In December 1990, the station was sold to Hispanic Broadcasters of Arizona, Inc., which owned Tucson Telemundo affiliate "KHR" (later KHRR).
[5] After low-power TV stations were allowed to adopt four-letter call signs, K64DR (frequently known as "KDR") became KDRX-LP.
In October 1997, KDRX-LP added a Spanish-language newscast produced locally by ABC affiliate KNXV-TV (channel 15).
[6] The station began producing its own newscast a few years later after moving into KNXV's former Phoenix studio facility.
In order to compete, Telemundo owner NBC reasoned, the station needed to upgrade to a full-powered signal.
The request involved not only a swap of licenses but also non-commercial reservations in Phoenix and Holbrook, plus the two low-powered stations (KPHZ-LP on channel 58—later KDTP-LP—would be added to the deal later); in October 2005, the FCC agreed to the proposal, over the objection of Univision, citing the compelling public interest benefit of equal competition in Spanish-language television in Phoenix.