KDSM FOX 17
KDSM FOX 17 is a local FOX-affiliated broadcast television station serving the Des Moines, Iowa market with local news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming, owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersDes Moines, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What KDSM FOX 17 does
KDSM FOX 17 is a local broadcast television station licensed to Des Moines, Iowa, operating as the market's FOX network affiliate under the call sign KDSM-TV. Established in the 1980s, the station is owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group (Sinclair, Inc., NASDAQ: SBGI), one of the largest U.S. television broadcasting companies headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland. KDSM FOX 17 produces local news, weather forecasting, sports coverage, and entertainment programming for the Des Moines metropolitan area and central Iowa, complementing national FOX network programming distributed through its broadcast spectrum.
The station's technology stack includes traditional over-the-air broadcast transmission infrastructure and the Sinclair Storyline digital content management and video distribution platform, which enables live streaming and on-demand viewing. Distribution also extends to a station website (kdsm17.com), a Facebook presence, and a mobile app for live and on-demand FOX 17 content. Community engagement is delivered through dedicated programming segments — Character Counts, Military Appreciation, Love Where You Live, The Paw Project, Career Connection, and Ask A Lawyer — and the station maintains an FCC broadcast license and references NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) as part of its technology evolution.
KDSM FOX 17 generates revenue from two primary streams: local and national television advertising, and retransmission consent fees from cable and satellite providers. The station's advertiser base spans local businesses, regional advertisers, and national brands seeking reach into the Des Moines television market, with rate cards negotiated on a quote basis across dayparts and program slots. Contract durations can extend across multiple years. Station-level financial data is not separately disclosed by Sinclair at the local station level.
KDSM FOX 17 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KDSM FOX 17
- Legal name
- Sinclair, Inc.
- Website
- https://kdsm17.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KDSM FOX 17 is a local FOX-affiliated broadcast television station serving the Des Moines, Iowa market with local news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming, owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KDSM FOX 17 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Broadcast Television
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Local Sports Broadcast Stations (Regional Local Rights, High School/College) (MPABACAK), News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)
Keywords
Where KDSM FOX 17 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
KDSM FOX 17 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Television Advertising: Local broadcast television advertising revenue from businesses advertising during news programs, weather segments, sports coverage, and entertainment content. Includes spot advertising and sponsored content segments.
- Retransmission Consent: Fees paid by cable and satellite providers to carry FOX 17 programming, a standard revenue stream for broadcast television stations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Television advertising time slots |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
KDSM FOX 17 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KDSM FOX 17 operates as a local broadcast television station (KDSM-TV) affiliated with the FOX network, serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. The station produces and broadcasts local news, weather forecasting with radar, sports coverage including NFL, college football, Iowa high school sports, NASCAR, MLB, and entertainment news. Programming is delivered over-the-air and via digital streaming on the Sinclair Storyline platform, supported by advertising sales and retransmission consent revenue.
Product overview
KDSM FOX 17 is a local broadcast television station serving the Des Moines, Iowa market as a FOX network affiliate. The station operates as part of the Sinclair Broadcast Group and offers a unified broadcast product centered on local news, weather, and sports programming. The station's core offerings include 24/7 news broadcasting, weather forecasting with radar services, sports television coverage (including NFL, college sports, and motorsports), entertainment news, and community-focused programming. Additional features include live streaming capabilities and a mobile-accessible Watch section. The station does not operate on a modular platform-plus-add-ons architecture but rather as a traditional broadcast television station with standard programming segments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KDSM FOX 17 News Broadcasting Local television news broadcasting covering Des Moines and central Iowa, featuring breaking news, local stories, weather, and sports coverage, targeted at viewers in the central Iowa market.
- Weather Forecasting and Radar Services Real-time weather updates, forecasts, and radar imaging for the Des Moines metropolitan area and central Iowa.
- Sports Television Broadcasting Televised sports content broadcast on FOX 17, including NFL, college football, high school sports, LIV Golf, IndyCar, NASCAR, MLB, FIFA World Cup, and United Football League coverage, targeted at central Iowa sports fans.
- Entertainment News Coverage Entertainment news programming covering celebrity stories, TV shows, movies, and pop culture, distributed to central Iowa viewers.
- Community Programming Community-focused broadcast segments including Character Counts, Love Where You Live, Career Connection, Military Appreciation, and The Paw Project, targeted at central Iowa community members.
- Watch Live Streaming Live television streaming functionality that allows viewers to watch FOX 17 content online through the Sinclair Storyline platform, targeted at central Iowa viewers seeking digital access.
