KDFI-TV, virtual channel 27, is a MyNetworkTV owned-and-operated station serving the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The station is licensed to Dallas and owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network outlet KDFW (channel 4). Its transmitter is located in Cedar Hill. KDFI-TV is on channel 7 on most cable systems in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

History[link]

As an independent station[link]

Channel 27 initially was granted a license as KLIF-TV in 1967 with a construction permit issued in 1968. However the station never formally signed on and by 1972 the license was deleted. Later in 1981, the station signed on under ownership by Liberty Television as KTWS-TV with religious shows, public-affairs shows, and ABC, NBC, and CBS shows that were preempted by WFAA, KXAS, and KDFW-TV respectively. Channel 27 aired some limited local news, anchored by former WFAA anchor Bob Gooding. The station also broadcast public domain movies during the day. At night, the station ran the Preview, then later VEU, subscription TV services. In August 1984, the station's call sign changed to the present KDFI-TV.

In 1985, KDFI became a general entertainment station for the entire broadcast day. It began running low budget syndicated shows, old cartoons, and B Grade movies. The station continued to run pre-empted network shows as well, and had been able to balance its books.

In 1993, Argyle Television, which owned KDFW, began running programming on KDFI. KDFI was broadcasting mostly talk shows and newscasts delayed from KDFW.

When KDFW switched to Fox, the newscasts were dropped. KDFI continued the talk format while adding a few cartoons in the mornings and a few sitcoms as well. When Fox acquired KDFW in a group deal, the network moved Fox Kids programming to KDFI from KDAF(Channel 33). By then, KDFI was a traditional independent station broadcasting cartoons, classic off network sitcoms, syndicated talk/reality shows, and movies.

The station continues this format today, though Fox Kids went to weekends only in 2002 and became Fox Box (later 4Kids TV, now Weekend Marketplace) later in 2002. In 2000, when duopolies in television became lawful, Fox bought KDFI outright.

MyNetworkTV affiliation[link]

On February 22, 2006, Fox announced that KDFI would be part of a new primetime network called MyNetworkTV which launched on September 5, 2006. My Network TV is operated by Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Twentieth Television.

The station began identifying itself on-air as "my 27" shortly after the announcement, reflecting the new network's naming conventions. A temporary logo using the circular 27 symbol and the word 'my' was created. The KDFI website changed its slogan to "Shows I Like are on my 27" accordingly. On Friday, July 7, KDFI officially changed its logo to the MyNetwork style four-square 'my 27' on air. MyNetworkTV ads also began running heavily on this date.

In addition, KDFI may carry Fox network programming should it be preempted by KDFW in the event of a local special or an emergency such as a breaking news story. Prior to this affiliation, KDFI was the only News Corp.-owned station to be an independent, while all other News Corp. stations were affiliated with Fox or UPN. It is also the largest MyNetworkTV affiliate to not have been formerly affiliated with either UPN or The WB.

George Lowe, the voice of Space Ghost in Cartoon Network's Space Ghost Coast to Coast, is the station's imaging voice.

Digital television[link]

On digital subchannel 27.2 is Bounce TV, a digital multicast network aimed at African-Americans between the ages of 25 and 54 years old; the subchannel launched on March 30, 2012. The subchannel is not currently carried on local cable providers at this time.^[1]

KDFI also has plans for a Mobile DTV feed of 27.1.^[2][3]

Analog-to-digital transition[link]

On June 12, 2009 KDFI ceased its analog transmissions on channel 27 and continues KDFI digital broadcasts on channel 36. PSIP is used to display KDFI-TV's virtual channel as 27 on digital television receivers.

Programming[link]

Sports programming[link]

Due to its Fox ownership, KDFI has, in the past, broadcast Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars games not carried by Fox Sports Southwest. Broadcasts of both teams have now moved to KTXA 21, with the Rangers completing the switch at the beginning of the 2009 Major League Baseball season and the Stars for the 2010-2011 National Hockey League season.

The station also picked up the rights to air two Dallas Cowboys games that also aired on the NFL Network in the 2007-2008 season, along with the network's HDTV feed for those games. The games against the Green Bay Packers on November 29 and Carolina Panthers on December 22 were the highest-rated shows in the history of KDFI.

KDFI began airing a number of Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers games in high definition in early 2008.

Station presentation[link]

Station slogans[link]

• "Your Movie Station" (1980s)
• "The Talk Of Texas" (1993–1996)
• "Hot TV 27" (1996–1999)
• "Cold Ice. Cool Game. Hot TV 27." (1996–1999; used for its promotion of Dallas Stars games)
• "Anything Can Happen" (2002–2004)
• "Get It On" (2004–2005)
• "Your Hometown Station" (2005–2006)
• "The Shows I Like Are on My27" (2006)
• "My Shows, My Station, My27" (2006–2009)
• "It's All Good" (2009–present)

References[link]

• Shannon, Mike (January, 2004). Dallas-Fort Worth TV Station History. The History of Dallas-Fort Worth Radio and Television.
• KLIF-TV Channel 27 designation in 1972. Detailed Texas EBS Operational Plan.

External links[link]

Dallas-Fort Worth portal

• KDFI Official website
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KDFI
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KDFI-TV
• Program Information for KDFI at TitanTV.com