The Texas TV station that defied the FCC's geographic rules

Science · Published 20 October 2026 · Updated 22 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Why does a Dallas television station start with a 'W' instead of a 'K'? It is a geographical anomaly caused by a pre-digital border. Discover how a 1940s licensing decision shaped one of the largest media markets in the United States.

The FCC typically assigns call signs beginning with 'K' to stations west of the Mississippi River and 'W' to those east of it. WFAA, the ABC affiliate for the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, is a notable exception to this rule. The reason is historical: Dallas was located east of the original 'K' and 'W' border distinction defined by the FCC at the time the station's license was first established.

The station's origins date back to 1944, when local businessman Karl Hoblitzelle filed the first application for a television license in the Southern United States. However, Texas oil magnate Tom Potter was ultimately awarded the permit for VHF channel 8. The station signed on as KBTV on September 17, 1949, becoming the first station licensed to Dallas and the third to sign on in Texas.

The station's journey was marked by significant ownership shifts and technological milestones. In 1950, the A.H. Belo Corporation purchased the station for $575,000, eventually renaming it WFAA-TV. It became a pioneer in broadcast technology, becoming the first station in the market to use a videotape recorder in 1958 and one of the first in the U.S. to convert news footage to videotape during the 1970s.

As a non-network-owned entity, WFAA stands out in today's media scene for being the biggest ABC affiliate based on market scale. Consequently, Dallas represents the biggest media region featuring a 'Big Four' outlet that stays outside of its network's corporate control.

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