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NBC Montana

January 01, 1970

NBC Montana is a regional network of three television stations in western Montana, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. It is headquartered in Missoula, and serves as the NBC affiliate for the Missoula and Butte markets.

NBC Montana
Channels
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
July 1, 1954 (69 years ago) (1954-07-01), with the launch of KGVO-TV (now KECI-TV) in Missoula
  • CBS (primary 1954–1965, secondary 1965–1966 and 1976–1984)
  • DuMont (secondary, 1954–1956)
  • ABC (secondary, 1954–1976 and 1984–1989)
Links
Websitewww.nbcmontana.com
For technical information, see § Stations.
Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

The network comprises flagship KECI-TV (channel 13) in Missoula; full-power satellites KTVM-TV (channel 6) in Butte and KCFW-TV (channel 9) in Kalispell; and low-power satellite KDBZ-CD (channel 6) in Bozeman. Most station operations, including news production, are based in Missoula, with bureaus in Bozeman and Kalispell.

The stations air the same programming, but KTVM and KCFW air separate commercials and legal identifications. KDBZ is a straight simulcast of KTVM. NBC Montana's reach is further extended by 25 translators in western Montana and Idaho.

The main station, KECI, began broadcasting in 1954 as KGVO-TV. Regional coverage became a reality in the 1960s with the installation of transmitters in Butte and Kalispell. The stations have been sole NBC affiliates since 1989. Sinclair purchased the group in 2017 as part of its acquisition of Bonten Media Group.

History edit

On March 11, 1953, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Mosby's, Incorporated, owner of KGVO (1290 AM) in Missoula, a construction permit for a new television station on channel 13 in Missoula.[1] Construction began in November 1953 on the road to the mountaintop facility, the first of its kind in the state and at the highest elevation of any television transmitter of the period in the northwestern United States; while two stations had gone on the air in Butte and a third in Billings, neither built their transmitters atop mountains.[2]

KGVO-TV began telecasting on July 1, 1954.[1] Originally, the station was a primary CBS affiliate, owing to its radio sister's long affiliation with CBS radio, but also carried programming from ABC and DuMont;[3] it would lose DuMont when the network shut down in 1956. While the studios were originally at the transmitter site, owner Arthur Mosby purchased an American Legion hall in downtown Missoula that had been gutted by fire and renovated it to serve as new studios.[4] On December 1, 1956, the station's studios moved from its transmitter location to its radio sister's studios on West Main Street in downtown Missoula and concurrently changed its call letters to KMSO-TV, representing Missoula's airport code.[5] By 1957, KMSO had added a secondary affiliation with NBC.[6] Mosby sold KGVO radio to Dale Moore in 1959[7] but held on to KMSO-TV until 1964, when Moore bought channel 13 as well;[8] upon taking over, he changed its call letters back to KGVO-TV.[1] Under Moore's ownership, KGVO-TV switched its primary affiliation to NBC in 1965, though it still carried some CBS and ABC programming.[9] The transmitter was destroyed by fire in November 1966;[10] the FCC permitted the installation of two interim translators to get the station back on air until the TV Mountain facility could be reconstructed.[1]

 
KCFW-TV's Kalispell studios and offices

Additionally, the station pursued a policy of regional expansion. In 1965, it built a 100-watt translator on channel 9 in Kalispell. The Flathead had been without a local station since the folding of KGEZ-TV/KULR in 1959.[9] That December, the FCC simultaneously approved a channel 6 translator for KGVO-TV in Butte and a translator for Butte's local station, CBS affiliate KXLF-TV, in Missoula.[11] On June 10, 1968, the Kalispell translator was upgraded to a full-power semi-satellite under the call letters KCFW-TV,[12][13] while the Butte translator was replaced with full-power semi-satellite KTVM in May 1970. In 1976, primary coverage of ABC programs shifted from KGVO-TV to KXLF and its Missoula satellite, KPAX-TV.[14]

Dale Moore's Western Broadcasting Company reached a deal to sell KGVO-TV, KCFW, and KTVM to Eagle Communications, Inc.—a company formed by former The Ed Sullivan Show producer Robert Precht and Advance Communications, owner of KFBB-TV in Great Falls—in 1977.[15] Despite a protest from a citizens' group, Montanans for Quality Television, the deal received FCC approval in September 1978,[16] and on November 1, KGVO-TV became KECI-TV. The new owners pledged to improve news coverage, in part under a pact with the citizens' group.[17] The Eagle stations also aired Sesame Street for three years from 1978 to 1981, dropping the program due to a lack of underwriters.[18]

