Pioneer Public TV

KWCM-TV / KSMN-TV
KWCM: Appleton, Minnesota
KSMN: Worthington, Minnesota
Branding Pioneer Public Television
Slogan Proudly Serving (area town)
Channels Digital: KWCM: 10 (VHF)
Virtual: 10 (PSIP)
Digital: KSMN: 15 (UHF)
Virtual: 20 (PSIP)
Subchannels (see article)
Translators K20JY-D 20 Olivia
K27KN-D 27 Alexandria
K30AF 30 Alexandria
K44AE-D 44 Willmar
K49FA-D 49 Fergus Falls
Affiliations PBS
Owner West Central Minnesota Educational Television Company
First air date KWCM: January 21, 1966[1]
KSMN: March 2, 1997
Call letters' meaning

KWCM:
West
Central
Minnesota

KSMN:
Southern MiNnesota
Former channel number(s) KWCM:
10 (VHF, analog, 1966–2009)
KSMN:
20 (UHF analog, 1997–2009)
KWCM:
31 (UHF digital, –2009)
Former affiliations NET (1966–1970)
Transmitter power

KWCM:
50 kW (digital)

KSMN:
200 kW (digital)
Height

KWCM:
381 m (digital)

KSMN:
290.1 m (digital)
Facility ID KWCM: 71549
KSMN: 71558
Transmitter coordinates KWCM:
45°10′3″N 96°0′2″W / 45.16750°N 96.00056°W / 45.16750; -96.00056 (KWCM-TV)
KSMN:
43°53′52″N 95°56′50″W / 43.89778°N 95.94722°W / 43.89778; -95.94722 (KSMN)
Website www.pioneer.org

KWCM-TV is the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member Public television station for southwest and west-central Minnesota. The station is licensed to the town of Appleton, and airs on digital channel 10, which is also its virtual channel. It operates a full-time satellite, KSMN-TV (digital channel 15, virtual channel 20) in Worthington. It is operated by the West Central Minnesota Educational Television Company.

Together, the two stations are known as Pioneer Public Television. Signals from the stations can also be received in parts of Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota. Several other translators carry the signal into other communities.

KWCM went on the air for the first time on February 7, 1966. In the early years, it repeated the signal of KTCA-TV in the Twin Cities. It adopted the Pioneer Public Television name in 1982, and added KSMN in 1997.

KSMN is available on the Sioux Falls DirecTV and Dish Network feeds, as Worthington is part of the Sioux Falls market. KWCM is currently working on making its signal available to satellite subscribers in the Twin Cities market.[2]

KWCM and KSMN's broadcasts are now digital-only, effective 9pm June 12, 2009.[3]

Digital channels

Channel Video Aspect PSIP short name Programming
xx.1 720p 16:9 KWCM-HD/KSMN-HD Main programming / PBS
xx.2 480i 4:3 Create Create
xx.3 KWCM-MN/KSMN-MN Minnesota Channel
xx.4 KWCM-DT/KSMN-DT PBS World
xx.5 Kids PBS Kids

Pioneer-produced shows

Some locally produced shows include Postcards, Prairie Sportsman, Funtime Polka, Your Legislators, Country Spires and programs produced with the University of Minnesota Morris, Prairie Yard and Garden, Academic Challenge, Echoes of Cry of the Marsh and Minnesota Rivers and Fields. Some of these shows have also been shown on the Minnesota Channel, a statewide network originated at KTCI 17 Twin Cities which carries local programs on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Broadcast Translators

A network of digital translators in western Minnesota extends the reach of the primary KWCM and KSMN signals.

References

  1. ↑ The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says KWCM signed on February 7, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on January 21.
  2. ↑ Per Pioneer Public TV's Facebook page, November 16, 2011.
  3. ↑ http://www.morrissuntribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=16452&section=News
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