{{Short description|PBS member network in Montana}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox television station | callsign = Montana PBS | logo = Montana PBS (2019).svg | logo_alt = The word "Montana" in a thin sans serif next to the PBS network logo next to the blue letters PBS | logo_upright = 1 | subchannels = {{ubl|'''.1:''' PBS|'''.2:''' PBS Kids|'''.3:''' Create|'''.4:''' World|'''.5:''' MPAN}} | translators = | affiliations = PBS | country = United States | airdate = {{start date|1984|10|1}} | location = Montana | owner = {{ubl|Montana State University|University of Montana}} | sister_stations = Montana Public Radio, through UM | website = {{URL|www.montanapbs.org}} | embedded = ''For technical information, see {{section link||Stations}}.'' }}
'''Montana PBS''' is the PBS member public television network for the U.S. state of Montana. It is a joint venture between Montana State University (MSU) and the University of Montana (UM). The network is headquartered in the Visual Communications Building on the MSU campus on West Grant Street in Bozeman, with a separate studio inside the Performing Arts and Radio/TV (PARTV) Center on the UM campus on Campus Drive in Missoula.
Educational television in Montana had a long and tortuous history, with scattered efforts. The first educational stations available to Montanans were KSPS-TV from Spokane, Washington, on translators and cable systems west of the Continental Divide beginning in 1970 and KUED from Salt Lake City, Utah, on cable systems in central and eastern Montana as early as 1961. Montana came close to establishing a statewide network in the mid-1970s, when it authorized the Montana Educational Broadcasting Commission and obtained a permit for a TV transmitter at Butte. The plan collapsed amid political controversy over a lease for the network's studio in Bozeman and a power play to defund the commission in order to fund a library at Montana Technological University.
Spurred by a group seeking to begin over-the-air broadcasting of PBS's children's programs, and already home to a visual communications building and television studio, MSU put KUSM-TV into service on October 1, 1984. Montana became the last state with its own PBS station. Originally a semi-satellite of KUED with specific Montana programs, between 1988 and 1991 KUSM replaced KUED on all Montana cable systems. The University of Montana joined the system in October 1996 with the launch of KUFM-TV in Missoula. Today, the Montana PBS network comprises eight full-power stations and a large network of translators that rebroadcast its signal throughout the state.
Montana PBS has two general managers—one for KUSM-TV and one for KUFM-TV—and programming originates from both universities. Local series include the music program ''11th and Grant'', an MSU production from Bozeman, and ''Backroads of Montana'', a UM production. Operations are funded by donations through Friends of Montana PBS, support from the universities, and contract production.
==Educational television in Montana: Preamble== Early activity around educational or public television in Montana was sporadic and disconnected. Beginning in 1957, the College of Great Falls produced programming seen over commercial stations KRTV and KFBB-TV in Great Falls.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1966-09-18 |title=Tenth Year of Educational TV To Be Offered by College of GF |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-tenth-year-of-educat/176286167/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=6C}}</ref> In February 1962, educational television came to Missoula when Montana State University in Missoula—now the University of Montana (UM)—began providing closed-circuit courses in Spanish to Missoula junior high school students.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1962-02-04 |title=Piped-in Spanish Flows Tomorrow |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-piped-in-spanish-flows-to/196657633/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=9A|first=John|last=Forssen}}</ref> Schools in Kalispell and Miles City also were serviced by educational television programming.{{r|Grea620629}} In 1964, Montana State College in Bozeman—now Montana State University (MSU)—began originating lectures in zoology received by hospitals at Great Falls and Billings, by microwave link. It had an outside broadcasting van for telecasts from remote sites.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1964-06-21 |title=Start Made for Educational TV on Statewide Basis: MSC Plans To Increase Programs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-start-made-for-educa/196657943/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=Montana Parade 5, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-msc-experiment-heral/196657990/ 6]}}</ref>
Beginning in 1962 with Great Falls, cable television systems began providing KUED from Salt Lake City to subscribers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1962-03-04 |title=Cable TV Quiz |type=Advertisement |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-cable-tv-quiz/196658177/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=2}}</ref> By 1969, 25 percent of Montana households had access to KUED.<ref name="Grea690725">{{Cite news |date=1969-07-25 |title=State ETV Seen by 1970 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-state-etv-seen-by-19/196658651/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=2|first=Jerry|last=Madden}}</ref> The first educational television transmitter in Montana opened in 1970, when Flathead Valley Community College built a translator to bring the programming of KSPS-TV in Spokane, Washington, to Kalispell.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1970-04-16 |title=FVCC To Construct Educational Television Rebroadcast System |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-inter-lake-fvcc-to-construct-e/176285954/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Daily Inter Lake |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1970-09-26 |title=Available in Three Counties: 10 School Officials Hear ITV Offerings Explained |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-available-in-three-counti/176286053/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=7}}</ref> In 1971, four Montana stations—KFBB-TV in Great Falls, KXGN-TV in Glendive, KOOK-TV in Billings, and KGVO-TV in Missoula—agreed to add the educational show ''Sesame Street'' to their schedules.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1970-12-11 |title='Sesame Street' May Pioneer Educational TV in Montana |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-sesame-street-may/196658745/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=12}}</ref>