Eagle demonstrated an increased commitment to the Butte area, which had never been served by any specific local programming even after the launch of KTVM. After expressing interest in establishing a Butte office in 1978,[19] the station did so in 1982 and began producing local news reports for inclusion in KECI's newscasts.[20] Precht Communications, a sister company to Sullivan Productions, acquired full control of Eagle Communications by 1981.[21] NBC signed primary affiliation agreements with the Eagle stations in 1983; though they were dual NBC–CBS affiliates on paper, the best CBS shows aired on KXLF–KPAX, and CBS had turned down Eagle's bid for primary affiliation with that network to protect its relationship with the other stations in the Montana Television Network (MTN).[22]

In 1984, KXLF–KPAX and the other MTN stations became full-time CBS outlets. As a result, most ABC programs moved to the Eagle network.[23] Between 1984 and 1989, KECI aired an 11 p.m. late local newscast—highly unusual for the Mountain Time Zone (most network affiliates in the Mountain Time Zone aired their late newscasts at 10 p.m.). While this allowed KECI to clear more ABC programs, it created further scheduling headaches and put its late news at a disadvantage.[24] Viewers cited confusion over the availability of programs, and returning the late news to 10 p.m. allowed Eagle to restore The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live to its lineup en route to becoming a sole NBC affiliate.[25] A full-time ABC outlet for Missoula, KTMF (channel 23), was established in 1990.[26]

The 1980s also saw Eagle seek to increase its presence in Bozeman. It first attempted to buy the construction permit for KCTZ, a channel 7 station that had sought an ABC affiliation only to have its hopes dashed by Eagle's June 1984 acquisition of the ABC rights in the Missoula–Butte market.[27][28] The opposition of two local residents and radio station owners caused the deal to languish for 16 months at the FCC until the green light was given in January 1986,[29] and the deal fell apart when the commission agreed with a petitioner who claimed the purchase was duplicative. However, when KCTZ came on, it caused interference issues to KTVM's signal in the Bozeman area.[30] In 1989, Eagle purchased the construction permit for low-power K42BZ, which took to the air as a translator for KTVM in January 1990.[31] In 2002, after the introduction of the Class A television service, the FCC approved K42BZ to be designated as a Class A station.[32]

In 1997, Precht sold the Eagle system to Lamco Communications,[33] which in turn sold its stations to Bluestone Television in 2004.[34] Bonten Media Group acquired the BlueStone stations in 2007.[35]

The 2000s also saw digital conversion for the network, as KCFW and KTVM began broadcasting in digital on February 1 and 28, 2002;[36][37] all three full-power stations shut down their analog signals on June 12, 2009, the official digital transition date. After the transition, all three stations abandoned their ultra high frequency (UHF) pre-transition digital channels (for KECI-TV, KCFW-TV, and KTVM-TV, respectively, 40, 38, and 33) to return to their very high frequency (VHF) channels of 13, 9, and 6.[38][39] While digital broadcasts had also begun in Bozeman by the June 12 deadline, the low-power K42BZ was not required to discontinue analog service and planned to remain on the air through the end of 2009.[40]

On April 21, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced its intent to purchase the Bonten stations for $240 million.[41] The sale was completed September 1.[42]

News operations edit

Historically, the stations aired a mix of local and regional news programming. From the outset in 1968, KCFW produced its own early evening newscast; it was not until 1982 that one was established at KTVM in Butte.[20] KTVM had a Bozeman news bureau from 1983 to 1985.[43] By 1993, the three Eagle network stations aired regional newscasts from Missoula at 5 and 10 p.m. and local news programs for their specific areas at 6 p.m. That year, the company underwent a major restructuring of its news operations, untangling the stations from each other to produce local 6 and 10 p.m. programs, and it announced the addition of a fourth local news service for Bozeman, upgrading K42BZ into a low-power station with its own local news.[44] The weekend newscasts for Bozeman were that city's first; the only other news operation in the city, at KCTZ, aired five days a week.[45]

The Bozeman newscast debuted October 4, 1993. Just 25 days later, citing costs and the fact that the Butte local operation had never made money, Eagle opted to shutter the Butte operation and originate news for both areas from Bozeman, firing the 15 news and production staffers it had in the Mining City.[46][47] At the same time, KECI anchor Jill Valley defected to crosstown competitor KPAX, causing the station to plunge in the ratings—especially in Missoula itself.[48]

