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KTVQ

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Not to be confused with KQTV, WTVQ, or TVQ.
This article is about the TV station in Billings, Montana. For the defunct television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, see KTVQ (Oklahoma City).

KTVQ
Channels
BrandingQ2; MTN News
Programming
NetworkMontana Television Network
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
November 9, 1953
(70 years ago) (1953-11-09)
Former call signs
KOOK-TV (1953–1972)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 2 (VHF, 1953–2009)
  • DuMont (1953–1955/6)
  • NBC (secondary, 1953–1958 and 1968–1982)
  • ABC (secondary, 1953–1968)
  • PBS (per program, 1970–1984)
  • The CW (DT2, 2006–2023)
Technical information[3]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID35694
ERP26.1 kW
HAAT180 m (591 ft)
Transmitter coordinates45°46′0.9″N 108°27′28.8″W / 45.766917°N 108.458000°W / 45.766917; -108.458000
Translator(s)see § Translators
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.ktvq.com

KTVQ (channel 2) is a television station in Billings, Montana, United States, affiliated with CBS. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, it is part of the Montana Television Network, a statewide network of CBS-affiliated stations. KTVQ's studios are located on Third Avenue North in Billings, and its transmitter is located on Sacrifice Cliff southeast of downtown.

Channel 2 began broadcasting as KOOK-TV on November 9, 1953. It was the first station in Billings and the third in the state of Montana, built by radio station KOOK; it was a CBS affiliate from the outset. The Montana Network, the original owner, sold the KOOK stations to Joe Sample in 1956, and they moved into the present KTVQ studios in 1959. Sample's acquisitions of KXLF-TV in Butte 1961 and KRTV in Great Falls in 1969 formed the basis of the Montana Television Network; KOOK radio was sold off in 1973, and channel 2 changed its call sign to KTVQ.

While the network was nominally headquartered in Billings, the network's split regional news format used Great Falls as a hub. As a result of the newscast style implemented by Sample, channel 2 sank in the local news ratings against the all-local newscasts on competitor KULR-TV. Coinciding with Sample's sale of the MTN stations to SJL, Inc., in 1984, the network newscasts shifted to Billings and were eventually phased out altogether. In 1987, KTVQ overtook KULR-TV in local news ratings and became the dominant station in the market.

History

[edit]

The Montana Network, owner of radio station KOOK (970 AM), applied on December 13, 1952, for a construction permit to build a new TV station on channel 2 in Billings, which was granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on February 4, 1953.[4] The turnaround time was short considering that Robert S. Howard, who owned Scripps-associated radio and newspaper holdings in Utah and Idaho, had also applied for channel 2,[5] but his firm dropped its bid and cleared the way for The Montana Network. KOOK had already revealed it had held an option for two years to build a transmitter site on Coburn Hill.[6] Ground was broken on the studio and transmitter facilities there in early June,[7] and programming from KOOK-TV began on November 9, 1953.[8] It was the third station in the state: Butte's KXLF-TV had begun in August, and a second station, KOPR-TV, had started there at about the same time.[9] KOOK-TV was affiliated with CBS, ABC and the DuMont Television Network at launch.[10]

In December 1956, Joseph Sample acquired majority control of KOOK radio and television from its previous ownership, headed by Charles L. Crist, a state representative.[11] A year later, KOOK broke ground on a new radio and television center in downtown Billings, which was completed in 1959;[12] three homes were moved off the property before construction began.[13] By the time the building was completed, a second television station, KGHL-TV (channel 8, now KULR-TV), had begun in 1958.[14]

Sample later expanded his holdings across the state. In 1961, he acquired KXLF in Butte;[9] in 1969, he purchased KRTV in Great Falls, giving his Garryowen Broadcasting coverage of half the state's population.[15] The Montana Television Network was formed that same year[16] from these stations and KPAX-TV in Missoula, which was built in 1970. In 1972, seeking to get ahead of a proposed FCC rule that would have barred radio-television cross-ownership, Sample sold KOOK radio;[17] the call letters were retained by the radio station, and the television station changed its call sign to KTVQ on September 1, 1972. The new designation was chosen because the station had exhausted its preferred options, it was available, "Q2" (which became the station's moniker) was a branding option, and due to a since-repealed FCC regulation prohibiting TV and radio stations in the same market, but with different ownership, from sharing the same call signs.[18]

