When channel 27 became an independent station on September 1, 2011, the newly called KOZL expanded its locally produced programming; the morning newscast expanded to two hours from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. On September 4, KOZL debuted a half-hour 6:00 p.m. newscast on Sundays (it was the only newscast in the market at that timeslot as KOLR as well as KYTV and KSPR carry network primetime programming during that hour); then on September 6, KOZL debuted an hour-long weekday 4:00 p.m. news/lifestyle program, titled "Ozarks Live". Also that month, KOZL launched half-hour sports wrap-up programs on Saturday and Sunday evenings after the 9:00 p.m. newscast, both under the "Ozarks Sports" banner, as well as the Sunday evening local business program "Ozarks Local Business Journal" (which aired after the 6:00 p.m. newscast). Over time, many of these programs were scaled back or cancelled entirely; the morning newscast was reduced to one hour and "Ozarks Live" moved to KOLR in August 2012, while "Ozarks Sports Saturday/Sunday", "Ozarks Business Journal" and the Sunday 6:00 p.m. newscast were cancelled.