Notable former on-air staff edit

Stations edit

Main stations edit

NBC Montana stations
Station City of license Channel FID ERP HAAT Transmitter
coordinates 		First air date Former call signs Public license
information
KECI-TV Missoula 13[a] 18084 41.3 kW 610 m (2,001 ft) 47°1′4″N 114°0′50″W / 47.01778°N 114.01389°W / 47.01778; -114.01389 (KECI-TV) July 1, 1954 (1954-07-01)
  • KGVO-TV (1954–1956, 1964–1978)
  • KMSO-TV (1956–1964)
  • Public file
  • LMS
KCFW-TV Kalispell 9[b] 18079 2.5 kW 850 m (2,789 ft) 48°0′48″N 114°21′58″W / 48.01333°N 114.36611°W / 48.01333; -114.36611 (KCFW-TV) June 10, 1968 (1968-06-10) — Public file
LMS
KTVM-TV Butte 6[c] 18066 19.2 kW 591.3 m (1,940 ft) 46°0′27″N 112°26′33″W / 46.00750°N 112.44250°W / 46.00750; -112.44250 (KTVM-TV) May 12, 1970 (1970-05-12) KTVM (1970–2009)
  • Public file
  • LMS
KDBZ-CD Bozeman 6 18083 15 kW 235 m (771 ft) 45°40′24″N 110°52′5″W / 45.67333°N 110.86806°W / 45.67333; -110.86806 (KDBZ-CD) January 1990 (1990-01)
  • K42BZ (1990–2011)
  • K42BZ-D (2011–2014)
  • Public file
  • LMS

Translators edit

Subchannels edit

The stations' signals are multiplexed:

NBC Montana subchannels[53]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
KECI-TV KCFW-TV
  • KTVM-TV
  • KDBZ-CD
 		KECI-TV KCFW-TV
  • KTVM-TV
  • KDBZ-CD
13.1 9.1 6.1 1080i 16:9 KECI-DT KCFW-DT KTVM-DT NBC
13.2 9.2 6.2 480i COMET Comet
13.3 9.3 6.3 CHARGE! Charge!
13.4 9.4 6.4 TBD TBD

