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K26AC

January 01, 1970

K26AC (channel 26) was a low-power television station in Bemidji, Minnesota, United States. Owned by John Boler, it was the first low-power station to locally originate programs, instead of being a translator of another station,[2] and one of the longest-running subscription television (STV) operations in the country. K26AC later was converted to repeat KVRR of Fargo, North Dakota, and it was forced off the air by the establishment of a full-power station on the channel on June 20, 1999.

K26AC
Channels
Ownership
OwnerRed River Broadcast Corp.
History
FoundedApril 21, 1981
First air date
January 12, 1982 (1982-01-12)
Last air date
June 20, 1999 (1999-06-20)
(17 years, 159 days)
SelecTV (1982–1989)
Fox (via KVRR, 1989–1999)
Technical information
Facility ID55366
ERP1 kW[1]
HAAT499 ft (152 m)
Transmitter coordinates47°33′19″N 94°47′59″W / 47.55528°N 94.79972°W / 47.55528; -94.79972

History edit

On May 15, 1981, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made television history when it issued to John Boler the first-ever construction permit for a low-power television station that could originate its own programming.[3] Boler had previously built and operated television stations in North and South Dakota, selling the last of his holdings in 1978,[3] but the creation of the low-power television service lured him out of retirement.[4] Channel 26 had been allocated as a full-power assignment to Bemidji in 1966 but was never built out.[3]

K26AC began broadcasting on January 12, 1982.[5] Until its sign-on, Bemidji's only broadcast television service was a translator of KBJR-TV from Duluth.[6] During the day, the station aired two live daily newscasts, Bemidji State Beavers athletic events, CNN Headline News simulcasts, and some off-network reruns and syndicated fare.[6][7] The station used telephone and door-to-door surveys to solicit input for its programming.[4] At night, for $16 a month, it offered subscription television programming, including an optional adults only package.[8]

Channel 26 telecast from a 460-foot (140 m) tower atop the Continental Divide.[5] The facility, which included studios and a mobile unit, cost Boler $650,000.[9] The station had 18 full-time and 7 part-time staff.[9] Channel 26's reach was expanded in November 1982 when K18AI channel 18 at Grand Rapids began broadcasting, with plans to have news staff in the town to contribute to the newscasts from Bemidji.[8]

Despite the ambitious local programming and support from local advertisers, the station's money came primarily from its subscription television programming, which was sourced from SelecTV and had 1,000 subscribers by early 1983.[10] In November 1982, Boler told Broadcasting magazine, "We could go into the black next month if we switched completely to STV."[7] On April 1, 1983,[11] the station went into 24-hour STV operation, saying that it was easier to sell subscriptions than advertising.[12] Subscription television was reported to have lasted longer in Bemidji and Grand Rapids than almost anywhere else in the United States. In February 1986, Broadcasting noted that K26AC-K18AI and WNUV in Baltimore were the very last subscription outlets operating.[13] The stations continued as subscription operations using SelecTV and its successor Starion Premiere Cinema, serving several hundred customers, until Starion folded in early 1989; at that time, K26AC and K18AI became translators for KVRR.[14]

Red River Broadcasting, licensee of KVRR and partly owned by Boler, would obtain a construction permit to build a full-power channel 26 station in Bemidji with the call letters KXBJ in July 1983.[15] However, the station was never built. Instead, Clear Channel Communications, owners of WFTC in Minneapolis, built and signed on channel 26 as satellite station KFTC on June 20, 1999, forcing K26AC off the air.[16] On September 1 of that year, K18AI had switched to rebroadcasting KVRR's new sister station in Duluth, KQDS-TV (channel 21);[17] it is today KQDS-TV translator K29EB-D on RF channel 29.[18]

References edit

  1. ^ "K26AC" (PDF). Television Factbook. 1997. p. B-59 (249). Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  2. ^ Masland, Tom (January 4, 1982). "Low-Power TV To Speak in Local Accents". Hartford Courant. Knight-Ridder Newspapers. p. C2. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Low-power TV license granted for Bemidji". Minneapolis Tribune. Associated Press. May 15, 1981. p. 19B. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Larson, Mark (January 9, 1982). "No time to quit: John Boler is just too busy to enjoy his days of retirement". Desert Sun. p. A4. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Shaw, Sydney (March 27, 1982). "Is Low-Power TV In Your Future?". Brattleboro Reformer. UPI. p. 3. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Lumenick, Lou (March 15, 1982). "Low-power TV: a new frontier". The Record. pp. A1, A12. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "John Boler, STV's voice of experience, talks about his year of operation" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 15, 1982. p. 88. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "With a first, pioneer expands TV airwaves". St. Cloud Times. Associated Press. October 30, 1982. p. 11B. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Alridge, Ron (April 18, 1982). "Low power TV: A high powered future?". Chicago Tribune. p. TV Week 4. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  10. ^ "Industry Statistics" (PDF). Broadcast Week. February 23, 1981. p. 16. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  11. ^ The News Tonight. K26AC. March 31, 1983. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  12. ^ Cooper, Ann (August 31, 1983). "TV going rural via full-power outlets". Baltimore Sun. pp. C1, C13. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  13. ^ "End is near" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 3, 1986. p. 7.
  14. ^ Richards, K.M. "Translators: The Complete Story". UHF Television. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  15. ^ "Construction Permits" (PDF). TV Factbook. 1988. p. A-1275 (79). Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  16. ^ "KFTC/26 (Bemidji) will begin testing..." Northpine. September 22, 1999. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "Red River Broadcasting's FOX21 (KQDS-TV Duluth)..." Northpine. September 10, 1999. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "K29EB-D". fccdata.org. Retrieved June 27, 2020.

