KSNF

KSNF, virtual channel 16, is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Joplin, Missouri-Pittsburg, Kansas television market, the 152th DMA. KSNF broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 46. Its transmitter and studios are located in Joplin.

History

The station first signed on as KUHI-TV (for K Ultra HIgh Frequency) on September 2, 1967 as an CBS affiliate. It was originally owned by Marvin Caldwell & Associates. Mid-America Broadcasting sold the station to the owners of the Kansas State Network in 1975. The station changed its call letters to KTVJ (TeleVision of Joplin) in 1976. In 1982, The station then changed its call letters to KSNF, and swapping affiliations with KOAM-TV (channel 7) to become an NBC affiliate. The station did limited simulcasting with KSNW. KSN then sold KSNF to Price Communications in 1986, but the station continued the partial simulcast with KSNW. It stopped simulcasting KSNW completely after George Lilly (SJL Communications) acquired the KSN stations and in a cost cutting effort, cut the microwave links to KSNT and KSNF. Price sold KSNF along with two of its stations—KFDX-TV in Wichita Falls, Texas and KJAC-TV (now KBTV-TV, now affiliated with Fox) in Beaumont, Texas to the U.S. Broadcast Group in 1995.