KCTS-TV

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KCTS-TV / KYVE-TV
KCTS: Seattle, Washington KYVE: Yakima, Washington
Slogan	"The Public Network"
Channels	KCTS: 9 (VHF) KYVE: 47 (UHF) analog, KCTS: 41 (UHF) KYVE: 21 (UHF) digital
Translators	K18AD ch. 18 (UHF) Wenatchee K61BI ch.61 (UHF)Neah Bay, Washington
Affiliations	PBS
Owner	KCTS Television
Founded	KCTS: Dec 7, 1954 KYVE: Nov 1, 1962
Call letters meaning	KCTS: King County Television Service KYVE: K Yakima Valley Educational Television
Former affiliations	NET (1954–1970)
Website	www.kcts.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. It's transmitter is located 1.9 miles east on Capitol Hill in Seattle, WA.

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 Canada on the Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice satellite providers, as well as on many Canadian cable TV systems. KCTS receives substantial financial support from its far-flung Canadian audience as well as from viewers in Washington State.

KCTS also operates 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 a mix of locally produced content, Public Broadcasting Service series, and 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. (KYVE, however, currently still uses the LARK logo.)

Contents 1 Digital Television 2 Transmitter Failure 3 Logo History 4 External links

[edit] Digital Television

KCTS/KYVE digital channels is multiplexed:

Channel	Programming
First Digital Channel	Main KCTS/KYVE programing
Second Digital Channel	Create
Third Digital Channel	PBS HD programing

[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 Temporaty Authority from the FCC for at least a thirty-day period, so they can get the equipment required to resume full-power service.

[edit] Logo History

Logo used during the 1970's

Logo used during the 1980's

KCTS Circle Logo (1986-1990s)

KCTS's logo used until 2006

[edit] External links

• www.kcts.org
• www.kyve.org
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KCTS
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KYVE
• Query the FCC's TV station database for K18AD
• Query the FCC's TV station database for K61BI