NBC Montana
 
|
|
| Type | Broadcast television network |
|---|---|
| Branding | NBC Montana MeTV Montana (DT2) |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | Regional |
| Founded | 1954 |
| Slogan | Getting the Facts Right |
| Headquarters | Missoula, Montana |
|
Broadcast area
|
Western Montana |
| Owner | Bonten Media Group |
|
Launch date
|
July 1, 1954 |
|
Picture format
|
1080i (HDTV) 480i (SDTV) |
| Affiliation |
NBC (secondary until 1965) MeTV (DT2) Movies! (DT3) |
| Affiliates | See list |
|
Former affiliations
|
Primary: CBS (1954–1965) Secondary: ABC (1954–1975, 1984–1991) DuMont (1954–1956) CBS (1965–1966, 1976–1984) PBS (per program, 1976–1984) DT3: This TV (until 2013) |
|
Official website
|
www |
NBC Montana is a network of three television stations in western Montana, all affiliated with NBC.
The flagship station is KECI-TV in Missoula, broadcasting on channel 13. It includes two semi-satellites: KCFW-TV, channel 9 in Kalispell and KTVM-TV, channel 6 in Butte. It also serves Bozeman via Class A translator KDBZ-CD, channel 42. KDBZ directly repeats KTVM.
The stations air the same programming most of the time, but KCFW and KTVM air their own commercials and identifications, as well as partially separate local newscasts.
The combined signal of the three full-power stations and numerous low-power transmitters provides at least Grade B coverage of approximately 45 percent of the state. The stations reach an estimated 200,000 households. The coverage area stretches from Salmon, Idaho through Helena to Bozeman in the east. It also includes parts of Alberta, Canada near the U.S.-Canada border.
KECI's studio is located on West Main Street in downtown Missoula, KCFW is based on 1st Avenue in downtown Kalispell, while KTVM is based on Dewey Avenue in Butte.
KECI hit the airwaves on July 1, 1954 as KGVO-TV, owned by Montana broadcasting pioneer Arthur Mosby along with KGVO radio (1290 AM). Originally, the station was a primary CBS affiliate, owing to its radio sister's long affiliation with CBS radio, but also carried programming from ABC and DuMont; it would lose DuMont when the network shut down in 1956. On December 1, 1956, the station's studios moved from its transmitter location into downtown Missoula (shared with KGVO radio on West Main Street), and concurrently changed its call letters to KMSO-TV. By 1957, KMSO had added a secondary affiliation with NBC. Mosby sold KGVO radio to Dale Moore in 1959, but held on to KMSO until 1964, when Moore bought channel 13 as well; upon taking over, he changed its call letters back to KGVO-TV.
...
Wikipedia