Notes edit

  1. ^ KECI-TV holds a construction permit to move to UHF channel 20 with an ERP of 925 kW from this site.
  2. ^ KCFW-TV holds a construction permit to move to UHF channel 17 with an ERP of 17 kW from this site.
  3. ^ KTVM-TV holds a construction permit to move to UHF channel 20 with an ERP of 1,000 kW from this site.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "FCC History Cards for KECI-TV". Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Work Is Started On Road to Television Site". The Daily Missoulian. November 3, 1953. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ 1955–56 Telecasting Yearbook-Marketbook (PDF). 1955. p. 170. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  4. ^ "Legion Post Sells Building". The Daily Missoulian. July 17, 1956. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "KGVO-TV Changed to KMSO-TV; Station Moves Into New Studios" (PDF). Broadcasting-Telecasting. December 3, 1956. p. 94. ProQuest 1285754965. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  6. ^ 1957–58 Telecasting Yearbook-Marketbook (PDF). 1957. p. 164. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  7. ^ "Changing hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 28, 1959. p. 98. ProQuest 963318812. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  8. ^ "Sale of KMSO-TV approved by commission" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 14, 1964. p. 10. ProQuest 1014489493. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "First high power VHF TV translator is state station". The Montana Standard-Post. October 9, 1965. p. 11. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "KGVO-TV Returns To Direct Broadcast". The Daily Missoulian. November 26, 1966. p. 7.
  11. ^ "New television translator at Butte okayed". Montana Standard-Post. December 3, 1965. p. 8. from the original on October 30, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  12. ^ Eggert, Richard (June 4, 1968). "KCFW Preparing to Roll". The Missoulian. p. 10. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  13. ^ "Television Station Goes On Air". The Daily Inter Lake. June 11, 1968. p. 2.
  14. ^ "KPAX, KXLF Are ABC Affiliates". The Missoulian. June 19, 1976. p. 2-A. from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  15. ^ "Western Broadcasting Sells Three TV Stations". The Missoulian. October 20, 1977. p. 16. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  16. ^ "Missoula TV fetches bundle". The Missoulian. September 17, 1978. p. 24.
  17. ^ Shirley, Steve (November 2, 1978). "New TV station owner vows to improve programs". The Missoulian. p. 14. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  18. ^ "Local station cancels 'Sesame Street' show". The Missoulian. December 3, 1981. p. 9.
  19. ^ "KTVM pledges more coverage". The Montana Standard. November 11, 1978. p. Time Out 3. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Eagle TV lands in Butte". The Montana Standard. August 14, 1982. p. Time Out 4.
  21. ^ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1982 (PDF). 1982. p. A-38. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  22. ^ "NBC Signs Up Four Affiliates". Variety. July 27, 1983. p. 42. ProQuest 1438368523.
  23. ^ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985 (PDF). 1985. p. C-36. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  24. ^ McInally, Mike (August 4, 1989). "KECI plans to shuffle time for late news". The Missoulian. p. E-21. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  25. ^ Ragsdale, Anne (September 25, 1989). "Eagle changes TV lineup". The Missoulian. p. A-5. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  26. ^ Stergionis, Marc (December 23, 1990). "KTGF's sister station goes on air in Missoula". Great Falls Tribune. p. 2B. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  27. ^ Nell, William (June 15, 1984). "ABC deal could delay TV station in Bozeman". The Billings Gazette. p. 3A, 14A. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  28. ^ "Network buys station permit in Bozeman". Great Falls Tribune. Associated Press. September 13, 1984. p. 7-C. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  29. ^ "FCC OKs extension to build Bozeman TV station". The Missoulian. Associated Press. p. 15. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  30. ^ Brock, William (March 2, 1988). "TV Wars: Bad reception sparks signal flap". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. p. 3. Retrieved June 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "KTVM-TV 6 Announces the Addition of Bozeman Translator K42BZ". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. January 19, 1990. p. A-11. Retrieved June 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "BLTTA-20001127AAT License to Convert Analog LPTV Authorization to Analog Class A Application". Consolidated Database System. Federal Communications Commission. November 27, 2000.
  33. ^ Ludwick, Jim (December 30, 1997). "Area TV stations to be sold". The Missoulian. p. B2. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  34. ^ Holien, Mick (January 15, 2004). "Missoula's KECI among 12 stations sold in Lamco acquisition". The Missoulian. from the original on October 26, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  35. ^ "Bonten Closes on $230M BlueStone Buy". TVNewsCheck. June 5, 2007. from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  36. ^ "KTVM-DT". Television & Cable Factbook (PDF). 2006. p. A-1344 – via World Radio History.
  37. ^ "KTVM-DT". Television & Cable Factbook (PDF). 2006. p. A-1363 – via World Radio History.
  38. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  39. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2008.
  40. ^ Hausen, Jodi (June 30, 2009). "Analog TV signals still on air, for now". Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
  41. ^ "Sinclair Buying Bonten Stations For $240M". TVNewsCheck. April 21, 2017. from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  42. ^ "Consummation Notice". Federal Communications Commission. from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  43. ^ Brown, Kim (March 29, 1985). "Butte TV station closes Bozeman news bureau". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. p. 3. Retrieved June 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ "KTVM will add 10 p.m. newscast". The Montana Standard. March 13, 1993. p. Time Out 9. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  45. ^ "Second local station signs on in Bozeman". The Missoulian. Associated Press. August 22, 1993. p. F-2. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  46. ^ Vestal, Shawn (November 3, 1993). "Butte station closes in favor of Bozeman". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. p. 9. Retrieved June 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  47. ^ Kirkpatrick, Dave (October 30, 1993). "KTVM-TV office closes; staff fired". The Montana Standard. pp. 1, 10. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  48. ^ McInally, Mike (January 5, 1994). "KPAX ratings surge past KECI". The Missoulian. p. D-2. from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  49. ^ "News never rests on the weekend. Why should we?". The Montana Standard (Advertisement). Butte, Montana. October 23, 1993. p. Time Out 22. Retrieved December 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  50. ^ Guthrie, Marisa (December 5, 2016). "Savannah Guthrie Talks TV News in Trump Era". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  51. ^ Haisten, Bill (April 26, 2011). "Tulsa native Dari Nowkhah rises from KOTV to ESPN". Tulsa World. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  52. ^ "Oliver Named to Anchor Position on CBS's 'Up to the Minute'". TVWeek. March 20, 2006. from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  53. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for KECI". RabbitEars.info. from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
    • "RabbitEars TV Query for KCFW". RabbitEars.info. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
    • "RabbitEars TV Query for KTVM". RabbitEars.info. from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2014.

