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MyNetworkTV outlet rebrands; other outlets in heart of Oklahoma prosper
KFOR has made big· strides in Oklahoma City, especially after Nielsen ironed out a ratings glitch a few years back. And the NBC affiliate's MyNetworkTV sister outlet hopes to increase its footprint, too. On April 1 1 , KAUT OK43 relaunched as Freedom 43 TV, with a special focus on the region's substantial military presence and the issues of interest to that group.
Jim Boyer, president and general manager of the Local TV-owned duopoly, says DMA No. 45 is every bit as red as the red state that surrounds it. The station will offer straight news at the top of the newscast, followed by stories targeted to military personnel and families. "KAUT has struggled with its identity forever," says Boyer. "We thought, what can we do to light up a station that's No. 6 in a seven-station market? If we continued to do what we're doing, nothing would change."
Sibling outlet KFOR has not had similar identity problems. Despite getting little help from primetime, where it is running fourth in the market, KFOR won the morning and earlyevening news household ratings races in February and took a super-close late news contest, with its 12.5 rating/19 share at 10 p.m. ahead...