On September 10, 2012, KOZL changed its on-air branding to "Z-27," using a logo similar to that used by sister stations WCIX in Springfield, Illinois and KARZ-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas. With WTVW joining The CW in January 2013 and WFFT rejoining Fox the following March, KOZL was the only Nexstar-owned-or-managed television station that was affected by the 2011 Nexstar-Fox dispute that remained an independent station until September 8, 2014, when it replaced KRBK as Springfield's MyNetworkTV affiliate. Nexstar subsequently agreed to acquire KRBK in 2018.