KDSM-TV

KDSM-TV
ATSC 3.0 station
Channels
BrandingFox 17
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
FoundedSeptember 13, 1982
First air date
March 7, 1983 (41 years ago) (1983-03-07)
Former call signs
KCBR (1983–1986)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 17 (UHF, 1983–2009)
Call sign meaning
Des Moines (also the IATA airport code for Des Moines International Airport)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID56527
ERP1,000 kW
HAAT612 m (2,008 ft)
Transmitter coordinates41°49′48″N 93°36′54.6″W / 41.83000°N 93.615167°W / 41.83000; -93.615167
Links
Public license information
Websitekdsm17.com

KDSM-TV (channel 17) is a television station in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and has studios on Fleur Drive in Des Moines; its transmitter is located in Alleman, Iowa.

Channel 17 began broadcasting as KCBR, Des Moines's first independent station, on March 7, 1983. It was locally owned by the Independence Broadcasting Company. It was purchased by Duchossois Communications in 1985. Under Duchossois, the station changed its call sign to KDSM-TV in 1986, affiliated with the then-new Fox network, and became the local broadcaster of syndicated Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball, which dramatically boosted its visibility and regional cable carriage. River City Broadcasting acquired KDSM-TV in 1990 and boosted its promotion of Fox programming. It soon surpassed ABC affiliate WOI-TV, long the market's distant third-rated station, in total revenue.

After River City merged with Sinclair in 1996, KDSM began broadcasting a local newscast in 2001. The newscast was presented from Sinclair-owned KGAN in Cedar Rapids using Des Moines–based news staff. In 2008, this was replaced with a local newscast produced by WHO-DT (channel 13). KDSM became the market's ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) broadcaster in 2023.

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KDSM-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.