Scripps acquired The CW affiliate KASW from Nexstar Media Group two years ago in an eight-station, $580 million deal. CW61 has emerged as a news destination.
KASW offers weekday news at 7-9 a.m, noon-1 p.m. and, most recently, 9-9:30 p.m. The morning news happened in late March. “Our plan was to extend our community presence and the strong connection our team has with our ABC15 Mornings viewers,” said Anita Helt, VP/general manager of KNXV-KASW. “Little did we know that the connection would only deepen as we have helped our viewers through these unprecedented times.”
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KASW’s news features ABC15 on CW61 branding. The noon program happened when daytime viewership spiked amidst the pandemic and the primetime newscast premiered in July.
KASW has also enjoyed an upgrade in its syndicated programs, which include Seinfeld and Friends. “Nostalgia really seems to resonate,” said Helt.
KASW had a minimal news presence prior to the acquisition. “We’ve really expanded our news footprint,” Helt said.
