A NEW LOCAL NEWSCAST in northwest Arkansas will add a new element to the state's television landscape, which has seen little change in its top-rated stations.

Fayettevil1e NBC affiliate KPOM/KFAA, Channels 24/51, will begin airing newscasts again this fall for the first time since June 1992, according to David Needham, station vice president and general manager.

Needham's newscast will go head-to-head with those of the local CBS and ABC affiliates, KFSM-TV, Channel 5, and KHBS/KHOG-TV Channels 29/49, respectively.

KFSM, owned by The New York Times Co., is often the dominant newscast in the 10-county market area, which includes Fort Smith, Fayetteville and two counties in Oklahoma. But Hearst-Argyle Corp.'s KHBS/KHOG sometimes outperforms KFSM in Washington, Benton and Madison counties. In Nielsen's February survey, for example, KHBS/KHOG led at the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.

Depending on the feriocity of the competition - market-watchers are unsure how agressively KPOM/KFAA will vie for viewers - the northwest Arkansas market could provide the kind of ratings shake-up the state's two other TV market haven't seen in at least a decade.

In Little Rock, Albritton Communications Inc.'s KATV, Channel 7, entered 2000 atop Nielsen Media Research's February survey, where it's held sway for more than 10 years. In Jonesboro, lone local affiliate KAITTV, Channel 8, has consistently stayed leaps and bounds ahead of four Memphsis competitors.

Back in Fayetteville, the return of the NBC affiliate's new cast might be another sign of the region's economic growth.

According Needham, Houston-based Griffin Television Inc. decided to get back into the news business about a year ago. He said the decision was based on the same reasons it used to get out: economics.

"I think the difference is the amount of revenues that are available now as opposed to 1992 are significant," he said. "The TV dollar in the market - the entire DMA or viewing area - is much greater than what it was in the early '90s."

Needham said the growth in northwest Arkansas has meant more money available for advertising. Producing a news product has become viable again, he said.

"We did some research back in the spring, basically asking our viewers their opinions on it," he said. "And it came back very favorable that viewers were looking for a new option or another option to their current news viewing option."

With only half his employees hired and no on-air talent on board, KPOM/KFAA news director Gary Darnell has a lot of work to do this summer. He's purchasing all-digital equipment and watching construction of a new, 8,000-SF studio in the Campbell-Bell building in downtown Fayettevillesquare. Though not ready to broadcast, Darnell has definite ideas about the newscast he wants.

"I don't like a lot of hype. A lot of newscasts are long on hype and short on substance," he said. "So we're going to be just the opposite. We really hope that we don't waste people's time."

For others in the market, KPOM/KFAA represents a big unknown. The competition...