Companies that use KDSM FOX 17
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
KDSM FOX 17 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
KDSM FOX 17 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Sinclair Broadcast GroupcoreSinclair Broadcast Group is the parent company and owner of KDSM FOX 17. Sinclair operates one of the largest television broadcasting companies in the United States, providing operational support, content resources, technology platforms (including Sinclair Storyline), and advertising sales infrastructure to its local station properties.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KDSM FOX 17 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Allen Media Broadcasting: Owner of a portfolio of local TV stations plus The Weather Channel and digital local news streaming platforms such as Local Now. Comparable as a multi-station broadcast operator pushing into digital/OTT distribution of local news content.
Direct peers
- WOI-DT (ABC affiliate, Des Moines): Local ABC affiliate serving the Des Moines market, competing directly with KDSM for viewer attention and local advertising budgets across news, weather, and sports programming.
- WHO-TV (NBC affiliate, Des Moines): Local NBC affiliate in the Des Moines DMA directly competing with KDSM for the same local news, weather, sports, and advertising dollars in central Iowa. Operates the same over-the-air broadcast model with parallel retransmission and ad revenue streams.
- KCCI (CBS affiliate, Des Moines): Des Moines CBS affiliate and Hearst-owned local TV station that competes head-to-head with KDSM FOX 17 for local news audiences and regional advertising share in central Iowa. Same broadcast business model and revenue mix.
Broad incumbents
- Fox Television Stations (FTS) owned stations: Other FOX network affiliates, including company-owned O&O stations that share the FOX network programming and affiliation agreement underpinning KDSM's sports and primetime content. They are network cousins — relevant for affiliate economics, content flow, and competing ad inventory.
- Nexstar Media Group stations: Largest US TV station operator with similar network-affiliated local broadcast model, competing for retransmission fees, national ad dollars, and corporate synergies. Other large peer station groups replicate the same broadcast-advertising-plus-retransmission revenue model.
- Gray Television stations: Large US local broadcast TV group with comparable network-affiliated operations and similar revenue mix from local advertising and retransmission. Comparable on small/medium-market station economics and operational model.
- Sinclair Broadcast Group (other station properties): Sinclair's overall portfolio of network-affiliated stations nationally — parent and operator of KDSM. Most directly comparable as corporate siblings operating the same Storyline platform, ad sales infrastructure, and retransmission strategy across multiple DMAs.
- Tegna stations: Major US TV station group operating network-affiliated local stations. Comparable on broadcast business model, retransmission revenue strategy, and local advertising sales operations, though Tegna stations skew toward larger markets.
- Scripps Networks / E.W. Scripps stations: Network-affiliated local TV station operator with comparable broadcast model. Competes against Sinclair stations in overlapping DMAs and pursues similar retransmission and local ad strategies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KDSM FOX 17 social profiles
Digital presenceKDSM FOX 17 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
KDSM FOX 17 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KDSM FOX 17 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
KDSM FOX 17 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KDSM FOX 17 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KDSM FOX 17
What does KDSM FOX 17 do?
KDSM FOX 17 operates as a local broadcast television station (KDSM-TV) affiliated with the FOX network, serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. The station produces and broadcasts local news, weather forecasting with radar, sports coverage including NFL, college football, Iowa high school sports, NASCAR, MLB, and entertainment news. Programming is delivered over-the-air and via digital streaming on the Sinclair Storyline platform, supported by advertising sales and retransmission consent revenue.
Is KDSM FOX 17 a public or private company?
KDSM FOX 17 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was KDSM FOX 17 founded?
KDSM FOX 17 was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KDSM FOX 17 based?
KDSM FOX 17 is headquartered in Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does KDSM FOX 17 make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Television Advertising is the primary driver. The others are retransmission Consent.
Who are KDSM FOX 17's main competitors?
Allen Media Broadcasting is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are WOI-DT (ABC affiliate, Des Moines), WHO-TV (NBC affiliate, Des Moines) and KCCI (CBS affiliate, Des Moines). Broad incumbents are Fox Television Stations (FTS) owned stations, Nexstar Media Group stations, Gray Television stations, Sinclair Broadcast Group (other station properties), Tegna stations and Scripps Networks / E.W. Scripps stations.
Does KDSM FOX 17 have an API?
No public API is recorded for KDSM FOX 17.
What industry is KDSM FOX 17 in?
KDSM FOX 17's product category is Broadcast Television. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAE, Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.), with a secondary code of MPABACAK, Local Sports Broadcast Stations (Regional Local Rights, High School/College). Its NAICS code is 51612 and its SIC code is 4833.