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reserved six television channels in Montana for educational use.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1954-05-15 |title=Educational TV in State Urged |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-educational-tv-in-s/176285914/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |page=2|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In 1960, Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Harriet Miller convened a committee on educational television.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1960-02-14 |title=State Committee Has Session On TV Education |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-state-committee-h/196657438/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent Record |pages=3}}</ref> That year, then–Montana State University was gifted a television antenna by the owner of Kalispell radio station KOFI, but it had no plans to build a station on Missoula's reserved channel 11.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1960-07-24 |title=Discuss Batwing Possibilities |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-missoulian-discuss-batwing-pos/196657477/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Daily Missoulian |pages=25}}</ref> The committee's report, released in 1962, endorsed an educational television transmitter network to cover 80 percent of the population. The proposal foresaw a three-stage plan, starting with transmitters at Missoula and at Bozeman, home to Montana State College—now Montana State University (MSU)—plus a microwave between the two cities. A second wave would encompass transmitters at Helena, Billings, Butte, and Great Falls, and a third wave at Kalispell, Miles City, and Havre, plus a Helena studio.<ref name="Grea620629">{{Cite news |date=1962-06-29 |title=Montana Committee Sees Value Of Educational TV in Schools |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-montana-committee-se/196657741/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-montana-committee-se/196657780/ 15]|first=Luke|last=Wright}}</ref>
However, Montana lagged every other state in planning for educational television. In 1967, a member of MSU's film and television department told a gathering of school administrators that the state sorely needed a unified plan but could avoid the pitfalls of other states.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1967-04-20 |title=Montana and Educational TV: Being Last May Have Its Fine Points |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-montana-and-educational-t/196658260/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=28|first=Jerry|last=Holloron}}</ref> An article on the front page of the ''Great Falls Tribune'' declared, "Lacking executive and legislative interest and support in the past, the future of Montana ETV would appear bleak."<ref>{{Cite news |date=1967-05-21 |title=Future of ETV In State Bleak |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-future-of-etv-in-sta/196658315/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-educational-tv/196658339/ 20]|first=Jerry|last=Madden}}</ref> The culprit, according to Miller and Fred L. Gerber of MSU, was a lack of interest in state funding to unlock federal matching grants to fund the service.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1967-06-12 |title=Missoula Radio, Billings TV Stations Are Award Winners |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-missoula-radio-bill/196658378/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=4|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1968-02-29 |title=Misses Educational TV Movement: Montana Is Slow Starter |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-misses-educational-tv-mov/196658447/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=7|first=Belle|last=Howland}}</ref> The 1969 Montana legislature allowed schools to pool funds to purchase instructional programming, but there was dissent over whether to conduct pilots of educational programming in classrooms or move right into usage.{{r|Grea690725}}
===1970s Butte plan=== In 1971, state senator William Bertsche introduced a bill providing for an educational television system, and superintendent Dolores Colburg released a study finding that such a system would cost millions of dollars, primarily in acquiring TV sets for schools.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1971-01-22 |title=Legislature Gets Data On Education Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-legislature-gets-dat/196658769/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=8}}</ref> That year, the legislature named Colburg coordinator of educational television.{{r|Grea731216}} Colburg convened a new advisory council on the matter in 1972<ref>{{Cite news |date=1972-09-17 |title=TV Advisory Unit Named |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-tv-advisory-unit-named/196658877/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=46|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> and applied for federal grant money in 1973.<ref name="Grea731216">{{Cite news |date=1973-12-16 |title=Education office seeks TV grant |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-education-office-see/196658919/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=20|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The first facility proposed to be put in use was channel 7 at Butte, to broadcast from XL Heights.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1973-12-20 |title=Montana public broadcasting system sought |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-montana-public-broa/196658956/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |pages=10}}</ref> The site had been offered by Joe Sample, owner of the Montana Television Network.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1974-04-20 |title=Educational Broadcasting Commission Is Organized |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-educational-broadcasting/196659037/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=5|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Interests in Helena suggested locating the transmitter on Hogback Mountain to reach Helena and Great Falls, though Helena's educational channel assignment was in the UHF band.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1974-03-01 |title=Vo-Tech says Hogback best place for ETV site |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-vo-tech-says-hogb/96539960/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent Record |page=2 |first=Ken|last=Robertson}}</ref> Legislators authorized the creation of the Montana Educational Broadcasting Commission to operate the prospective educational television service.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1974-03-17 |title=Leaders analyze hard-working 43rd legislature: 'The whole damn thing was unneccesary' [sic] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-leaders-analyze-h/196659005/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent Record |page=3|first=Steven P.|last=Rosenfeld|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The commission projected to be on the air by January 1976 in time for the United States Bicentennial.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1974-07-23 |title=Herb Pace, Bozeman, chairman... |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-herb-pace-bozeman/196659074/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |page=2|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> It selected the Butte transmitter site and Montana State University, with its pre-existing facilities, as the studio.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1974-08-24 |title=TV panel picks Butte site |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-tv-panel-picks-butt/196659100/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-tv/196659130/ 12]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The plan was to convert a former kitchen and cold storage in MSU's Hapner Hall for use by the station,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1974-11-07 |title=Public to decide on public TV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-public-to-decide/196659155/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent Record |pages=5|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> which was granted the call sign KMPT.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 28, 1974|page=46|title=For the Record: Call letters|id={{pq|1016881463}}|work=Broadcasting}}</ref>
