Lincoln will lose a CW affiliate, but gain a Fox station when the digital television conversion occurs next week.

In conjunction with the nationwide digital TV switch, KCWL will cease broadcasting Tuesday morning and return June 12 as KFXL, a Fox network affiliate.

KCWL is owned by the Omaha World-Herald and managed by Pappas Telecasting Companies. It currently airs on Time Warner Cable channel 18 in Lincoln and over the air on channel 51.

The move means there will be no CW affiliate in the Lincoln/Kearney/Hastings designated market area.

KFXL programming will be identical to Pappas-managed KSNB/KTVG (over-the-air channels 4 and 17).

KFXL station manager Steve Harry said the move was made to increase viewership on cable and over-the-air.

He said viewers often chose Omaha CW affiliate KXVO (Time Warner channel 15) over KCWL.

The new station also will provide Lincoln a Fox affiliate with a better over-the-air signal than KSNB (Superior) or KPTM (Omaha).

Harry said he expects Time Warner Cable will drop KSNB (channel 4) in favor of KFXL since the programming is the same, but wasn't sure if it will air on 4 or 18. Time Warner interim general manager Mike Kennedy said the cable company is looking into it.

Harry said KFXL also is waiting to hear from satellite companies DISH Network and DirecTV whether or not they will carry both KFXL and KSNB.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.