Phoenix

Fast-rising Phoenix now ranks second in the U.S. in overall population growth, first in Hispanic population growth and third in employment growth. The Valley of the Sun is turning into a mecca for high-tech corporations, with Honeywell, Intel and Motorola all having major presences in the area. In local television, the 17th-ranked Phoenix broadcast market is still feeling the effects of a series of affiliation swaps in the mid1990s that bewildered many viewers and advertisers. The changes, triggered by Fox parent News Corp.'s acquisition of New World Communications, left four of the market's TV outlets with new network affiliations.

Phoenix's leading station at the time, privately owned ABC affiliate KTVKTV, became an independent. Despite the loss of its network tie and intense competition, KTVK has managed to remain among the market's ratings leaders. Much of the outlet's continued success can be attributed to the commitment of the Lewises, a local family that had owned KTVK since its launch in 1955. The family sold the station in 1999 to Dallas-based Belo Corp.

KTVK is still No. 1 in weekday signon-to-sign-off ratings and runs second to Gannett Broadcasting-owned NBC affiliate KPNX in seven-day sign-on-to-signoff. KTVK boasts a strong lineup of syndicated talk shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show. The station also has local broadcast rights to Phoenix's hometown Major League Baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. "It is unprecedented for an independent to be this strong," says Sue Schwartz, KTVK vp and general manager. "If it weren't for prime time, we would be the dominant station."

KTVK carries 47 hours per week of local news programming, more than any other station in the market. The weekday news lineup includes four hours in the morning, from 5 to 9 a.m.; an hour at midday; a 4:30-to-6:30 p.m. block; and an hour at 10 p.m. KTVK's newscasts are simulcast and rerun on the 24-hour cable news station Arizona News Channel, a partnership between Belo and cable system operator Cox Communications.

In August 1999, KTVK revamped its 10 p.m. news, expanding the program from a half hour to an hour and dubbing it Newshow. The news/entertainment program targets adults 18-49.

Last February, Belo acquired Phoenix WB affiliate KASW-TV, creating the market's first duopoly. KTVK and KASW share the same management, and...