KECI-TV

KECI-TV / KCFW-TV / KTVM-TV



KECI: Missoula, Montana
KCFW: Kalispell, Montana
KTVM: Butte / Bozeman, Montana
Branding KECI 13 / KCFW 9 / KTVM 6 & 42
Montana's News Channel
Slogan Earning Your Trust, Everyday
Channels Digital:
KECI: 13 (VHF)
KCFW: 9 (VHF)
KTVM: 6 (VHF)
Subchannels See below
Affiliations NBC
Me-TV
This TV
Owner Bonten Media Group, LLC
(BlueStone License Holdings, Inc.)
First air date KECI: July 1, 1954
KCFW: June 10, 1968
KTVM: May 12, 1970
Call letters' meaning KECI:
Eagle
Communications
Incorporated
KCFW:
Kalispell
Columbia Falls
Whitefish
(the three largest towns in its broadcast area)
KTVM:
TeleVision Montana
Former callsigns KECI:
KGVO-TV (1954-1957, 1964-1978)
KMSO-TV (1957-1964)
KCFW: none
KTVM: none
Former channel number(s) Analog:
KECI:
13 (VHF, 1954-2009)
KCFW:
9 (VHF, 1968-2009)
KTVM:
6 (VHF, 1970-2009)
Former affiliations CBS (primary, 1954-c.1970)
ABC (secondary 1954-1991)
PBS (per program, 1976-1984)
Transmitter power KECI: 30 kW
KCFW: 2.5 kW
KTVM: 11.2 kW
Height KECI: 610 m
KCFW: 850 m
KTVM: 591.3 m
Facility ID KECI: 18084
KCFW: 18079
KTVM: 18066
Transmitter coordinates KECI:

KCFW:

KTVM:
Website www.nbcmontana.com

NBC Montana is a network of three television stations in western Montana, all affiliated with NBC.

The flagship station is KECI in Missoula, broadcasting on channel 13. It includes two semi-satellites: KCFW, channel 9 in Kalispell, Montana, and KTVM, channel 6 in Butte, Montana (which also serves Bozeman via a translator on channel 42. This is reflected in its "KTVM 6 & 42" branding). The stations air the same programming most of the time, but KCFW and KTVM air their own commercials as well as partially separate local newscasts.

The combined signal of the three VHF stations and numerous low-power transmitters cover approximately 45 percent of the state. The stations reach an estimated 200,000 households. The coverage area includes Salmon, Idaho, and parts of Alberta, Canada near the U.S.-Canada border.

The digital signals of all full-powered NBC Montana stations moved to their analog VHF channels after the 2009 US analog shutdown due to severe local terrain problems with its existing UHF DTV signal in mountainous regions.[1]

Contents

History

KECI hit the airwaves on July 1, 1954 as KGVO-TV, owned by Montana broadcasting pioneer Arthur Mosby and his Western Broadcasting Company along with KGVO radio. It shared a studio with its radio sister on West Main Street in downtown Missoula. For a few years in the late 1950s and early 1960s it was known as KMSO-TV, but reverted to KGVO-TV in 1964.

Originally, the station carried programming from all three networks, but was a primary CBS affiliate owing to its radio sister's long affiliation with CBS radio. It was the first television station in Montana to be interconnected to the main networks (via a private relay from Spokane). While it was known as KMSO-TV, it was a member of the Skyline Network (now MTN), along with KXLF-TV in Butte, KOOK-TV in Billings (now KTVQ), and KFBB-TV in Great Falls.

Then in March 1966, shortly after KFBB-TV switched over to ABC, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) combined Missoula and Butte into a single television market, and KGVO-TV became the combined market's primary CBS affiliate, with a secondary ABC affiliation. However, by the early 1970s, Missoula and Butte had broken off into separate markets again, and channel 13 was a primary NBC affiliate, sharing ABC with KPAX-TV. [2] The switch may have occurred as early as KPAX' sign-on in 1970.

Channel 13 took its current calls in 1978 after KGVO radio was sold off, but is still based in the West Main Street studio. The station offered a few PBS programs, particularly Sesame Street, from 1976 until Montana PBS opened in 1984. It also continued to run ABC in off-hours until KTMF signed on in 1991.

KCFW signed on in 1968 as a semi-satellite of KGVO-TV. It is the only full-power station in the Flathead. KTVM was added in 1970, also as a semi-satellite of KGVO-TV. The Bozeman repeater signed on in 1990.

Digital channels

Programming KECI KCFW KTVM
Main NBC Montana programming / NBC 13.1 9.1 6.1
Me-TV 13.2 9.2 6.2
This TV 13.3 9.3 6.3

Repeaters

On-air staff

Former staff

News/station presentation

Newscast titles

Station slogans

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References

External links