In February 1975, the Montana House of Representatives convened a special committee into the leasing arrangements for a building in Bozeman to serve as the educational television group's headquarters. The arrangements resulted in a payment to Herb Pace, a Bozeman businessman and member of the committee, that was questioned as self-dealing.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-02-06 |title=Legislature Will Investigate Sale, Lease of ETV Building |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-legislature-will-investig/196659269/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-legislative-investigation/196659310/ 2]|first=Steve|last=Graham}}</ref> Days later, Pace resigned from the board.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-02-10 |title=Herb Pace resigns |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-herb-pace-resigns/196659368/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent-Record |page=1|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> More pressing was a reluctance by the legislature to approve additional money needed to put KMPT into service. The commission had sought $1 million a year; a legislative subcommittee recommended $420,000, an action that executive director Kenneth Clark called "ripp[ing] the heart out of Montana ETV".<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-03-04 |title=Montana ETV chief decries low budget |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-montana-etv-chief-d/196659400/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |page=1|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The Montana legislature seesawed between defunding the program and funding it at a reduced level.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-03-14 |title=House kills, revives ETV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-house-kills-revive/196659450/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=19|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-04-05 |title=Panel rejects educational TV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-panel-rejects-educa/196659486/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-04-16 |title=Educational Television Suffers Another in Series of Setbacks |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-educational-television-su/196659532/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=2|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In the end, the commission received $154,000—enough money to cease operations<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-04-19 |title=Small-Scale SST? Both Houses Kill ETV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-small-scale-sst-both-hou/196659557/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=1|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> and wound up its affairs in May.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-05-28 |title=ETV Program Officially Ended |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-etv-program-officially-en/196659633/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=7}}</ref> The Associated Press attributed its death to vote-trading for other priorities:<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-04-24 |title=Legislature did a lot with 1,122 bills |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-legislature-did-a-l/196659599/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=35|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
{{blockquote|...As the legislature ended, the boys from Butte put together a political play that gained Montana Tech a new library, Helena a liquor warehouse and had the side effect of leaving educational television dying on the vine.}}
The lease controversy resulted in criminal charges against Pace,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-09-15 |title=ETV Charges Scheduled To Be Filed Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-etv-charges-scheduled-to/196659671/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=2|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> which were dismissed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1976-05-30 |title=Frank Adams |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-frank-adams/196659930/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=23|first=Frank|last=Adams}}</ref> Additionally, the property owner obtained a judgment against the state for breaking its lease.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1976-01-26 |title=Bozeman bank files suit to decide lease issue |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-bozeman-bank-files-s/196659779/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=15|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
After the Montana Educational Broadcasting Commission disbanded, a non-profit group called the Corporation for Montana Public Television was formed by the commission's former president with an aim to obtaining the federal grant money the state had already received for the KMPT project.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-12-12 |title=ETV plan outlined |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-etv-plan-outlined/196659705/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent-Record |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-etv-plan/196659709/ 2]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> They proposed to start from Butte and carry out the plans originally prepared by the commission, rebroadcasting KUED plus minimal local programming.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-12-17 |title=Educational TV would make Billings wait |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-educational-tv-woul/196659728/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-etv/196659753/ 10A]|first=Kim|last=Larsen}}</ref> To qualify to have the grant transferred, the legislature needed to recognize the corporation as the commission's successor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1976-11-03 |title=Educational television will seek funding again |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-educational-televis/196659859/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |pages=3}}</ref> The state failed to appropriate the necessary funds, causing the grant to be lost.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1977-05-05 |title=State officially loses federal grant for ETV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-state-officially/196659963/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent Record |page=5|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The state sold the equipment it had acquired, including a channel 7 transmitter and antenna, as surplus. Montana was now left along with Wyoming as one of two states without its own public TV station.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1977-08-30 |title=Surplus items linger on after ETV blows its tube |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-surplus-items-linger/196659984/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=16|agency=Associated Press|first=Garry J.|last=Moes}}</ref> The transmitter was bought as a backup for KIRO-TV in Seattle.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1977-11-02 |title=ETV dream fades at bargain prices |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-etv-dream-fades-at-b/196660017/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=7|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Channel 7 was reallocated out of Butte to become the first commercial station allocation for Bozeman in 1980.<ref name="Boze790103">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bozeman-daily-chronicle-station-planned/125666731/|date=January 3, 1979|page=1|title=Station planned: TV for Bozeman?|first=Ron|last=Peterson|newspaper=Bozeman Daily Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2023|archive-date=June 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601061824/https://www.newspapers.com/article/bozeman-daily-chronicle-station-planned/125666731/|url-status=dead}}</ref><!