| Wichita, Kansas | |
|---|---|
| Branding | The Wichita Channels |
| Slogan | TV The Way It Was Meant To Be, For Free! |
| Channels | Digital: 49 (UHF) |
| Subchannels | (see article) |
| Affiliations | (see article) |
| Owner | Great Plains Television Network |
| Founded | June 6, 1998 |
| Call letters' meaning | Kansas Great Plains Television |
| Sister station(s) | KSMI-LP |
| Former callsigns | K53EO (1998) KTQW-LP (1998-2004) KTQW-CA (2004-2007) |
| Former channel number(s) | 53 (1998-2004) |
| Former affiliations | America's Voice, TLN, UATV, ZDTV, Sportsman Channel, Faith TV |
| Transmitter power | 4.8 kW |
| Website | thewichitachannels.com |
KGPT-CA, channel 49, is a low-power television station in Wichita, Kansas, owned by Great Plains Television Network. KGPT is part of The Wichita Channels, which together with KSMI-51 brings 8 diverse networks to Wichita. KGPT is currently not carried by Cox's Wichita cable system, but is carried by AT&T U-Verse.
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The station's digital signal on UHF 49 is multiplexed:
| Channel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 49.1 | Retro Television Network |
| 49.2 | Azteca America |
| 49.3 | AccuWeather |
| 49.4 | Tuff TV |
The station has since become one of "The Wichita Channels" - made up currently of KGPT-49 and KSMI-51, the Channels currently bring 8 diverse networks to Wichita, those networks being the Retro Television Network (49.1), Azteca America (49.2), FastCast AccuWeather (49.3), TUFF TV (49.4), NBC's Universal Sports (51.1), My Family TV (51.2), BIZ Television (51.3), and the Sound Track Channel (51.4). KGPT-CA will also begin broadcasting Bounce TV, a new digital broadcast network targeted at African-Americans, and Live Well Network, a lifestyle-oriented digital broadcast network, which will both begin airing in fall of 2011.[1]
The station has various local programs, such as Generation Now (a local show for teenagers), The Wichita Outdoor Show, and Spotlight! On Wichita (showcases local area businesses), as well as other local programming.
The station signed on the air on June 6, 1998 as K53EO on channel 53. It initially broadcast America's Voice and ZDTV network programming,
On November 16, 1998, the call letters were changed to KTQW-LP to match their slogan "Total Quality Wichita". At first, it was the sole broadcast affiliate of TechTV, allocating 20 hours per day to the network with 4 daily hours of local programs. It is unknown how this arrangement came to be.
On June 10, 2004, the station relocated to channel 49 and became a Class A television service as KTQW-CA.
On December 14, 2006, the FCC approved sale of KTQW from Knowledge LC to Great Plains Television Network. The sale was completed on December 21, 2006. On January 8, 2007, the call letters were officially changed to KGPT to match the name of the company, Kansas Great Plains Television Network. The station has applied to increase power from 4.8 kW to 13.91 kW.
Original programming from KGPT included a salute to the family and troops of the United States military, Yellow Ribbons From Home, which aired and streamed on Independence Day 2007. The special included video greetings to the troops from their families, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback and all four members of Congress from Kansas, plus former Senator Bob Dole and Mayor Carl Brewer of Wichita. Country stars including Darryl Worley, Blake Shelton, Emerson Drive, Terri Clark, and Heartland also sent greetings and offer special performances. By streaming its programming, KGPT will allow this show to be seen by U.S. troops; it will also be offered on-demand at the station's website.
On June 22, 2007, July was proclaimed Yellow Ribbons From Home Month by the Governor of Kansas, in commemoration of the special program KGPT provided.
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