In 1968, channel 2 picked up a secondary affiliation with NBC after KULR opted to take a primary affiliation with ABC. The two stations shared NBC programming, though KTVQ retained right of first refusal. In 1979, for instance, KTVQ aired 17 CBS prime time shows and 10 from NBC; ABC shows were all seen on KULR, which rounded out its schedule with five additional shows not cleared by KTVQ.[19] In 1980, KTVQ became a primary CBS affiliate.[20] KOUS (channel 4) launched late that year and immediately took all NBC programming that KTVQ did not clear; NBC fare aired by KTVQ at the time included The Today Show, The Tonight Show, and several prime time shows, and some of these programs lasted on channel 2 until KTVQ's NBC affiliation contract ended in 1982 and KOUS-TV became the NBC affiliate.[21][22]

After nearly 27 years owning KTVQ and feeling "burned out" with television, Sample sold the Montana Television Network in 1983 to SJL Broadcasting.[23] Evening Post Industries (through its Cordillera Communications subsidiary) bought KTVQ in 1994 for $8.5 million;[24] this reunited the station with the rest of MTN, which Evening Post had purchased in 1986.[25] Scripps closed on its purchase of the Cordillera broadcast properties, including MTN, in 2019.[26]

News operation

[edit]

In 1971, MTN instituted a hybrid local-regional newscast format. The network news was presented from Great Falls, as that was the only place that could receive feeds from all of the MTN stations at the same time; the Billings, Butte, and (from 1977) Missoula stations presented local news inserts into the statewide program.[27] However, in Billings, KTVQ had long been the second-place news finisher behind KULR-TV.[28]

One of Sample's last acts as owner of MTN, at the same time he sold the network to Lilly, was to move production of MTN News from Great Falls to Billings in hopes that it would improve MTN's laggard position in the Billings news ratings. Ed Coghlan, who had been the lead anchor from Great Falls, was replaced by Dean Phillips.[29] The order of the newscast was changed to put the local inserts first,[30] and MTN's long-running Today in Montana—which also originated in Great Falls—added news and weather segments aired from Billings.[31] Despite the use of longer interview segments and in-depth reports, Phillips's style was often seen as too big-city for Montanans; Vic Bracht of The Billings Gazette cited an "arrogance factor" that became known even to people who did not watch MTN.[32] Phillips was replaced by Gus Koernig, and the station's ratings immediately improved. In February 1987, both Arbitron and Nielsen found KTVQ to be beating KULR-TV in all time slots.[33] By 1997, KTVQ enjoyed a two-to-one ratings advantage over its competitor for its early evening newscast.[34]

In 1995, President Bill Clinton visited Billings and KTVQ, where he conducted a televised town hall meeting.[35]

In 1990, KTVQ's newscasts began to be seen on KXGN-TV (channel 5) in Glendive when that station joined MTN.[36]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KTVQ[37]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
2.1 1080i 16:9 KTVQ-DT CBS
2.2 720p MTN Independent (MTN)
2.3 480i GRIT Grit
2.4 DEFY Ion Plus
2.5 Scripps Scripps News
2.6 HSN HSN

In February 2009, the four major commercial stations in the Billings market were refused FCC permission to end analog broadcasts and operate as digital-only effective on the originally-scheduled February 17, 2009, date.[38]

Translators

[edit]