-- Wed --><ref name="Boze801128">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bozeman-daily-chronicle-bozeman-tv-gets/125666831/|date=November 28, 1980|page=1|title=Bozeman TV gets channel|newspaper=Bozeman Daily Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2023|agency=Associated Press|archive-date=June 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601064827/https://www.newspapers.com/article/bozeman-daily-chronicle-bozeman-tv-gets/125666831/|url-status=dead}}</ref><!-- Fri --> Wyoming became the 49th state with its own public TV station—and Montana the only state without one—when KCWC-TV began in 1983.<ref name="Casp830512">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune-states-first-public/53663263/|date=May 12, 1983|page=B1|agency=Associated Press|title=State's first public TV station signs on|newspaper=Casper Star-Tribune|location=Casper, Wyoming|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 10, 2024|archive-date=June 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610062430/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune-states-first-public/53663263/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->
==History== ===Establishment of KUSM=== In 1982, Montana State University applied for a low-power TV station license in Bozeman. Because of conflicts with other applications, the university refiled on August 25, 1983, seeking the reserved channel 9. The station was proposed to be broadcast from atop the Hedges South dormitory on the MSU campus. MSU already had a new visual communications building and a commitment for technical support from the Montana Television Network.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1983-09-08 |title=MSU applies for public TV station permit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-msu-applies-for-pub/196660179/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=1D|first=William|last=Nell}}</ref> By year's end, the FCC had granted the university a construction permit for channel 9.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1983-12-25 |title=federal agency approves permit for MSU television station |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-federal-agency-approves-p/196660232/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=31}}</ref> The MSU effort coincided with organization by Montanans for Children's Television, a group formed by Nancy Flikkema with the aim of bringing PBS's children's programs to non-cable households.{{r|Timeline}}
With a power of 100 watts<ref>{{Cite news |date=1984-09-17 |title=MSU to run educational TV station |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-msu-to-run-education/63182318/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=11-A|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> and a transmitter donated by Sample,<ref>{{Cite news|first=Gail|last=Schontzler|title=KUSM born 20 years ago, thanks to grassroots and grit|work=Bozeman Daily Chronicle|date=October 1, 2004}}</ref> KUSM-TV began broadcasting on October 1, 1984.{{r|Mont841001}} It offered KUED's PBS programming—but not programs KUED bought from outside distributors—plus 15 hours a week of Montana-specific programming. Because of the inability to air all KUED programming, MSU agreed to let KUED remain on cable. The university disavowed any attempt to become a statewide network, in part because of the controversy of the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1984-10-21 |first=Robert|last=Ekey |title=On the air at MSU |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-on-the-air-at-msu/63182184/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |pages=1G, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-tv-kusm/63182242/ 4G]}}</ref> In addition to the Montana Television Network's support, Westinghouse Broadcasting donated equipment from WJZ-TV in Baltimore,<ref name="Mont841001">{{Cite news |date=1984-10-27 |title=KUSM receives $40,000 in equipment |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-kusm-receives-400/63182005/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |page=Time Out 3}}</ref> and a friends group, Friends of KUSM, was created to support local fundraising.{{r|Timeline}} While KUED was still seen on cable, KUSM local programming was offered on the feed, such as the public affairs show ''Capitol Journal''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1985-03-22 |title=On the air: Analysts of roundtable geared for different legislative look |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-on-the-air-analy/176286857/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent-Record |page=1B|first=Mardi|last=Mileham|agency=MSU News Service}}</ref> KUSM was also able to purchase some programming on its own, such as the ''MacNeil–Lehrer NewsHour'', which KUED had dropped from its schedule in 1983.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1985-06-07 |title='Newshour' is back on Montana telly |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-newshour-is-back/63182492/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=5-D}}</ref> The station incurred a $79,000 debt in its first two years on the air, much of which was wiped out by an anonymous donation in 1987.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1987-02-21 |title=Big donation |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-big-donation/176287038/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=6A}}</ref>
KUSM received its first direct Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1987, enabling it to become an independent PBS member in its own right.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1987-10-06 |title=MSU wins television grant |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-msu-wins-television/176287745/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=5A|first=Peter|last=Johnson}}</ref> In 1988, KUSM and KUED began a three-year program to transition all remaining PBS viewership and donations for KUED in central and eastern Montana to KUSM.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1988-03-02 |title=Bozeman to originate public-TV programs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-bozeman-to-originat/63182706/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=10A|first=Robert|last=Ekey}}</ref> The transition began on July 1 of that year, when KUSM-TV began originating its daytime program feed.<ref name="Grea880710">{{Cite news |first=Steve|last=Shirley|date=1988-07-10 |title=Public TV making transition in state |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-public-tv-making-tra/63182834/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-tv/63182874/ 2A]}}</ref> The next year, prime time programming began to originate from Bozeman.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1989-06-23 |title=KUSM expands program day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-kusm-expands-prog/176288176/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Independent Record |page=12D}}</ref> The transition was completed in 1991.<ref name="Timeline">{{Cite web |title=Timeline |url=https://www.montanapbs.org/about/timeline/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241015164133/https://www.montanapbs.org/about/timeline/ |archive-date=October 15, 2024 |access-date=July 6, 2025 |website=Montana PBS |language=en}}</ref>
===KUFM-TV: Into the Flathead=== {{Quote box | quote = KSPS wants to keep its western Montana viewers, UM wants a public TV station and MSU's KUSM wants the financial help that western Montana viewers could bring. | author = Don Habbe | source = provost, University of Montana{{r|Miss900525}} | align = right | width = 250px | salign = right }}
