KFRE-TV

KFRE-TV
ATSC 3.0 station
	Sanger–Fresno, California; United States;
City	Sanger, California
Channels	Digital: 36 (UHF); Virtual: 59;
Branding	CW 59
Programming
Affiliations	59.1: The CW; for others, see § Subchannels;
Ownership
Owner	Sinclair Broadcast Group; (KFRE Licensee, LLC);
Sister stations	KMPH-TV
History
First air date	July 17, 1985
Former call signs	KMSG (1984–1985); KMSG-TV (1985–2001);
Former channel number	Analog: 59 (UHF, 1985–2009);
Former affiliations	Independent (1985–1989); Telemundo (secondary 1987–1989, primary 1989–2001); The WB (2001–2006); 4Kids TV (secondary, 2003–2008);
Call sign meaning	Fresno
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	59013
ERP	360 kW
HAAT	607 m (1,991 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	37°4′37″N 119°26′4″W / 37.07694°N 119.43444°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Website	kmph.com/the-cw/cw-kfre-59

KFRE-TV (channel 59) is a television station licensed to Sanger, California, United States, serving the Fresno area as an affiliate of The CW. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Visalia-licensed Fox affiliate KMPH-TV (channel 26). The two stations share studios on McKinley Avenue in eastern Fresno; KFRE-TV's transmitter is located on Bear Mountain (near Meadow Lakes).

Channel 59 began broadcasting as KMSG-TV on July 17, 1985. Originally planned as a music video station, original owners Sanger Telecasters instead programmed it as an independent station with an emphasis on religious programs. It became a Telemundo affiliate gradually between 1988 and 1989 and briefly aired local news programming between 1996 and 1999. After Telemundo opted to move its programming to KNSO (channel 51) on January 1, 2001, channel 59 became Fresno's affiliate of The WB under the operation and later ownership of Pappas Telecasting; The WB programs had previously aired on channel 51. In 2006, the station experimented with an 11 p.m. newscast, which attracted few viewers, and became an affiliate of The CW when The WB merged with UPN. The station was sold twice between 2009 and 2013.