KFFX-TV


KFFX-TV, virtual and VHF digital channel 11, is a dual Fox/Telemundo-affiliated television station licensed to Pendleton, Oregon, United States and serving the Tri-Cities, Washington area. The station is owned by Atlanta-based Cox Media Group. KFFX-TV's studios are located on Clearwater Avenue in Kennewick, and its transmitter is located in the Umatilla National Forest east of Pendleton.
KCYU-LD in Yakima, Washington operates as a low-power semi-satellite of KFFX-TV. It simulcasts all Fox network and syndicated programming as provided by KFFX-TV, and the two stations share a website. However, KCYU-LD airs separate legal identifications and commercial inserts. KFFX-TV serves the eastern half of the Tri-Cities/Yakima market while KCYU-LD serves the western portion. On satellite, KFFX-TV is only available on DirecTV, while Dish Network carries KCYU-LD instead.

History

Channel 11 signed on the air January 11, 1999 as KAUP; on April 25, the call letters were changed to KFFX-TV. It was the first full-powered VHF station in what had previously been a "UHF island." It was also the first station on the Tri-Cities side of the market not to be a satellite of a station in Yakima.
The station replaced KBWU-LP, a low-power semi-satellite of KAYU-TV in Spokane ; KCYU-LP was also a semi-satellite of KAYU before the launch of KFFX. KBWU had been on the air since October 1, 1989; that station, now KBWU-LD, is now a translator of KFFX.
Initially, the KFFX-TV license was owned by Communication Properties; Northwest Broadcasting, through its Mountain Broadcasting subsidiary, operated the station under a local marketing agreement. Northwest filed to acquire KFFX outright in November 1999; however, the sale, approved on September 27, 2000, was not completed until January 14, 2003 because Northwest was required to divest another full-power television station in the Tri-Cities market, KBKI in Walla Walla, in order to complete its purchase of KFFX. KBKI was ultimately acquired by Pappas Telecasting.
In February 2019, Reuters reported that Apollo Global Management had agreed to acquire the entirety of Brian Brady's television portfolio, which it intends to merge with Cox Media Group and stations spun off from Nexstar Media Group's purchase of Tribune Broadcasting, once the purchases are approved by the FCC. In March 2019 filings with the FCC, Apollo confirmed that its newly-formed broadcasting group, Terrier Media, would acquire Northwest Broadcasting, with Brian Brady holding an unspecified minority interest in Terrier. In June 2019, it was announced that Terrier Media would instead operate as Cox Media Group, as Apollo had reached a deal to also acquire Cox's radio and advertising businesses. The transaction was completed on December 17.

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
ChannelVideoAspectPSIP short nameProgramming
11.1720pKFFX-HDMain KFFX-TV programming / Fox
11.2720pTelmundTelemundo
11.3480iIONIon Television

KFFX has been digital-only since February 17, 2009. As the station's transmitter site typically becomes inaccessible to standard vehicles due to eastern Oregon's typically harsh winters, Northwest Broadcasting provided station engineers with snowmobiles on February 16, 2009 to complete the final post-transition installations.
On April 21, 2009, the station added a digital subchannel which includes This TV, but was changed to Telemundo in 2016.

Translators

KFFX-TV is rebroadcast on three low-powered translators.
KFFX airs a 10 p.m. newscast, Fox First at Ten, produced by area NBC affiliate KNDO/KNDU and a 7–9 a.m. newscast, Good Day produced by Spokane's NBC affiliate KHQ-TV.
KFFX also offers a line-up of back-to-back sitcoms between 5 and 8 p.m. each weeknight along with many other popular shows including the NFL on Fox, Lethal Weapon and Empire.