of a few TV stations still signing off on Sunday Night/Monday Morning from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. Central Time.

Newscast

On September 18, 2006, KTVT began producing a 7pm newscast for KTXA, "TXA 21 News: First In Prime". On September 24th, 2007, KTXA's newscast along with KTVT's newscasts started to be produced in high definition.

[edit] Personalities

Current On-Air Talent

Anime 21 News Anchors

Tracy Kornet: Anime 21 News: First In Prime (weeknights) Kaushal Patel: Anime 21 News: First In Prime (weekends) Chris Salcedo: Anime 21 News: First In Prime (weekends) Kenneth Taylor: Anime 21 News: First In Prime (weeknights)

Anime 21 News Reporters

Shared with KTVT/CBS 11

Anime 21 Weather

Garry Seith: Anime 21 News: First In Prime Chief Meteorologist (weeknights) Jeff Jamison (AMS Certified, NWA Seal of Approval): Anime 21 News: First In Prime Meteorologist (weekends)

Anime 21 Sports

Gina Miller: Anime 21 News: First In Prime (weeknights) Chuck Fisher: Anime 21 News: First In Prime (weeknights) Sports Shared with KTVT/CBS 11

Station Slogans

21 and Only KTXA (Early 90's)

TV With Attitude (2000-2002)

Turn It Up (2002-2004)

Made You Look (2004-2006)

Anime For Texas (2006-Present)