Even though KUED-via-KUSM was available in central and eastern Montana, it was blocked from the western part of the state. In 1986, KUED-KUSM was removed from cable systems serving Missoula, Kalispell, and Hamilton and replaced with KSPS-TV, which did not have the same facilities to offer Montana programming.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1986-12-09 |title=State TV network reduced |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-state-tv-network-re/176287670/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=5A|first=Tom|last=Cook}}</ref> KSPS wanted to keep serving the area because it had invested considerably in microwave links to extend its signal to western Montana.{{r|Grea880710}} KUSM, which lost money in fiscal years 1989 and 1990, was interested in expanding to western Montana to broaden its support base. However, the University of Montana was also interested in starting its own station. Though MSU supported a station being built at UM, it objected to UM's plan to operate as a semi-satellite of KSPS-TV, which would provide support. MSU believed that the two Montana stations made more sense linked rather than continuing the Spokane–Montana divide. The Montana Board of Regents ordered the parties to work out their differences.<ref name="Miss900525">{{Cite news |date=1990-05-25 |title=UM, MSU debate public TV plans |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-um-msu-debate-public-tv/63183090/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=A-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-tv/63183108/ A-7]|first=Patricia|last=Sullivan}}</ref> A third source of public programming—the low-power Bitterroot Valley Public Television (BVTV)—was also interested in adding Missoula to its coverage area.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1990-07-19 |title=Broadcast battle: Public TV stations near and far bid for western Montana viewers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-broadcast-battle-public/176288229/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=A-8|first=Patricia|last=Sullivan}}</ref> KUSM general manager Jack Hyyppa was retrospectively credited with convincing the regents to ensure that Montana had one statewide public TV broadcaster.<ref name="NewW060725">{{Cite news|title=The Man Who Invented MontanaPBS|first=Marjorie|last=Smith|date=July 25, 2006|work=NewWest}}</ref>
To make KUFM-TV a reality, the state appropriated funds for KUSM's operating costs and for completion of a Missoula–Bozeman microwave link and installation of a channel 11 transmitter.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-09-19 |title=Independent television stations watching as mediacrats make public TV moves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/missoula-independent-independent-televis/196660768/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Missoula Independent |pages=8, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/missoula-independent-kufmkusm/196660790/ 9]|first=Andrea|last=Barnett}}</ref> UM also received a $1.2 million federal grant.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1992-09-12 |title=Grant paves way for public TV station at UM |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-grant-paves-way-for/196660797/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |page=Time Out 2}}</ref> The establishment of a second full-line public TV station in Montana attracted opposition from conservatives. James Vidal believed the plan was a waste of taxpayer dollars when KSPS-TV did not cost anything to Montanans.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1993-01-09 |title=Lawyer fights plan for public TV station at UM |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-lawyer-fights-plan-for-pu/196660813/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=A-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-station/196660819/ A-8]}}</ref> The plan languished until February 1995, when KUFM-TV was approved with a reduced technical facility at the petition of BVTV, which feared losing its rights to PBS programming. As a result, the station's transmitter was relocated from TV Mountain to Dean Stone Mountain and the effective radiated power reduced.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1995-02-28 |title=Regents agree to beam up KUFM-TV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-regents-agree-to-beam-up/196596237/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=B1|first=Gary|last=Jahrig}}</ref> KUFM-TV began broadcasting in late October 1996; with its studio on the UM campus, the university assumed responsibility for news and public affairs programming for the combined service, known as Montana Public Television.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1996-11-29 |title=KUFM: Not just radio anymore |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ravalli-republic-kufm-not-just-radio-an/196660868/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Ravalli Republic |pages=14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1996-12-29 |title=Home-grown TV: Public television debuts at UM |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-home-grown-tv-public-tel/63183522/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=1B|first=Gary|last=Jahrig}}</ref> The friends group was successively renamed Friends of Montana Public Television/KUSM in 1993, Friends of Montana Public Television in 1997, and Friends of Montana PBS in 1999.{{r|Timeline}}
Founding KUSM general manager Jack Hyyppa retired in 2006.{{r|Timeline}} After a brief tenure by James Baum, who left after four months, Jack's son Eric became the interim and later permanent general manager.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hyyppa named director, GM of KUSM-TV|agency=MSU News Service|date=September 23, 2008|work=Bozeman Daily Chronicle}}</ref> His KUFM counterpart, William Marcus, retired in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-07-20 |title=William Marcus reflects on 40 years in public media |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-william-marcus-reflects-o/196681091/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-marcus/196681116/ A3]|first=David|last=Erickson}}</ref>
===Statewide transmitter expansion=== In 1996, KUSM opened a translator in Helena,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1996-08-16 |title=Public television will be broadcast free in Helena |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-public-television/196660941/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Helena Independent Record |page=1A}}</ref> followed by Billings (2004)<ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-08-12 |title=PBS Channel 20 goes on the air |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-pbs-channel-20-goes/196661023/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Billings Gazette |page=2B|first=John|last=Fitzgerald}}</ref> and Butte (2005).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-11-09 |title=In Butte, Anaconda: PBS airs for free |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-in-butte-anaconda/196678940/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-pbs/196678990/ A8]|first=Leslie|last=McCartney}}</ref> These areas, plus Livingston,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1988-06-26 |title=Montana's PBS station set for daily broadcasts |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-montanas-pbs-statio/196679223/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Great Falls Tribune |page=19F}}</ref> were home to the network's only major translators in analog.{{r|NewW060725}} Coinciding with the June 12, 2009, digital television transition, Montana PBS opened a full-power transmitter, KBGS-TV, in Billings.