KTVQ is additionally rebroadcast over the following 27 dependent low-power translators:[39]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Channel Substitution/Community of License Change". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  2. ^ "Report & Order" (PDF). Media Bureau, Federal Communications Commission. April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  3. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KTVQ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  4. ^ FCC History Cards for KTVQ
  5. ^ "Third TV Permit Asked for Billings". The Billings Gazette. December 19, 1952. p. 5. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  6. ^ "Firm Withdraws TV Application". The Billings Gazette. February 3, 1953. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  7. ^ "TV Programs To Open in Fall: Crist Sets Sept. 1 As Starting Date". The Billings Gazette. June 5, 1953. p. 17. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  8. ^ "TV Station Has First Local Show". The Billings Gazette. November 10, 1953. p. 5. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "KXLF-TV marks 25th anniversary". The Montana Standard. August 20, 1978. p. 25. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  10. ^ "Billings Television Station to Go on Air". The Independent Record. Associated Press. November 9, 1953. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  11. ^ "FCC Okays Stock Transfer Of KOOK-TV". Great Falls Tribune. Associated Press. December 14, 1956. p. 4. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  12. ^ "Company Will Construct Office Building: Firm to Erect Radio-TV Center". The Billings Gazette. December 4, 1957. p. 17. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  13. ^ "Tales of the Town". The Billings Gazette. January 1, 1958. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  14. ^ "Station to Start Area Telecasts". The Billings Gazette. Billings, Montana. March 14, 1958. p. 3. Retrieved April 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "FCC Okays Sale of Falls TV Station to KOOK Owners". The Billings Gazette (Evening ed.). March 13, 1969. p. 36. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  16. ^ "Three outlets set up Montana TV network" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 27, 1969. pp. 54–55. ProQuest 1016855989. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  17. ^ "KOOK radio to be sold". The Billings Gazette (Evening ed.). May 8, 1972. p. 8. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  18. ^ Bragg, Addison (September 6, 1972). "A fish story to end them all". The Billings Gazette. p. 13. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  19. ^ Gearino, Daniel (April 13, 1979). "What he picks is what you watch". The Billings Gazette. p. 4-D. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  20. ^ "The affiliation switches continue" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 23, 1980. ProQuest 962739799. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  21. ^ Thackeray, Lorna (November 7, 1980). "New station offers variety, old favorites". The Billings Gazette. pp. 12-D and 13-D. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  22. ^ "NBC Lands Primary Affiliate In Montana". Variety. April 28, 1982. p. 59. ProQuest 1438363102.
  23. ^ Ragan, Mark (October 12, 1983). "'Burned out' owner sells TV stations". The Billings Gazette. pp. 1A, 12A. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  24. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. Vol. 124, no. 1. January 3, 1994. p. 48. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  25. ^ "3 Montana TV stations to be sold". The Billings Gazette. September 20, 1986. p. 7-A. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  26. ^ Eggerton, John (April 5, 2019). "FCC OKs Scripps Purchase of Cordillera Stations". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  27. ^ Johnson, Charles S. (December 29, 1985). "In Great Falls: Ratings flip-flop with loss of Coghlan, move to Billings". The Great Falls Tribune. pp. 1-E, 4-E. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  28. ^ Johnson, Charles S. (December 29, 1985). "And in Billings: MTN station still No. 2, but gaining ground on front-runner". The Great Falls Tribune. pp. 1-E, 4-E. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  29. ^ Meyers, Christene (September 21, 1984). "MTN battles for ratings with new news anchor". The Billings Gazette. p. 9-B. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  30. ^ "Former KFBB-TV newsman named as new MTN anchor". Great Falls Tribune. September 25, 1984. p. 7-A. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  31. ^ "Old show gets new name". Great Falls Tribune. January 7, 1986. p. 4-A. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  32. ^ Bracht, Vic (July 18, 1986). "Say goodnight, Dean; we for you are gone". The Billings Gazette. p. 4-B. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  33. ^ Gaub, Dennis (March 26, 1987). "KTVQ tops Arbitron rating period in city". The Billings Gazette. p. 1B. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  34. ^ Falstad, Jan (August 26, 1997). "Newshound: National search for TV news director finds native". The Billings Gazette. p. 7A. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  35. ^ "City sets stage for Clinton". The Billings Gazette. May 31, 1995. p. 1A, 7A. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  36. ^ "Glendive TV station joins MTN". The Billings Gazette. March 9, 1990. p. 5-B. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  37. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for KTVQ". rabbitears.info. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  38. ^ Falstad, Jan (February 13, 2009). "Maintain analog, FCC tells TV stations". The Billings Gazette. p. 1A, 7A. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  39. ^ "List of TV Translator Input Channels". Federal Communications Commission. July 23, 2021. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
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