External links edit

  • Official website

January 01, 1970
montana, regional, network, three, television, stations, western, montana, united, states, affiliated, with, owned, sinclair, broadcast, group, headquartered, missoula, serves, affiliate, missoula, butte, markets, missoula, kalispell, butte, bozeman, montanaun. NBC Montana is a regional network of three television stations in western Montana United States affiliated with NBC and owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group It is headquartered in Missoula and serves as the NBC affiliate for the Missoula and Butte markets NBC MontanaMissoula Kalispell Butte and Bozeman MontanaUnited StatesChannelsVirtual 13 9 6ProgrammingAffiliationsx 1 NBCx 2 Cometx 3 Charge OwnershipOwnerSinclair Broadcast Group Sinclair Media Licensee LLC HistoryFirst air dateJuly 1 1954 69 years ago 1954 07 01 with the launch of KGVO TV now KECI TV in MissoulaFormer affiliationsCBS primary 1954 1965 secondary 1965 1966 and 1976 1984 DuMont secondary 1954 1956 ABC secondary 1954 1976 and 1984 1989 LinksWebsitewww wbr nbcmontana wbr comFor technical information see Stations Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates The network comprises flagship KECI TV channel 13 in Missoula full power satellites KTVM TV channel 6 in Butte and KCFW TV channel 9 in Kalispell and low power satellite KDBZ CD channel 6 in Bozeman Most station operations including news production are based in Missoula with bureaus in Bozeman and Kalispell The stations air the same programming but KTVM and KCFW air separate commercials and legal identifications KDBZ is a straight simulcast of KTVM NBC Montana s reach is further extended by 25 translators in western Montana and Idaho The main station KECI began broadcasting in 1954 as KGVO TV Regional coverage became a reality in the 1960s with the installation of transmitters in Butte and Kalispell The stations have been sole NBC affiliates since 1989 Sinclair purchased the group in 2017 as part of its acquisition of Bonten Media Group Contents 1 History 2 News operations 2 1 Notable former on air staff 3 Stations 3 1 Main stations 3 2 Translators 4 Subchannels 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksHistory editOn March 11 1953 the Federal Communications Commission FCC granted Mosby s Incorporated owner of KGVO 1290 AM in Missoula a construction permit for a new television station on channel 13 in Missoula 1 Construction began in November 1953 on the road to the mountaintop facility the first of its kind in the state and at the highest elevation of any television transmitter of the period in the northwestern United States while two stations had gone on the air in Butte and a third in Billings neither built their transmitters atop mountains 2 KGVO TV began telecasting on July 1 1954 1 Originally the station was a primary CBS affiliate owing to its radio sister s long affiliation with CBS radio but also carried programming from ABC and DuMont 3 it would lose DuMont when the network shut down in 1956 While the studios were originally at the transmitter site owner Arthur Mosby purchased an American Legion hall in downtown Missoula that had been gutted by fire and renovated it to serve as new studios 4 On December 1 1956 the station s studios moved from its transmitter location to its radio sister s studios on West Main Street in downtown Missoula and concurrently changed its call letters to KMSO TV representing Missoula s airport code 5 By 1957 KMSO had added a secondary affiliation with NBC 6 Mosby sold KGVO radio to Dale Moore in 1959 7 but held on to KMSO TV until 1964 when Moore bought channel 13 as well 8 upon taking over he changed its call letters back to KGVO TV 1 Under Moore s ownership KGVO TV switched its primary affiliation to NBC in 1965 though it still carried some CBS and ABC programming 9 The transmitter was destroyed by fire in November 1966 10 the FCC permitted the installation of two interim translators to get the station back on air until the TV Mountain facility could be reconstructed 1 nbsp KCFW TV s Kalispell studios and offices Additionally the station pursued a policy of regional expansion In 1965 it built a 100 watt translator on channel 9 in Kalispell The Flathead had been without a local station since the folding of KGEZ TV KULR in 1959 9 That December the FCC simultaneously approved a channel 6 translator for KGVO TV in Butte and a translator for Butte s local station CBS affiliate KXLF TV in Missoula 11 On June 10 1968 the Kalispell translator was upgraded to a full power semi satellite under the call letters KCFW TV 12 13 while the Butte translator was replaced with full power semi satellite KTVM in May 1970 In 1976 primary coverage of ABC programs shifted from KGVO TV to KXLF and its Missoula satellite KPAX TV 14 Dale Moore s Western Broadcasting Company reached a deal to sell KGVO TV KCFW and KTVM to Eagle Communications Inc a company formed by former The Ed Sullivan Show producer Robert Precht and Advance Communications owner of KFBB TV in Great Falls in 1977 15 Despite a protest from a citizens group Montanans for Quality Television