KDNL-TV, along with Cox's other two independent stations WKBD-TV in Detroit and KTVU in Oakland officially joined as one of the original charter Fox affiliates on October 9, 1986.
KDNL-TV became an ABC affiliate on August 7, 1995, swapping its Fox affiliation with longtime ABC affiliate KTVI, as part of a groupwide affiliation deal between New World Communications (which acquired KTVI from Argyle Television two years prior) and Fox. The station also expanded its local news programming at that time; its in-house news department, which launched under its Fox affiliation in January 1995 with the debut of a 9:00 p.m. newscast (though the station had run news updates as early as 1981 while an independent station), began producing a nightly 10:00 p.m. newscast upon switching to ABC and added 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. broadcasts in early 1996.
1Owned by Tennessee Broadcasting. Sinclair is seeking an FCC "failing station" waiver to purchase this station. 2Nominally owned by Cunningham Broadcasting and operated by Sinclair under an LMA. However, trusts belonging to members of Sinclair's founding Smith family control almost all of Cunningham's stock. 3Operated by Nexstar Media Group under an LMA. 4Owned by Second Generation Ltd. and managed by Sinclair. Sinclair is seeking an FCC "failing station" waiver to purchase the station's license. 5Owned by Manhan Media and managed by Sinclair. 6Owned by Howard Stirk Holdings, operated by Sinclair under an LMA. 7Owned by Mercury Broadcasting Company and operated by Sinclair. 8Owned by Deerfield Media and operated by Sinclair under an LMA. 9Owned by South Sound Broadcasting, but operated by Sinclair under an LMA. 10Owned by Roberts Media, but operated by Sinclair. 11Owned by Mitts Telecasting and operated by Sinclair. 12Owned by GOCOM Media and operated by Sinclair. 13Owned by Waitt Broadcasting, but operated by Sinclair under an SSA. 14Owned by Granite Broadcasting Corporation and operated by Sinclair through a JSA and SSA. 15Owned by New Age Media and operated by Sinclair under an MSA. 16Owned by MPS Media, but operated by New Age Media under an LMA. 17Co-owned with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. 18Owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture of Sinclair and Entertainment Studios. 19Co-owned with Yankee Global Enterprises, The Blackstone Group, Amazon, RedBird Capital and Mubadala Investment Company. 20Co-owned with Chicago Cubs.