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Mike|last=Janssen|date=July 6, 2009|title= PubTV broadcasts expand in Montana |url=https://current.org/wp-content/uploads/archive-site/ptv/ptv0913montana.shtml |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Current}}</ref> This was followed by two more in previously unserved areas: KUGF-TV Great Falls (October 21, 2010{{r|Timeline}}) and KUKL-TV Kalispell (2012).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-07-05 |title=Kalispell to get its own PBS station in the fall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-inter-lake-kalispell-to-get-it/196679749/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Daily Inter Lake |page=24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sefton |first=Dru |date=2012-09-24 |title=Fifth full-power station coming from MontanaPBS |url=https://current.org/2012/09/fifth-full-power-station-coming-from-montanapbs/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=Current |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2015, as part of its acquisition of two full-power stations in Helena, Gray Television donated KMTF (channel 10), now KUHM-TV, to MSU for integration into the Montana PBS network.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sefton |first=Dru |date=2015-07-22 |title=Commercial TV owner gives Helena station to Montana PBS |url=https://current.org/2015/07/commercial-tv-owner-gives-helena-station-to-montana-pbs/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=Current |language=en-US}}</ref>
MSU agreed to purchase KXGN-TV in Glendive (and its associated translator network) and KYUS-TV in Miles City from The Marks Group on July 8, 2025, for $375,000, also for integration into Montana PBS;<ref name="mtpbs">{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2025 |title=Assignments #274855 |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/assignmentDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f9196efc0aa0197310591f427e3&id=25076f9196efc0aa0197310591f427e3&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref> the remainder of the stations' value was credited as a donation.<ref name="MontS20250908pA1">{{cite news |last=Mitchell |first=Alex |date=September 8, 2025 |title=Montana PBS to expand: Plans come amid deep federal funding cuts |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-montana-pbs-to-expa/188525845/ |access-date=January 9, 2026 |newspaper=The Montana Standard |location=Butte, Montana |pages=A1–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-montana-pbs-to-expa/188525868/ A2] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The sale was consummated on October 22, with both stations, along with KXGN's Sidney–Fairview translator K13IG-D, joining the Montana PBS network.{{efn|Due to the federal government shutdown, the consummation paperwork was filed on November 24, 2025.}}<ref name="mtpbsclose">{{unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2025 |title=Notification of Consummation |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/consummationDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f919a75226c019a98af537b0d45&id=25076f919a75226c019a98af537b0d45&goBack=N |accessdate=January 4, 2026 |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}|{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2025 |title=Notification of Consummation |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/consummationDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f919a75226c019a98afa38d0d6d&id=25076f919a75226c019a98afa38d0d6d&goBack=N |accessdate=January 4, 2026 |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}}}</ref><ref name="KXGNKYUSNCE">{{unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2025 |title=Modification of a License for DTV Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076f9197cd2c4b019813ce56fd31a4&id=25076f9197cd2c4b019813ce56fd31a4&goBack=N |accessdate=January 8, 2026 |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}|{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2025 |title=Modification of a License for DTV Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff397cd2af70198136c99c42e5e&id=25076ff397cd2af70198136c99c42e5e&goBack=N |accessdate=January 8, 2026 |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}}}</ref> The addition of KXGN-TV and KYUS-TV brought over-the-air public television service to far eastern Montana for the first time; except for translators in the northeastern and southeastern parts of the state, Montana PBS did not previously have transmitters east of Billings.<ref name="MontS20250908pA1" /><ref name="c-kxgnkyusbuy">{{cite news |last1=Wyllie |first1=Julian |title=Montana PBS to acquire three stations in underserved region of the state |url=https://current.org/2025/07/montana-pbs-to-acquire-three-stations-in-underserved-region-of-the-state/ |access-date=July 12, 2025 |work=Current |date=July 10, 2025}}</ref>
In 2025, ground was broken on a {{convert|32000|ft2|m2|adj=on}} expansion of the Visual Communications Building in Bozeman to include a television studio, production control rooms, and a 192-seat classroom and studio space to be named for Sample. The building is expected to be completed by 2027.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Isabel |last=Hicks |title=Montana PBS breaks ground on major facility expansion at Montana State University |url=https://www.montana.edu/news/24518/montana-pbs-breaks-ground-on-major-facility-expansion-at-montana-state-university |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=Montana State University |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Local programming== Montana PBS has several regular local programs. Eric Funk hosts ''11th and Grant'', a music program named for the location of the Bozeman studio which debuted in 2005.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bozeman TV show to feature Montana musicians|first=Walt|last=Williams|work=Bozeman Daily Chronicle|date=June 4, 2005}}</ref> ''Backroads of Montana'', a Montana travel journal, debuted in 1991—when it aired on the Montana Television Network.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-12-22 |title=Byways journal: TV series takes long, loving look at Montanans |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-byways-journal-tv-series/196682693/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Missoulian |page=C-8|first=Mike|last=McInally}}</ref> ''Montana PBS Reports: Impact'' is a series of public affairs documentaries, and ''Montana Ag Live'' is an agriculture program produced from Bozeman.<ref name="AR25">{{Cite news|title=Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2025|publisher=Montana PBS|url=https://dc79r36mj3c9w.cloudfront.net/prod/filer_public/kusm-bento-live-pbs/Files/Annual%20Reports/06886a0ab6_MT-PBS_2025-AnnualReport_DIGITAL.pdf|date=2025}}</ref>
During college sports season, Montana PBS provides production facilities for MSU sports and employs dozens of MSU students.<ref name="classroom">{{Cite web |title=Montana's largest classroom |url=https://www.montana.edu/news/mountainsandminds/24092/montana-s-largest-classroom |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=Montana State University |language=en-US|first=Diana|last=Setterberg|date=2024-11-04}}</ref>
==Governance and funding== KUFM-TV and KUSM-TV each have separate general managers. In fiscal year 2025, Montana PBS had total revenue of $8.1 million, of which $3.6 million came from donations to Friends of Montana PBS and $1.3 million. Another $1.6 million originated in grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, whose federal funding was rescinded after 2025.{{r|AR25}}
