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KSPS-TV

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KSPS-TV
Channels
BrandingKSPS PBS
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerFriends of KSPS
History
First air date
April 24, 1967 (1967-04-24)
Former call signs
KSHD (CP, 1964–1966)
Former channel numbers
  • Analog: 7 (VHF, 1967–2009)
  • Digital: 8 (VHF, 2004–2009)
NET (1967–1970)
Call sign meaning
Spokane Public Schools, original licensee
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
61956
ERP45.1 kW
HAAT558 m (1,831 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
47°34′34″N 117°18′2″W / 47.57611°N 117.30056°W / 47.57611; -117.30056
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.ksps.org

KSPS-TV (channel 7), branded KSPS PBS, is a community-licensed PBS member television station in Spokane, Washington, United States. The station's studios are located on the campus of Joel E. Ferris High School on South Regal Street in the Southgate neighborhood of Spokane, and its transmitter is located on Krell Hill southeast of Spokane. A network of translators and carriage on cable television systems extends the station's reach into western Montana, northern Idaho, central Washington, and the Canadian province of Alberta.

KSPS-TV began broadcasting on April 24, 1967, as a service of its namesake, Spokane Public Schools. It aired locally produced daytime educational programs and evening programming from National Educational Television, forerunner to PBS. KSPS was the first educational station available to viewers in Alberta—Canadian viewers have historically represented about half of the station's contributions and revenue—and western Montana, which did not yet have an in-state service. Educational programming shifted off channel 7 in 1981, when the station cut local programming in response to budget cuts. In 1987, the station began production of Sit and Be Fit, an exercise series that went on to national distribution in its 35-year run.

Over time, the station grew more distant from the school board, and in 2013 KSPS was separated from Spokane Public Schools and spun off to Friends of KSPS, its fundraising arm. The station produces local public affairs, health and arts programming for the Spokane area.

History

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Early years

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Though channel 7 had been assigned for use by an educational TV station in Spokane, Washington, it was still unused by 1960, when Spokane Public Schools superintendent W. C. Sorenson reported that it was still available for the district to use and a committee was gathering information.[2] On December 13, 1961, the school board voted to permit planning activities for a television station,[3] which was projected to cover areas of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana.[4] In the meantime, some educational programming, such as a 15-minute course in German, aired on Spokane's commercial stations.[5] In 1963, the school board sent an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the new station.[6] A year later, after receiving a federal grant for funds to construct the facility, the commission granted the construction permit.[7][8]

KHQ-TV offered use of its tower site, and a studio was planned for construction at Joel E. Ferris High School.[9] The original call sign assigned to the permit was KSHD;[10] the school board was unhappy with this designation and sought to change it.[11] Among the three suggestions the board sent to the FCC was KSPS, for Spokane Public Schools.[12]

On April 24, 1967, KSPS-TV first signed on the air with a program on economics.[13][14] The station aired daytime educational programming and evening programming from National Educational Television (NET). The early local educational programs were in black and white to reduce the costs of production and outfitting the schools with television sets.[15] KSPS rapidly grew its broadcasting output; by September, it was on the air for 15 hours a day on weekdays, later launching evening telecasts on Saturday and Sunday.[16] The next year, it acquired an amplifier from KTTS-TV in Springfield, Missouri, to increase its power and coverage area.[17]

As an educational station, KSPS-TV's geographic scope was crimped by a decision made years prior. The microwave transmission company that provided television signals to many Central Washington towns such as Yakima, Moses Lake, and the Tri-Cities was already providing the educational programming of KCTS-TV in Seattle, and the school systems in those areas were already paying per-student fees to KCTS.[18] In 1970, PBS replaced the NET network.[19] In 1972, Friends of Seven was founded to provide community financial support to the station amid budget cuts stemming from a failed school levy vote.[20][21]

From educational to public

[edit]

Another budget cut crisis at Spokane Public Schools caused KSPS to lose $400,000 from its budget in 1981. As a result, the station began holding pledge drives and dropped the remaining educational programming from its broadcast schedule; these programs were instead provided on cable channels. The station went from producing regular public affairs shows to only several hours a month of local programming.[22] Friends of Seven began several campaigns that increased the station's membership base and were recognized with national awards.[23] After the cuts, the station's primary local program was the Northwest Profiles series.[24] In 1995, the station built a 17,000-square-foot (1,600 m2) expansion to its studio building.[25]

On November 29, 2006, ice and wind caused the top 200 feet (61 meters) of the station's antenna at the Krell Hill transmission site to collapse, disrupting its over-the-air signal though the station was still fed directly to cable systems.[26] A temporary antenna was installed within two weeks to restore service in most of the coverage area.[27] The mast was rebuilt to its full height in November 2007, during which time KSPS was unavailable to antenna users.[28]

