KCTS-TV

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KCTS-TV / KYVE
KCTS-TV Current Logo
KCTS: Seattle, Washington
KYVE: Yakima, Washington
Branding KCTS 9
KYVE 47
Slogan The Public Network
Channels Analog:
KCTS: 9 (VHF)
KYVE: 47 (UHF)

Digital:
KCTS: 41 (UHF)
KYVE: 21 (UHF)

Translators (see article)
Affiliations PBS
Owner KCTS Television
First air date KCTS: December 7, 1954
KYVE: November 1, 1962
Call letters’ meaning KCTS:
King
County
Television
Service
KYVE:
Yakima
Valley
Educational
Former affiliations NET (1954–1970)
Transmitter Power KCTS:
316 kW (analog)
427 kW (digital)
KYVE:
110 kW (analog)
50 kW (digital)
Height KCTS:
249 m (analog)
263 m (digital)
KYVE:
280 m (both)
Facility ID KCTS: 33749
KYVE: 33752
Transmitter Coordinates KCTS:
47°36′57.1″N, 122°18′32.8″W
KYVE:
46°31′57.8″N, 120°30′35.6″W
Website www.kcts9.org
www.kyve.org

KCTS-TV is a public television station in Seattle, Washington, that is a member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), that broadcasts on analog channel 9; digital broadcasts are on channel 41. Its offices and broadcasting center are located at the northeast corner of Seattle Center. Its transmitter is located 1.9 miles east on Capitol Hill in Seattle, WA.

Contents

[edit] History

KCTS first went on the air on December 7, 1954, broadcasting from the campus of the University of Washington and using equipment donated by KING-TV owner Dorothy Bullitt.

During the 1950s and 1960s, KCTS primarily supplied classroom instructional programs used in Washington State's K–12 schools, plus National Educational Television programs. Outside of schoolrooms, KCTS' audience among the general public was somewhat limited, and most programming was in black-and-white until the mid-'70s.

In 1970, National Educational Television was absorbed into the newly created Public Broadcasting Service. Under PBS affiliation, KCTS began offering a vastly enhanced scope of programming for the general public, including British programming.

KCTS moved to its present location on the Seattle Center campus in 1986. KCTS became independent of the University of Washington in 1987.

KCTS is seen throughout southwestern British Columbia on local cable systems, as well as across Canada on the Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice satellite providers, as well as on many other Canadian cable TV systems. KCTS receives substantial financial support from its far-flung Canadian audience as well as from viewers in Washington State.

KCTS's old logo used before late 2006
KCTS's old logo used before late 2006

Since 1994, KCTS has also operated KYVE Yakima, Washington which has served central Washington since November 1, 1962. Prior to branding in the early 2000s of KYVE as a KCTS affiliate, some programs included a combined KCTS/KYVE visual bug in the lower-right corner of the screen, indicating they were simulcast to both markets.

KCTS also operates a cable television service known as KCTS Plus, currently carried on Seattle area cable systems. KCTS Plus runs 24-hour Classic Arts Showcase programming.

Until late-2006, KCTS used a logo similar to the ones used by Detroit's WTVS and Houston's KUHT. These stations are members of LARK International, a public-television production company, which owns the sunburst-on-square logo; however, they are not related to each other.

[edit] Digital Television

KCTS/KYVE digital channels is multiplexed:

KCTS Channel KYVE Channel Programming
9.1 47.1 widescreen simulcast of KCTS/KYVE analog programming
9.2 47.2 V-me
9.3 47.3 KCTS Create
9.5 47.5 KCTS HD programming

[edit] Transmitter Failure

On December 23, 2006 one of KCTS's analog transmitters failed, leaving the station no other choice but to operate at 158 kW, about half their licensed power. They requested a Special Temporary Authority from the FCC, and it was granted on February 20, 2007. On August 2, 2007 they have requested an extension of the STA. They also have the transmitter parts on order from NCE Japan.

[edit] Translators

KCTS is rebroadcast on the following translator stations.

[edit] Logo History

[edit] External links