KXRM-TV, virtual channel 21, is the Fox-affiliated television station for Central and Southern Colorado that is licensed to Colorado Springs. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 22 from a transmitter on Cheyenne Mountain. Owned by Barrington Broadcasting, the station is sister to low-powered CW affiliate KXTU-LP and the two share studios on Wooten Road.

Digital television [link]

History [link]

The station tried to sign-on Christmas Eve 1984 but technical glitches prevented that from happening. It would launch January 22, 1985 as Southern Colorado's first new commercial station in 31 years. Originally an independent, Christian television station, KXRM (which stood for Christ over the Rocky Mountains) became a charter Fox affiliate on October 6, 1986. The station was locally-owned until 2000 when it was bought by Raycom Media. After Raycom merged with The Liberty Corporation, KXRM was one of several stations that were spun off to current owner Barrington Broadcasting. On October 11, 2007, the station began airing programming from the Retro Television Network (RTV) on its second digital subchannel.^[1]

Previously, this aired The Tube (a 24-hour music channel) until the network suspended operations October 1. On September 15, 2008, KXRM replaced RTV programming on 21.2 with a simulcast of KXTU.^[2] This serves as that channel's digital signal because it does not have one of its own due to being low-powered. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued this station construction permits for three translators: KXRM1 in Cañon City, KXRM2 in Cripple Creek, and KXRM3 in Victor.^{[citation needed]}

News operation [link]

The station began airing a prime time newscast at 9 on March 11, 2001. Produced by CBS affiliate KKTV for six years, it was dropped October 2, 2006 after KXRM established its own in-house news department. The station also added a three-hour morning show, which was later recognized by the Colorado Broadcasters Association as one of the best morning shows in the market. The station aired the first two hours of the nationally syndicated morning show The Daily Buzz live from 4 until 6 on weekday mornings. In March 2011, the weekday morning newscast expanded to four hours starting at 5 a.m. with The Daily Buzz moved to sister station and CW affiliate KXTU-LP in the 4-6 a.m. slot. Its weeknight prime time broadcast actually airs until 10:05 p.m. There is currently no sports department.

In late September 2010, KXRM became the fourth station in Colorado Springs-Pueblo to start broadcasting its local newscasts in 16:9 widescreen.

News/station presentation [link]

Newscast titles [link]

• Fox 21 News (2001–present)

Station slogans [link]

• "We Light Up Your Life" (1985–1988)
• "It's On Fox 21!" (1990–1992, local version of Fox slogan)
• "Southern Colorado's Nine O'Clock News Hour" (2009–present)

News team [link]

[edit] Current on-air staff^[3]

Anchors

• Abbie Burke - weeknights at 6:30 and 9 p.m.; also producer
• Joe Cole - weeknights at 9 p.m.; also vice president of news operations and news director
• Kimberly Price - weekday mornings (5-9 a.m.)
• Nikki Weirich - weekends at 9 p.m.; also weeknight reporter

Weather team

• Terry Gerbstadt (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 6:30 and 9 p.m.
• Tim Elbertson (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - meteorologist/anchor; weekday mornings (5-9 a.m.)
• Matthew Kruger - meteorologist; weekends at 9 p.m., also general assignment reporter

Reporters

• Craig Coffey - weekday morning reporter
• Brittany Gehrett - web reporter; also weekday morning editor
• Sade Malloy - general assignment reporter
• Aly Myles - general assignment reporter; also producer
• Rachel Welte - general assignment reporter
• Kelly Werthmann - general assignment reporter

References [link]

External links [link]

• KXRM-DT "Fox 21"
• Fox
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KXRM-TV