==Stations== Montana PBS is broadcast from eight full-service television station licenses, a network of translators, and free-to-air from the Galaxy 16 satellite at 99°W.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Broadcast Area |url=https://www.montanapbs.org/about/broadcast-area/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=Montana PBS |language=en}}</ref> The eight full-service television licenses comprising Montana PBS include: {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Montana PBS full-service stations ! scope="col" | Station ! scope="col" | City of license ! scope="col" | {{ubl|Channel|TV (RF)}} ! scope="col" | {{abbrlink|FID|Facility ID}} ! scope="col" | {{abbrlink|ERP|Effective radiated power}} ! scope="col" | {{abbrlink|HAAT|Height above average terrain}} ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Transmitter coordinates ! scope="col" | First air date ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Public license information |- ! scope="row" | KBGS-TV | Billings || 16 (16) || 169030 || 29.8 kW || {{convert|167.1|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|45|46|9.2|N|108|27|26.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KBGS-TV}} || {{dts|2009|6|12}}|| {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KBGS-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|169030|3=LMS}}}} |- ! scope = "row" | KUFM-TV | Missoula || 11 (11) || 66611 || 12.3 kW || {{convert|633.8|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|46|48|9|N|113|58|21|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KUFM-TV}} || {{dts|1996|10}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KUFM-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|66611|3=LMS}}}} |- ! scope = "row" | KUGF-TV | Great Falls || 21 (21) || 169028 || 23.4 kW || {{convert|152.7|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|47|32|9.2|N|111|17|2.1|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KUGF}} || {{dts|2010|10|21}}{{efn|KUGF added the -TV suffix to its call sign on October 5, 2016.}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KUGF-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|169028|3=LMS}}}} |- ! scope="row" | KUHM-TV | Helena || 10 (29) || 68717 || 43.4 kW || {{convert|697|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|46|49|29.6|N|111|42|12.6|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KUHM-TV}} || {{dts|1998|8|15}}{{efn|Joined Montana PBS on {{dts|2015|9|1}}. KUHM-TV used the call sign KAQR during its construction permit from September 16, 1996, to October 1, 1997, KBCC during its construction permit from October 1, 1997, to March 27, 1998, and KMTF from March 27, 1998, to September 1, 2015.}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KUHM-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|68717|3=LMS}}}} |- ! scope = "row" | KUKL-TV | Kalispell || 46 (15) || 169027 || 23.4 kW || {{convert|830|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|48|0|48.2|N|114|21|54.5|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KUKL-TV}} || {{dts|2012}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KUKL-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|169027|3=LMS}}}} |- ! scope = "row" | KUSM-TV | Bozeman || 9 (8) || 43567 || 17.9 kW || {{convert|271|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|45|40|24|N|110|52|2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KUSM-TV}} || {{dts|1984|10|1}}{{efn|KUSM added the -TV suffix to its call sign on July 16, 2009.}}|| {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KUSM-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|43567|3=LMS}}}} |- ! scope = "row" | KXGN-TV | Glendive || 5 (5) || 24287 || 1 kW || {{convert|152.4|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|47|2|39|N|104|40|54.4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KXGN-TV}} || {{dts|1957|11|1}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KXGN-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|24287|3=LMS}}}} |- ! scope = "row" | KYUS-TV | Miles City || 3 (3) || 5237 || 2.9 kW || {{convert|30|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{Coord|46|25|34|N|105|51|40|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KYUS-TV}} || {{dts|1969|8|29}}|| {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|KYUS-TV|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|5237|3=LMS}}}} |}
Notes: {{notelist}}
=== Translators === Montana PBS is rebroadcast over a network of low-power translator stations owned by MSU and translator associations, operating one of the largest translator networks in the state of Montana. In 2018, it acquired SKC TV, the public television station of Salish Kootenai College (consisting of five translators led by KSKC-CD (now K27MS-D)), and incorporated them into the network.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jacobson |first=Adam |date=May 11, 2018 |title=Five TV Translators Captured By College |language=en-US |work=Radio & Television Business Report |url=https://www.rbr.com/five-tv-translators-captured-by-college/ |access-date=November 13, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Currence |first=Wesley |date=November 15, 2018 |title=MontanaPBS Restores Service on Flathead Indian Reservation |language=en |work=MontanaPBS |url=https://www.montanapbs.org/blogs/news/montanapbs-restores-service-on-flathead-indian-reservation/ |access-date=November 13, 2020}}</ref>
{{colbegin}} The following translators rebroadcast KBGS-TV:<ref name="KBGSRabEa">{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KBGS#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KBGS|website=RabbitEars|access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> * Billings: K20HB-D * Bridger: K26NN-D
The following translators rebroadcast KUFM-TV:<ref name="KUFMRabEa">{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KUFM#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KUFM|website=RabbitEars|access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> * Arlee: K17NE-D * Drummond: K22MI-D * Ferndale: K33OH-D * Heron: K13ZN-D * Hot Springs: K29ND-D * Pablo/Ronan: K27MS-D * Philipsburg: K15KW-D * Plains: K08OY-D * Plains: K21CA-D * Plains: K34PQ-D * St. Ignatius: K33OR-D * Thompson Falls: K23NP-D * Townsend: K11WM-D
The following translators rebroadcast KUGF-TV:<ref name="KUGFRabEa">{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KUGF#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KUGF|website=RabbitEars|access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> * Big Sandy: K13OQ-D * Loma: K29LD-D
The following translators rebroadcast KUKL-TV:<ref name="KUKLRabEa">{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KUKL#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KUKL|website=RabbitEars|access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> * Kalispell: K35PV-D * West Glacier: K12LU-D
The following translators rebroadcast KUSM-TV:<ref name="KUSMRabEa">{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KUSM#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KUSM|website=RabbitEars|access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> * Belgrade, etc.: K17KB-D * Boulder: K27CD-D * Boulder: K36CX-D * Butte: K24MP-D * Chinook: K22LD-D * Circle, etc.: K18CR-D * Conrad: K16KB-D * Ekalaka: K23DJ-D * Emigrant: K27LO-D * Fort Peck: K36OC-D * Helena: K33OP-D * Joplin: K35OF-D * Plevna: K34DP-D
The following translators rebroadcast KXGN-TV:<ref name="KXGNRabEa">{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KXGN#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KXGN|website=RabbitEars|access-date=January 9, 2025}}</ref> * Baker: K27LT-D * Circle: K16GP-D * Culbertson: K34GY-D * Ekalaka: K13LN-D * Plentywood: K28OB-D * Plevna: K03HD-D * Poplar: K05KK-D, K17MS-D{{efn|These stations are not co-sited. K17MS-D is a stacked translator with KUSM 9.1, ABC, Fox and SWX from KFBB-TV in Great Falls, NBC from KUMV-TV in Williston, North Dakota, and CBS from KRTV in Great Falls. It is the program source for the Scobey, Plentywood, and Circle translators.}} * Scobey: K13MA-D * Sidney–Fairview: K13IG-D{{colend}}