Transition to community licensee

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Over time, the relationship between Spokane Public Schools and the operation of KSPS became indirect as the board focused on running the school system.[29] By 2009, Friends of Seven (renamed Friends of KSPS in 2010[21]) was the primary support vehicle for KSPS, though Spokane Public Schools contributed about $300,000 a year to the station.[30] In comparison, Friends of Seven had contributed $15 million over a decade to KSPS operations. Only five public television stations were still owned by school districts as stations were spun off for financial reasons. The imbalance led the school system to consider spinning out KSPS; a study found that the move could increase the station's cash flow.[31] On July 26 and 27, 2012, the boards of Spokane Public Schools and Friends of KSPS voted unanimously to approve the transfer.[32] The transfer was finalized in September 2013 after receiving FCC approval, and Gary Stokes was named general manager to replace Claude Kistler, who retired after 33 years as manager and 46 with the station.[33]

Stokes retired in 2025.[34] That year, the rescission by Congress of federal funding for public broadcasting cut 18 percent of the station's budget, resulting in six layoffs and pay cuts for six other employees.[35] Several local programs were shifted to produce fewer episodes.[36] Other federal impacts, including antagonism towards Canada, affected donations by KSPS's Canadian audience.[37]

Coverage outside of the Spokane area

[edit]

Alberta

[edit]

In 1971, Alberta Government Telephones (AGT) completed construction of a microwave link that brought the KSPS-TV signal to cable television systems in Calgary and Edmonton.[38][39] Service was extended to Lethbridge in 1977.[40] Alberta became a significant share of KSPS's viewer and donor base. In 1988, 62 percent of KSPS's individual donations and 40 percent of its corporate support originated from Alberta viewers and businesses.[41] Albertans were on KSPS's board of directors, and the station printed a program guide with Mountain Time schedules for its Alberta audience.[42] By 2009, Canadian contributions represented 51 to 52 percent of KSPS's support.[30]

In 1983, Edmonton cable company QCTV[43] and several Calgary cable systems sought to move KSPS to a higher channel that required a converter box to view, threatening the station's contribution base.[44] Later in the decade, CANCOM fought to take over the provision of American network service from AGT, which might have led to Detroit and Seattle network affiliates supplanting KSPS in Alberta, depriving the station of a critical source of revenue.[45]

Montana

[edit]

In 1970, Flathead Valley Community College built a UHF translator to provide KSPS-TV programming to Kalispell, Montana.[46][47] The signal was also sent by further repeaters to cable systems serving Missoula.[48] Schools in the area served by the translator, such as Libby, experimented with the use of KSPS-TV's educational programming.[49] (There was no standalone educational television station within Montana until KUSM in Bozeman began in 1984.[50]) KSPS was removed from Missoula cable in 1981 and restored in 1986,[51] with a new microwave link upgrading the quality of the signal fed to Kalispell.[52] In 1993, KSPS opened a UHF translator in Missoula.[21]

In 2012, Time Warner Cable in Kalispell and Missoula removed KSPS from its lineup to add Montana PBS, citing a desire to offer local and in-state services. In addition, KSPS had not been available in high definition but Montana PBS was. At the time, KSPS had 1,100 members in western Montana.[53][54]

Local programming

[edit]

Sit and Be Fit

[edit]
Further information: Sit and Be Fit

In 1987, KSPS began producing Sit and Be Fit, an exercise program aimed at seniors and wheelchair users hosted by Mary Ann Wilson. Wilson, who had taught chair exercise classes at local senior centers, wrote KSPS suggesting the series be adapted to television.[24] The first series of 30 episodes, put together within two weeks, was distributed to 34 stations, ensuring a renewal.[55] Within five years, it was airing on 50 to 60 public stations nationally,[22] and by 2014 it aired on more than 220 stations.[55] Sit and Be Fit remained in production through Wilson's retirement in 2023, at the age of 85.[56]

Other local programming

[edit]

Other local programs from KSPS include a series of features on local life and history, Northwest Profiles; Inland Sessions, recordings of local music and dance performances; the weekly hosted film series Saturday Night Cinema; At Issue, a public affairs series; and Health Matters, a health education program.[57]

Funding

[edit]

In fiscal year 2025, KSPS received revenue of $7,135,509, accounting for currency exchange loss from its Canadian contributions. Roughly 70% of funding came from individual contributions and bequests. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in its final year, contributed $1,264,779 (17.7%) of the budget.[57]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

KSPS-TV's transmitter is located on Krell Hill.[1] The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KSPS-TV[58]
Channel Res. Short name Programming
7.1 1080i KSPS-HD PBS
7.2 480i KSPS Wo World
7.3 720p KSPS Cr Create
7.4 480i KIDS PBS Kids