External links edit

  • Video of K26AC's final local newscast

January 01, 1970
k26ac, channel, power, television, station, bemidji, minnesota, united, states, owned, john, boler, first, power, station, locally, originate, programs, instead, being, translator, another, station, longest, running, subscription, television, operations, count. K26AC channel 26 was a low power television station in Bemidji Minnesota United States Owned by John Boler it was the first low power station to locally originate programs instead of being a translator of another station 2 and one of the longest running subscription television STV operations in the country K26AC later was converted to repeat KVRR of Fargo North Dakota and it was forced off the air by the establishment of a full power station on the channel on June 20 1999 K26ACBemidji MinnesotaUnited StatesChannelsAnalog 26 UHF OwnershipOwnerRed River Broadcast Corp HistoryFoundedApril 21 1981First air dateJanuary 12 1982 1982 01 12 Last air dateJune 20 1999 1999 06 20 17 years 159 days Former affiliationsSelecTV 1982 1989 Fox via KVRR 1989 1999 Technical informationFacility ID55366ERP1 kW 1 HAAT499 ft 152 m Transmitter coordinates47 33 19 N 94 47 59 W 47 55528 N 94 79972 W 47 55528 94 79972History editOn May 15 1981 the Federal Communications Commission FCC made television history when it issued to John Boler the first ever construction permit for a low power television station that could originate its own programming 3 Boler had previously built and operated television stations in North and South Dakota selling the last of his holdings in 1978 3 but the creation of the low power television service lured him out of retirement 4 Channel 26 had been allocated as a full power assignment to Bemidji in 1966 but was never built out 3 K26AC began broadcasting on January 12 1982 5 Until its sign on Bemidji s only broadcast television service was a translator of KBJR TV from Duluth 6 During the day the station aired two live daily newscasts Bemidji State Beavers athletic events CNN Headline News simulcasts and some off network reruns and syndicated fare 6 7 The station used telephone and door to door surveys to solicit input for its programming 4 At night for 16 a month it offered subscription television programming including an optional adults only package 8 Channel 26 telecast from a 460 foot 140 m tower atop the Continental Divide 5 The facility which included studios and a mobile unit cost Boler 650 000 9 The station had 18 full time and 7 part time staff 9 Channel 26 s reach was expanded in November 1982 when K18AI channel 18 at Grand Rapids began broadcasting with plans to have news staff in the town to contribute to the newscasts from Bemidji 8 Despite the ambitious local programming and support from local advertisers the station s money came primarily from its subscription television programming which was sourced from SelecTV and had 1 000 subscribers by early 1983 10 In November 1982 Boler told Broadcasting magazine We could go into the black next month if we switched completely to STV 7 On April 1 1983 11 the station went into 24 hour STV operation saying that it was easier to sell subscriptions than advertising 12 Subscription television was reported to have lasted longer in Bemidji and Grand Rapids than almost anywhere else in the United States In February 1986 Broadcasting noted that K26AC K18AI and WNUV in Baltimore were the very last subscription outlets operating 13 The stations continued as subscription operations using SelecTV and its successor Starion Premiere Cinema serving several hundred customers until Starion folded in early 1989 at that time K26AC and K18AI became translators for KVRR 14 Red River Broadcasting licensee of KVRR and partly owned by Boler would obtain a construction permit to build a full power channel 26 station in Bemidji with the call letters KXBJ in July 1983 15 However the station was never built Instead Clear Channel Communications owners of WFTC in Minneapolis built and signed on channel 26 as satellite station KFTC on June 20 1999 forcing K26AC off the air 16 On September 1 of that year K18AI had switched to rebroadcasting KVRR s new sister station in Duluth KQDS TV channel 21 17 it is today KQDS TV translator K29EB D on RF channel 29 18 References edit K26AC PDF Television Factbook 1997 p B 59 249 Retrieved June 27 2020 Masland Tom January 4 1982 Low Power TV To Speak in Local Accents Hartford Courant Knight Ridder Newspapers p C2 Retrieved June 27 2020 a b c Low power TV license granted for Bemidji Minneapolis Tribune Associated Press May 15 1981 p 19B Retrieved June 27 2020 a b Larson Mark January 9 1982 No time to quit John Boler is just too busy to enjoy his days of retirement Desert Sun p A4 Retrieved June 27 2020 a b Shaw Sydney March 27 1982 Is Low Power TV In Your Future Brattleboro Reformer UPI p 3 Retrieved June 27 2020 a b Lumenick Lou March 15 1982 Low power TV a new frontier The Record pp A1 A12 Retrieved June 27 2020 a b John Boler STV s voice of experience talks about his year of operation PDF Broadcasting November 15 1982 p 88 Retrieved June 27 2020 a b With a first pioneer expands TV airwaves St Cloud Times Associated Press October 30 1982 p 11B Retrieved June 27 2020 a b Alridge Ron April 18 1982 Low power TV A high powered future Chicago Tribune p TV Week 4 Retrieved June 27 2020 Industry Statistics PDF Broadcast Week February 23 1981 p 16 Retrieved June 27 2020 The News Tonight K26AC March 31 1983 Retrieved June 27 2020 Cooper Ann August 31 1983 TV going rural via full power outlets Baltimore Sun pp C1 C13 Retrieved June 27 2020 End is near PDF Broadcasting February 3 1986 p 7 Richards K M Translators The Complete Story UHF Television Retrieved June 27 2020 Construction Permits PDF TV Factbook 1988 p A 1275 79 Retrieved June 29 2020 KFTC 26 Bemidji will begin testing Northpine September 22 1999 Retrieved June 27 2020 Red River Broadcasting s FOX21 KQDS TV Duluth Northpine September 10 1999 Retrieved June 27 2020 K29EB D fccdata org Retrieved June 27 2020 External links editVideo of K26AC s final local newscast Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title K26AC amp oldid 1119126473, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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