Central Iowa now has another choice for late-night local news with the fledgling Fox news broadcast in an earlier time slot and with innovative use of resources.

The Des Moines-based Fox affiliate, KDSM, premiered its 9 p.m. news broadcast March 4. The newscast is designed to reach Central Iowans who don’t want to stay awake until 10 p.m. for their local news.

“KDSM has always wanted to get into the news business – I think it was only a matter of time,” said Susy Robinette, KDSM news director. “It is very hectic and busy. I think, considering the limited resources, we are doing very well.”

The alternative time slot has been well received by the public, she said.

“A lot of people can’t stay up till 10 o’clock, young people, too,” Robinette said. “The 9 o’clock time slot is really convenient.”

Fox’s approach to the news business has been non-traditional, she said. The news is produced in Des Moines at the KDSM newsroom, where reporters and photojournalists staff the office, she said. The script is sent to KDSM’s sister station, KGAN, in Cedar Rapids, where a set of anchors deliver the news. The broadcast is then sent to Des Moines via fiber optics.

Sinclair Broadcast Group out of Baltimore, Md., owns both KDSM and KGAN, as well as several stations across the country, Robinette said.

“Our challenge is to cover the news with the number of staff [in Des Moines],” she said.

She said a lot of viewers don’t know the broadcast is taped in Cedar Rapids, and those who do know aren’t concerned.

“It’s amazing, a lot of people don’t know [the anchor team is in Cedar Rapids],” Robinette said. “We aren’t hiding that fact at all.”

Tom Beell, professor of journalism and mass communication specializing in electronic media, said comparable markets around the country are also following suite. He said markets in Seattle and Florida have tried this setup.

“Fox tends to do things on the cheap,” Beell said. “I am assuming they have a very tight budget covering the largest city in Iowa. This is ingenious to stretch their resources.”

KDSM continues to expand its service, even with the limited resources, Robinette said. She said they hope to have a live truck and crew by the beginning of April.

Robinette said KDSM will cover several features different from those of the other Des Moines stations by using the services of freelance journalists in the area.

“We are not following standard rules,” she said. “We don’t necessarily worry about the lead stories on the other stations; we worry about our viewers.”