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

KSPS-TV began broadcasting a digital signal in 2004.[21] It ended regular programming on its analog signal, over VHF channel 7, on February 17, 2009, the original digital television transition date.[59] The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition VHF channel 8 (where its digital signal was originally slated to remain post-transition) to channel 7.[60]

Translators

[edit]

A network of translators rebroadcasts KSPS-TV's signal into parts of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana. Some transmitters do not broadcast all subchannels.[58][61]

Montana

[edit]

Idaho

[edit]

Oregon

[edit]

Washington

[edit]

Notes

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  1. ^ KSPS lists this transmitter as carrying all KSPS subchannels. RabbitEars lists it as carrying KSPS 7.1 and KUFM 11.1.
  2. ^ KSPS lists this transmitter as carrying all KSPS subchannels. RabbitEars lists it as carrying KSPS 7.1 plus KREM 2.1, KXLY-TV 4.1, and KAYU 28.1.
  3. ^ KSPS lists this transmitter as carrying all KSPS subchannels. RabbitEars lists it as carrying KSPS 7.1 on 4.4 plus other services, including KXLY-TV 4.1.
  4. ^ KSPS lists this transmitter as carrying all KSPS subchannels. RabbitEars lists it as carrying KHQ-TV.
  5. ^ KSPS says 14, which RabbitEars lists as carrying KXLY-TV.
  6. ^ KSPS says 24, which RabbitEars lists as carrying KAYU-TV.
  7. ^ KSPS says this transmitter broadcasts 7.1 and 7.3; RabbitEars says it broadcasts 7.1. Shared with KAYU-TV, which owns it.
  8. ^ KSPS says 9, which RabbitEars lists as carrying KHQ-TV.
  9. ^ KSPS says 8, which RabbitEars lists as carrying KAYU-TV.
  10. ^ KSPS says this transmitter broadcasts 7.1 through 7.4. RabbitEars says it broadcasts 7.1 through 7.3. Shared with KXLY-TV, which owns it.
  11. ^ KSPS says 8, which RabbitEars lists as carrying KHQ-TV.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Facility Technical Data for KSPS-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Educational TV Channel Open, School Board Told". The Spokesman-Review. November 10, 1960. p. 6. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  3. ^ "Board Gives Green Light for Educational Television". The Spokesman-Review. December 15, 1961. p. 10. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  4. ^ "Region to Benefit From School TV". Spokane Daily Chronicle. September 11, 1962. p. 5. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  5. ^ "Educational TV Channel Is Sought". The Spokesman-Review. December 29, 1962. p. 6. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  6. ^ "Educational TV Plan Told". Spokane Daily Chronicle. October 12, 1963. p. 1. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  7. ^ "History Cards for KSPS-TV". Federal Communications Commission.
  8. ^ "FCC Grants TV Permit". Spokane Daily Chronicle. October 16, 1964. p. 5. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  9. ^ Bond, Rowland (October 16, 1965). "School TV Deadline Near". Spokane Daily Chronicle. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  10. ^ "School TV Call Letters to Be KSHD". Spokane Daily Chronicle. January 20, 1966. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  11. ^ "High Cost of TV Station Concern to School Board". The Spokesman-Review. February 24, 1966. p. 6. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  12. ^ "Contract, Salaries Stir Board Debate". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 12, 1966. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  13. ^ "7 On the Air". Spokane Daily Chronicle. April 24, 1967. p. 5. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  14. ^ "Educational TV Station on Air Soon". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. April 21, 1967. p. 6. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "No Program Breaks: Educational TV Plans Told". Spokane Daily Chronicle. February 24, 1967. p. 12. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  16. ^ ""Acceptance Good": Educational TV to Extend Hours". Spokane Daily Chronicle. July 21, 1967. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  17. ^ "Board O.K.s Educational TV Outlay". Spokane Daily Chronicle. July 11, 1968. p. 5. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  18. ^ Bond, Rowland (March 18, 1970). "Competition Is First: Educational TV Gain Cited". Spokane Chronicle. p. 5. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  19. ^ "Does ETV hold key to fairness?" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 5, 1970. p. 50. ProQuest 1016855219. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  20. ^ Guilfoil, Michael (February 19, 2017). "Front & Center: As KSPS turns 50, Gary Stokes helps TV station keep moving forward". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  21. ^ a b c d "History". KSPS. Archived from the original on March 11, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  22. ^ a b Kershner, Jim (April 26, 1992). "A public affair". The Spokesman-Review. pp. Entertainment & Travel 4, 5. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  23. ^ "Public broadcasting's hazy future". The Spokesman-Review. June 26, 1983. pp. E12, E10. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  24. ^ a b Walton, Carolyn (August 27, 1987). "'Sit and Be Fit': KSPS-TV series focuses on exercise for seniors and the chair-bound". The Spokesman-Review. p. 6V. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  25. ^ "Funding Fear: Potential budget cuts concern public broadcasting stations". The Spokesman-Review. January 26, 1995. pp. D1, D8. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  26. ^ "Portion of KSPS tower collapses". The Spokesman-Review. November 30, 2006. p. B5. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  27. ^ Kershner, Jim (December 10, 2006). "Spokane's 'Home of the Brave' opens". The Spokesman-Review. pp. D3, D7. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  28. ^ "KSPS tower to be done this week". The Spokesman-Review. November 25, 2007. p. B8. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  29. ^ Hansen, Dan (July 4, 2008). "Public TV partnership: KSPS, school district facing challenges". The Spokesman-Review. pp. B1, B3. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  30. ^ a b Kershner, Jim (January 18, 2009). "Station Identification: Amid tough economic times, Spokane's public and community broadcasting stations take time to reevaluate their futures". The Spokesman-Review. pp. D1, D7. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  31. ^ Lawrence-Turner, Jody. "Schools, TV station consider cutting ties". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  32. ^ Lawrence-Turner, Jody (July 27, 2012). "KSPS board agrees to begin divorce talks with school district". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  33. ^ Sefton, Dru (September 25, 2013). "FCC approves transfer of KSPS to Friends organization". Current. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  34. ^ Wyllie, Julian (July 18, 2025). "Gary Stokes to retire as GM of KSPS PBS". Current. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  35. ^ McEvoy, Connor (January 9, 2026). "End of federal public broadcasting funds forces cuts at Spokane PBS station". KREM. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  36. ^ Barnett, Cannon (January 22, 2026). "As local broadcast stations like KSPS grapple with loss of federal funds, Washington lawmakers work to build state support". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  37. ^ Pauli, Hunter (October 23, 2025). "KWSU is going dark and KSPS lays off some staff after Trump and Congress cut public TV budget". The Inlander. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  38. ^ "Cable TV Ceremony Tonight". Calgary Herald. September 1, 1971. p. 22. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  39. ^ "Sherwood Park gets cable TV this month". Edmonton Journal. September 2, 1971. p. 36. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  40. ^ Waters, Jim (August 25, 1977). "Television and Radio". Edmonton Journal. p. 24. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  41. ^ Remington, Bob (September 27, 1989). "Albertans like KSPS because of Brit fare". Edmonton Journal. p. C16. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  42. ^ Remington, Bob (February 24, 1991). "Broadcast rivals in countdown to confrontation". Edmonton Journal. p. C3. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  43. ^ Remington, Bob (January 13, 1983). "QCTV subscribers win pay-TV issue". Edmonton Journal. p. C8. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  44. ^ Musselwhite, Bill (March 16, 1983). "City viewers to fight PBS switch". Calgary Herald. p. D9. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  45. ^ Remington, Bob (April 23, 1987). "Cable deal may be a killer for KSPS". Edmonton Journal. p. D7. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  46. ^ "FVCC To Construct Educational Television Rebroadcast System". The Daily Inter Lake. April 16, 1970. p. 1. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  47. ^ "Available in Three Counties: 10 School Officials Hear ITV Offerings Explained". The Missoulian. September 26, 1970. p. 7. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  48. ^ "Public TV proposed for Browning". The Daily Inter Lake. February 15, 1978. p. A-12. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  49. ^ "Educational television; One school uses ETV". Great Falls Tribune. December 24, 1975. p. 6. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  50. ^ "MSU to run educational TV station". Great Falls Tribune. Associated Press. September 17, 1984. p. 11. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  51. ^ Smith, Erik P. (April 10, 1986). "KSPS planning link to Western Montana". The Spokesman-Review. p. A7. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  52. ^ Black, Dan (November 23, 1986). "Group W doubles cable choices". The Daily Inter Lake. p. C1. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  53. ^ Albertson, Kristi (April 20, 2012). "Cable company dropping Spokane PBS station". The Daily Inter Lake. pp. A1, A3. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  54. ^ Devlin, Vince (April 10, 2012). "Cable provider switches tacks on PBS shows". The Missoulian. pp. A1, A5. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  55. ^ a b Curless, Erica (September 8, 2014). "'Sit and Be Fit' star continues to inspire nationwide audience". The Spokesman-Review. pp. C1, C3. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  56. ^ Barnett, Cannon (November 10, 2025). "'The symbol of fitness:' Sit and Be Fit star, Spokane's Mary Ann Wilson remembered for her dedication to health for all". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  57. ^ a b "Annual Report Fiscal Year 2024–25". KSPS. September 2025.
  58. ^ a b "TV Query for KSPS". RabbitEars. Archived from the original on April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  59. ^ Kershner, Jim (February 15, 2009). "Are you ready? TV shift arrives: Most stations drop analog Tuesday". The Spokesman-Review. pp. A1, A9. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  60. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  61. ^ "Translator Updates". KSPS. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
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