=== Network map === {{Location map+|Montana|caption={{ubl|Montana PBS transmitters|8px Full-power stations 8px Low-power translators}}|float=none|places={{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|45|46|0.0|N|108|27|29.5|W}}}}<!--K20HB-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|45|17|10.2|N|108|56|3.1|W}}}}<!--K26NN-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|15|47.7|N|114|4|53.3|W}}}}<!--K17NE-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|37|2.2|N|113|10|55.5|W}}}}<!--K22MI-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|4|4.3|N|114|2|19.3|W}}}}<!--K33OH-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|57|17.6|N|115|40|14.9|W}}}}<!--K13ZN-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|33|31.7|N|114|32|45.4|W}}}}<!--K29ND-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|46|25|N|114|16|7|W}}}}<!--KSKC-CD--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|20|17.5|N|113|20|18.4|W}}}}<!--K15KW-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|31|29.7|N|114|57|31.4|W}}}}<!--K08OY-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|31|14.7|N|114|57|31.4|W}}}}<!--K21CA-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|22|19.7|N|114|51|32.4|W}}}}<!--K34PQ-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|27|5.7|N|114|15|31.4|W}}}}<!--K33OR-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|35|45|N|115|16|51|W}}}}<!--K23NP-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|16|48.1|N|111|24|59.9|W}}}}<!--K11WM-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|9|41.4|N|110|1|51.7|W}}}}<!--K13OQ-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|56|22.8|N|110|29|52.7|W}}}}<!--K29LD-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|10|33.9|N|114|21|0.2|W}}}}<!--KEXI-LD--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|25|58.8|N|113|57|58.4|W}}}}<!--K12LU-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|45|38|14.7|N|111|16|3.8|W}}}}<!--K17KB-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|15|33.7|N|112|9|11|W}}}}<!--K27CD-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|30|36.7|N|111|55|57.9|W}}}}<!--K36CX-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|0|27|N|112|26|33|W}}}}<!--K24MP-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|28|8.4|N|109|16|12.6|W}}}}<!--K22LD-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|17|0|N|105|24|56.9|W}}}}<!--K18CR-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|11|13.1|N|112|1|18.4|W}}}}<!--K16KB-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|45|54|4.9|N|104|33|1.8|W}}}}<!--K23DJ-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|45|20|6.7|N|110|41|24.7|W}}}}<!--K27LO-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|1|51.0|N|106|18|54.1|W}}}}<!--K36OC-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|46|10.7|N|112|1|27.9|W}}}}<!--K33OP-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|48|51|16.5|N|111|8|32.3|W}}}}<!--K35OF-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|45|35|51.7|N|110|32|47.7|W}}}}<!--K48NS-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|46|27|24|N|104|30|51.8|W}}}}<!--K34DP-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot light in dark slate gray.png|coordinates={{coord|47|47|3.0|N|104|7|36.7|W}}}}<!--K13IG-D--> {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|45|40|24|N|110|52|2|W}}|label=KUSM-TV|position=top|background=#fff}} {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|46|48|9|N|113|58|21|W}}|label=KUFM-TV|position=top|background=#fff}} {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|45|46|9.2|N|108|27|26.3|W}}|label=KBGS-TV|position=top|background=#fff}} {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|47|32|9.2|N|111|17|2.1|W}}|label=KUGF-TV|position=left|background=#fff}} {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|48|0|48.2|N|114|21|54.5|W}}|label=KUKL-TV|position=below|background=#fff}} {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|46|49|29.6|N|111|42|12.6|W}}|label=KUHM-TV|position=right|background=#fff}} {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|47|2|39|N|104|40|54.4|W}}|label=KXGN-TV|position=below|background=#fff}} {{Location map~|Montana|mark=Location dot darkslategray.svg|coordinates={{coord|46|25|34|N|105|51|40|W}}|label=KYUS-TV|position=right|background=#fff}}
|width=500}}
== Technical information == === Subchannels === The digital signals of Montana PBS' stations are multiplexed: {| class="wikitable" |+ Montana PBS multiplex{{r|KUSMRabEa}}{{r|KUFMRabEa}}{{r|KBGSRabEa}}{{r|KUGFRabEa}}{{r|KUKLRabEa}}{{r|KXGNRabEa}}<ref name=KUHMRabEa>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KUHM|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KUHM|website=RabbitEars|accessdate=April 7, 2024}}</ref><ref name=KYUSRabEa>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KYUS|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KYUS|website=RabbitEars|accessdate=April 7, 2024}}</ref> ! scope = "col" | Channel ! scope = "col" | Res. ! scope = "col" | Aspect ! scope = "col" | Short name ! scope = "col" | Programming |- ! scope = "row" | xx.1 | 1080i || rowspan=5| 16:9 || [callsign]-HD || PBS |- ! scope = "row" | xx.2 | rowspan="4" | 480i || [callsign]-K || PBS Kids |- ! scope = "row" | xx.3 | [callsign]-C || Create |- ! scope = "row" | xx.4 | [callsign]-W || World |- ! scope = "row" | xx.5 | [callsign]-L || MPAN |}
===Analog-to-digital conversion=== Montana PBS's two analog full-service stations—KUSM-TV and KUFM-TV—shut down their analog signals on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television station's in the United States digital television transition date. The stations' digital channel allocations post-transition are as follows:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |format=PDF |access-date=March 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> * KUSM-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 9; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition VHF channel 8, using virtual channel 9. * KUFM-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 11; the station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 27 to VHF channel 11.
The June 12, 2009, date did not include all translators. For instance, the Butte translator was converted in December 2009.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-07-02 |title=Better picture for PBS viewers: Improved translator improves service |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-better-picture-for/176294846/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=The Montana Standard |page=A1}}</ref> The Helena translator remained in analog as late as 2011.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-03-11 |title=Digital PBS coming to Helena |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-digital-pbs-comin/196684673/ |access-date=2026-05-01 |work=Independent Record |pages=5A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-digital/196684710/ 8A]|first=Sanjay|last=Talwani}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Public broadcasting in the United States}} {{PBS Montana}} {{University of Montana}} {{Montana State University}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montana Pbs}} Category:1984 establishments in Montana Category:Broadcast media of the University of Montana Category:Montana State University Category:PBS member networks Category:Television channels and stations established in 1984 Category:Television stations in Montana