the deal received FCC approval in September 1978 16 and on November 1 KGVO TV became KECI TV The new owners pledged to improve news coverage in part under a pact with the citizens group 17 The Eagle stations also aired Sesame Street for three years from 1978 to 1981 dropping the program due to a lack of underwriters 18 Eagle demonstrated an increased commitment to the Butte area which had never been served by any specific local programming even after the launch of KTVM After expressing interest in establishing a Butte office in 1978 19 the station did so in 1982 and began producing local news reports for inclusion in KECI s newscasts 20 Precht Communications a sister company to Sullivan Productions acquired full control of Eagle Communications by 1981 21 NBC signed primary affiliation agreements with the Eagle stations in 1983 though they were dual NBC CBS affiliates on paper the best CBS shows aired on KXLF KPAX and CBS had turned down Eagle s bid for primary affiliation with that network to protect its relationship with the other stations in the Montana Television Network MTN 22 In 1984 KXLF KPAX and the other MTN stations became full time CBS outlets As a result most ABC programs moved to the Eagle network 23 Between 1984 and 1989 KECI aired an 11 p m late local newscast highly unusual for the Mountain Time Zone most network affiliates in the Mountain Time Zone aired their late newscasts at 10 p m While this allowed KECI to clear more ABC programs it created further scheduling headaches and put its late news at a disadvantage 24 Viewers cited confusion over the availability of programs and returning the late news to 10 p m allowed Eagle to restore The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live to its lineup en route to becoming a sole NBC affiliate 25 A full time ABC outlet for Missoula KTMF channel 23 was established in 1990 26 The 1980s also saw Eagle seek to increase its presence in Bozeman It first attempted to buy the construction permit for KCTZ a channel 7 station that had sought an ABC affiliation only to have its hopes dashed by Eagle s June 1984 acquisition of the ABC rights in the Missoula Butte market 27 28 The opposition of two local residents and radio station owners caused the deal to languish for 16 months at the FCC until the green light was given in January 1986 29 and the deal fell apart when the commission agreed with a petitioner who claimed the purchase was duplicative However when KCTZ came on it caused interference issues to KTVM s signal in the Bozeman area 30 In 1989 Eagle purchased the construction permit for low power K42BZ which took to the air as a translator for KTVM in January 1990 31 In 2002 after the introduction of the Class A television service the FCC approved K42BZ to be designated as a Class A station 32 In 1997 Precht sold the Eagle system to Lamco Communications 33 which in turn sold its stations to Bluestone Television in 2004 34 Bonten Media Group acquired the BlueStone stations in 2007 35 The 2000s also saw digital conversion for the network as KCFW and KTVM began broadcasting in digital on February 1 and 28 2002 36 37 all three full power stations shut down their analog signals on June 12 2009 the official digital transition date After the transition all three stations abandoned their ultra high frequency UHF pre transition digital channels for KECI TV KCFW TV and KTVM TV respectively 40 38 and 33 to return to their very high frequency VHF channels of 13 9 and 6 38 39 While digital broadcasts had also begun in Bozeman by the June 12 deadline the low power K42BZ was not required to discontinue analog service and planned to remain on the air through the end of 2009 40 On April 21 2017 Sinclair Broadcast Group announced its intent to purchase the Bonten stations for 240 million 41 The sale was completed September 1 42 News operations editHistorically the stations aired a mix of local and regional news programming From the outset in 1968 KCFW produced its own early evening newscast it was not until 1982 that one was established at KTVM in Butte 20 KTVM had a Bozeman news bureau from 1983 to 1985 43 By 1993 the three Eagle network stations aired regional newscasts from Missoula at 5 and 10 p m and local news programs for their specific areas at 6 p m That year the company underwent a major restructuring of its news operations untangling the stations from each other to produce local 6 and 10 p m programs and it announced the addition of a fourth local news service for Bozeman upgrading K42BZ into a low power station with its own local news 44 The weekend newscasts for Bozeman were that city s first the only other news operation in the city at KCTZ aired five days a week 45 The Bozeman newscast debuted October 4 1993 Just 25 days later citing costs and the fact that the Butte local operation had never made money Eagle opted to shutter the Butte operation and originate news for both areas from Bozeman firing the 15 news and production staffers it had in the Mining City 46 47 At the same time KECI anchor Jill Valley defected to crosstown competitor KPAX causing the station to plunge in the