KOZK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

KOZK / KOZJ
Springfield / Joplin, Missouri
Branding	Ozarks Public Television
Channels	21 / 26 (UHF) analog, 23 / 25 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	PBS
Owner	Missouri State University
Founded	January 21, 1975
Call letters meaning	KOZK: Ozarks KOZJ: Ozarks Joplin
Transmitter Power	1107 / 51.5 kW (analog)  100 / 55.0 kW (digital)
Website	www.optv.org

KOZK and KOZJ are a pair of PBS member stations serving Southern Missouri's Ozarks region as Ozarks Public Television. The stations are owned and operated by the board of governors at Missouri State University in Springfield.

[edit] History

KOZK's history can be traced to Springfield Community Television, a non-profit group that was formed in 1974 to bring public television to the area. After securing a license from the FCC and funding from various groups, KOZK was finally able to sign on the air on January 21, 1975, broadcasting from a former Naval Reserve center located on the campus of Drury University. From there they would go from a station that operated five days a week with seven staffers to a 24 hour operation with 25 employees.

In 1986 KOZJ signed on as KOZK's sister station in Joplin. Its business offices are located in downtown Joplin, with its broadcasting equipment located at Missouri Southern State University.

In 1990 the station moved to the new Shewmaker Communications Center on the campus of Drury College, but by 2001 they would later move to the state-of-the-art Strong Hall on the campus of MSU.

KOZK currently multicasts on its digital:

21-1/26-1: OPT-1 Standard Defination (a simulcast of the analog version)

21-2/26-2: PBS National HD feed (now available 24 hours a day)

21-3/26-3: Create, a American Public TV service available in Standard defination.

[edit] External links

• OPTV's website
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KOZK
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KOZJ