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Led by solid growth among local high-tech and telecommunications firms, the Dallas-Fort Worth economy is enjoying one of the healthiest periods in its history. Unemployment is virtually nonexistent. Many people are relocating to the area, responding to the strong demand for skilled workers. Computer networking giant Cisco Systems recently announced plans to quadruple its workforce in the Dallas-Fort Worth region to about 4,000 over the next few years.
Retail construction and development is also booming. The large Stone Briar Mall just opened in Denton County, a fastgrowing suburban area, and Kohl's recently entered the market.
The vitality of the local economy has meant significant growth for Dallas-Fort Worth's local media and has allowed many media outlets to raise their ad rates.
A.H. Belo, the Dallas-based national media company, has long dominated the local media scene via its ownership of toprated ABC affiliate WFAA-TV and of the daily Dallas Morning News.
The Dallas-FortWorth television market is the seventh-largest in the U.S., with 2,018,120 TV households, according to Nielsen Media Research. The market is one of the most competitive in the country. Belo's WFAA has been the local news leader for years, although No. 2 KXAS-- TV has been making gains since NBC acquired the outlet in 1998.
KXAS was the first station in the market to launch a 4 p.m. newscast. The onehour program, which started up last January, has earned average ratings in the mid-3s in households and ls and 2s in demos. The newscast has boosted KXAS' numbers in the 4-5 p.m. time slot and "has really helped our 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts," says station president/general manager Steve Doerr. While the 4 p.m. news targets primarily women, it also has a mainstream appeal with hard news as well as business coverage from CNBC. Doerr says the newscast can evolve into a "huge competitive advantage" for KXAS by offering viewers and advertisers an alternative to the entertainment shows that air on other local outlets during the 4-5 p.m. hour.
KXAS is the top-rated station in morning news. And at 10 p.m., KXAS' newscast finished a close second to WFAA in households in the May sweeps. Still, the perception in the market remains that WFAA, the oldest station in the market, rules. "That's an image...