ratings especially in Missoula itself 48 Notable former on air staff edit Savannah Guthrie weekend anchor at KTVM in Butte October 1993 had worked at station 10 days when the Butte news operation was closed 49 50 Dari Nowkhah former sports director for KCFW later anchor of ESPN SportsCenter currently lead anchor at the SEC Network 51 Meg Oliver ABC News reporter former anchor of Up to the Minute worked as a reporter and anchor at KCFW 52 Stations editMain stations edit NBC Montana stations Station City of license Channel FID ERP HAAT Transmittercoordinates First air date Former call signs Public licenseinformation KECI TV Missoula 13 a 18084 41 3 kW 610 m 2 001 ft 47 1 4 N 114 0 50 W 47 01778 N 114 01389 W 47 01778 114 01389 KECI TV July 1 1954 1954 07 01 KGVO TV 1954 1956 1964 1978 KMSO TV 1956 1964 Public fileLMS KCFW TV Kalispell 9 b 18079 2 5 kW 850 m 2 789 ft 48 0 48 N 114 21 58 W 48 01333 N 114 36611 W 48 01333 114 36611 KCFW TV June 10 1968 1968 06 10 Public fileLMS KTVM TV Butte 6 c 18066 19 2 kW 591 3 m 1 940 ft 46 0 27 N 112 26 33 W 46 00750 N 112 44250 W 46 00750 112 44250 KTVM TV May 12 1970 1970 05 12 KTVM 1970 2009 Public fileLMS KDBZ CD Bozeman 6 18083 15 kW 235 m 771 ft 45 40 24 N 110 52 5 W 45 67333 N 110 86806 W 45 67333 110 86806 KDBZ CD January 1990 1990 01 K42BZ 1990 2011 K42BZ D 2011 2014 Public fileLMS Translators edit K02AO D Eureka MT translates KCFW TV K03DT D Superior MT translates KECI TV K05AH D Hot Springs MT translates KECI TV K05FC D Lake McDonald MT translates KCFW TV K05ML D Sula MT translates KECI TV K09MY D Polaris MT translates KTVM TV K10HL D Virginia City MT translates KTVM TV K11FQ D Thompson Falls MT translates KECI TV K11JP D Plains Paradise MT translates KECI TV K11LA D Basin MT translates KTVM TV K11TY D Salmon ID translates KECI TV K12QT D Trout Creek MT translates KECI TV K13KP D Boulder MT translates KTVM TV K14IU D Frenchtown MT translates KECI TV K16GJ D Polson MT translates KECI TV K16KO D Leadore ID translates KECI TV K18KD D Libby MT translates KCFW TV K24ID D Ferndale MT translates KCFW TV K25LF D Philipsburg MT translates KECI TV K25OA D Dillon MT translates KTVM TV K25OS D Thompson Falls MT translates KECI TV K26KA D Drummond MT translates KECI TV K27MM D Tendoy Leadore ID translates KECI TV K29ID D Weeksville MT translates KCFW TV K30PW D Salmon ID translates KECI TV Subchannels editThe stations signals are multiplexed NBC Montana subchannels 53 Channel Res Aspect Short name Programming KECI TV KCFW TV KTVM TVKDBZ CD KECI TV KCFW TV KTVM TVKDBZ CD 13 1 9 1 6 1 1080i 16 9 KECI DT KCFW DT KTVM DT NBC 13 2 9 2 6 2 480i COMET Comet 13 3 9 3 6 3 CHARGE Charge 13 4 9 4 6 4 TBD TBDNotes edit KECI TV holds a construction permit to move to UHF channel 20 with an ERP of 925 kW from this site KCFW TV holds a construction permit to move to UHF channel 17 with an ERP of 17 kW from this site KTVM TV holds a construction permit to move to UHF channel 20 with an ERP of 1 000 kW from this site References edit a b c d FCC History Cards for KECI TV Federal Communications Commission Work Is Started On Road to Television Site The Daily Missoulian November 3 1953 p 1 via Newspapers com 1955 56 Telecasting Yearbook Marketbook PDF 1955 p 170 Retrieved October 4 2015 Legion Post Sells Building The Daily Missoulian July 17 1956 p 12 via Newspapers com KGVO TV Changed to KMSO TV Station Moves Into New Studios PDF Broadcasting Telecasting December 3 1956 p 94 ProQuest 1285754965 Archived PDF from the original on September 27 2015 Retrieved October 4 2015 1957 58 Telecasting Yearbook Marketbook PDF 1957 p 164 Retrieved October 4 2015 Changing hands PDF Broadcasting September 28 1959 p 98 ProQuest 963318812 Archived PDF from the original on September 27 2015 Retrieved October 4 2015 Sale of KMSO TV approved by commission PDF Broadcasting September 14 1964 p 10 ProQuest 1014489493 Archived PDF from the original on September 27 2015 Retrieved October 4 2015 a b First high power VHF TV translator is state station The Montana Standard Post October 9 1965 p 11 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 KGVO TV Returns To Direct Broadcast The Daily Missoulian November 26 1966 p 7 New television translator at Butte okayed Montana Standard Post December 3 1965 p 8 Archived from the original on October 30 2021 Retrieved October 30 2021 Eggert Richard June 4 1968 KCFW Preparing to Roll The Missoulian p 10 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 Television Station Goes On Air The Daily Inter Lake June 11 1968 p 2 KPAX KXLF Are ABC Affiliates The Missoulian June 19 1976 p 2 A Archived from the original on November 1 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 Western Broadcasting Sells Three TV Stations The Missoulian October 20 1977 p 16 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 Missoula TV fetches bundle The Missoulian September 17 1978 p 24 Shirley Steve November 2 1978 New TV station owner vows to improve programs The Missoulian p 14 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 Local station cancels Sesame Street show The Missoulian December 3 1981 p 9 KTVM pledges more