KFXD-TV

KFXD-TV

Company type	Private
Industry	Television broadcasting
Founded	June 18, 1953 (1953-06-18) in Nampa, Idaho, United States
Defunct	August 11, 1953 (1953-08-11)
Fate	Ceased broadcasting and surrendered license
Headquarters	Nampa , United States
Products	Television broadcasting (Independent)
Owner	Frank Hurt & Son, Inc.

KFXD-TV (channel 6) was a television station located in Nampa, Idaho, United States. Recognized as Idaho's inaugural television broadcaster, it operated for a brief period during the summer of 1953—from June 18 until August 11. The station was owned by the radio outlet KFXD (580 AM) and functioned without any network affiliation, offering limited programming as an early form of an Independent station prior to the shutdown of the DuMont Television Network. All its broadcasts originated from its transmitter situated at Deer Point within the Boise National Forest.

History

In July 1952, Frank Hurt & Son, Inc., proprietors of KFXD radio, submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a commercial television station on channel 6 in Nampa, proposing a transmitter power of 19,720 watts. The FCC approved this request on March 11, 1953.

With an investment totaling $25,000, Frank Hurt & Son commenced operations under a special temporary authority, while the permanent facilities were still under development. The state's first television test pattern was transmitted on June 18 and was receivable as far away as Weiser, Idaho and Ontario, Oregon, with lieutenant governor Edson Deal participating in the launch. Regular commercial broadcasts began on June 29. The station employed an unconventional temporary antenna setup: transmitter components mounted on a large redwood fence oriented toward the Boise Valley.

Although initial intentions included affiliating with ABC, no network connection was ever established. Edward P. Hurt, the station president, planned to staff KFXD-TV primarily with personnel from KFXD radio; however, technical difficulties and logistical constraints severely limited available manpower. Hurt observed that television proved less lucrative than radio; while radio retained $95 out of every $100 in advertising revenue locally, television profits predominantly flowed to "some New York film company."

As a result, KFXD-TV operated with a very small team—only Hurt and chief engineer Gilbert Rose—broadcasting for two hours daily using "30 year-old movies," which were the only cost-effective programming available. On certain evenings, only a test pattern was aired. Meanwhile, KIDO-TV (channel 7) launched on July 12 from Boise as an NBC affiliate with secondary ties to CBS and DuMont networks.

After broadcasting for under two months and facing competition from KIDO-TV’s debut, Hurt discontinued KFXD-TV’s transmissions on August 11 to prevent further financial losses and due to insufficient resources. The station surrendered its special temporary authority and filed for silence; its final program was the 1935 film Confidential. Hurt cited inadequate staffing to manage both the temporary operation and construction of permanent facilities simultaneously. Furthermore, the antenna configuration favored coverage toward Boise rather than Nampa despite Nampa’s closer proximity. Operating deficits reached approximately $200 daily because of limited airtime. The equipment was dismantled and sold off; notably, the 500-watt transmitter contributed to launching KFXJ-TV in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Later in 1953, Hurt sought approval to transfer the KFXD-TV construction permit to Idaho Broadcasting and Television Company—the owners of KGEM radio and permit holders for channel 9’s KTVI—with plans to relinquish that permit in favor of KFXD-TV’s channel 6 license. The FCC authorized this transaction in January 1954; subsequently, the KTVI call letters were reassigned to channel 6. By this time, KBOI-TV had begun operations on channel 2 as a CBS affiliate. Idaho Broadcasting questioned whether Boise’s market could sustain three stations and eventually surrendered the permit citing economic viability concerns.

KFXD-TV became only the second television station in the United States—and the first on VHF—to cease broadcasting shortly after its launch; it followed UHF station WROV-TV in Roanoke, Virginia. Channel 6 later hosted KCIX-TV from 1958 until 1960, which also failed to secure network affiliation. In 1972, KITC (now KIVI-TV) began airing on channel 6 with an ABC affiliation and continues operations today.