coverage The Montana Standard November 11 1978 p Time Out 3 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 a b Eagle TV lands in Butte The Montana Standard August 14 1982 p Time Out 4 Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1982 PDF 1982 p A 38 Retrieved October 4 2015 NBC Signs Up Four Affiliates Variety July 27 1983 p 42 ProQuest 1438368523 Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1985 PDF 1985 p C 36 Retrieved October 4 2015 McInally Mike August 4 1989 KECI plans to shuffle time for late news The Missoulian p E 21 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 25 2020 Ragsdale Anne September 25 1989 Eagle changes TV lineup The Missoulian p A 5 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 Stergionis Marc December 23 1990 KTGF s sister station goes on air in Missoula Great Falls Tribune p 2B Retrieved September 30 2019 Nell William June 15 1984 ABC deal could delay TV station in Bozeman The Billings Gazette p 3A 14A Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 Network buys station permit in Bozeman Great Falls Tribune Associated Press September 13 1984 p 7 C Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 FCC OKs extension to build Bozeman TV station The Missoulian Associated Press p 15 Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 Brock William March 2 1988 TV Wars Bad reception sparks signal flap Bozeman Daily Chronicle p 3 Retrieved June 1 2023 via Newspapers com KTVM TV 6 Announces the Addition of Bozeman Translator K42BZ Bozeman Daily Chronicle January 19 1990 p A 11 Retrieved June 1 2023 via Newspapers com BLTTA 20001127AAT License to Convert Analog LPTV Authorization to Analog Class A Application Consolidated Database System Federal Communications Commission November 27 2000 Ludwick Jim December 30 1997 Area TV stations to be sold The Missoulian p B2 Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 Holien Mick January 15 2004 Missoula s KECI among 12 stations sold in Lamco acquisition The Missoulian Archived from the original on October 26 2018 Retrieved October 4 2015 Bonten Closes on 230M BlueStone Buy TVNewsCheck June 5 2007 Archived from the original on September 26 2018 Retrieved October 4 2015 KTVM DT Television amp Cable Factbook PDF 2006 p A 1344 via World Radio History KTVM DT Television amp Cable Factbook PDF 2006 p A 1363 via World Radio History DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds PDF Archived from the original PDF on August 29 2013 Retrieved March 24 2012 In the Matter of DTV Buildout Requests for Waiver of July 1 2005 and July 1 2006 Use or Lose Deadline Requests for Waiver of the August 4 2005 Checklist Deadline PDF Archived from the original PDF on October 19 2011 Retrieved May 26 2008 Hausen Jodi June 30 2009 Analog TV signals still on air for now Bozeman Daily Chronicle Sinclair Buying Bonten Stations For 240M TVNewsCheck April 21 2017 Archived from the original on August 9 2018 Retrieved April 21 2017 Consummation Notice Federal Communications Commission Archived from the original on September 6 2017 Retrieved September 6 2017 Brown Kim March 29 1985 Butte TV station closes Bozeman news bureau Bozeman Daily Chronicle p 3 Retrieved June 1 2023 via Newspapers com KTVM will add 10 p m newscast The Montana Standard March 13 1993 p Time Out 9 Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 Second local station signs on in Bozeman The Missoulian Associated Press August 22 1993 p F 2 Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 Vestal Shawn November 3 1993 Butte station closes in favor of Bozeman Bozeman Daily Chronicle p 9 Retrieved June 1 2023 via Newspapers com Kirkpatrick Dave October 30 1993 KTVM TV office closes staff fired The Montana Standard pp 1 10 Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 McInally Mike January 5 1994 KPAX ratings surge past KECI The Missoulian p D 2 Archived from the original on December 14 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 News never rests on the weekend Why should we The Montana Standard Advertisement Butte Montana October 23 1993 p Time Out 22 Retrieved December 21 2023 via Newspapers com Guthrie Marisa December 5 2016 Savannah Guthrie Talks TV News in Trump Era The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved December 21 2023 Haisten Bill April 26 2011 Tulsa native Dari Nowkhah rises from KOTV to ESPN Tulsa World Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 Oliver Named to Anchor Position on CBS s Up to the Minute TVWeek March 20 2006 Archived from the original on November 2 2021 Retrieved November 2 2021 RabbitEars TV Query for KECI RabbitEars info Archived from the original on March 3 2016 Retrieved June 24 2014 RabbitEars TV Query for KCFW RabbitEars info Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved June 24 2014 RabbitEars TV Query for KTVM RabbitEars info Archived from the original on March 3 2016 Retrieved June 24 2014 External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title NBC Montana amp oldid 1217653405, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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