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KULR-TV
Channels
BrandingNonStop Local Billings
Programming
Affiliations8.1: NBC
8.2: SWX Right Now
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
March 15, 1958 (66 years ago) (1958-03-15)
Former call signs
KGHL-TV (1958–1963)
Former channel number(s)
Analog:
8 (VHF, 1958–2009)
ABC (1963–1987, secondary until 1969)
PBS (per program, 1970–1984)
Call sign meaning
Kulor (Color) Television
(calls were inaugurated with launch of color service)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID35724
ERP16 kW
HAAT191 m (627 ft)
Transmitter coordinates45°45′35.5″N 108°27′17.4″W / 45.759861°N 108.454833°W / 45.759861; -108.454833
Translator(s)K06FE-D 6 Miles City
K14RV-D 14 Forsyth
K31NW-D 31 Forsyth
K34OB-D 34 Howard
K50MY-D 25 Cody, WY
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.nonstoplocal.com/billings/
Satellite station
KYUS-TV
Channels
Brandingsee KULR-TV infobox
Programming
Affiliations3.1: NBC (as a sole station, 1970-1984; via KOUS, 1984–1987; via KULR-TV, 1998–present)
3.2: SWX Right Now
Ownership
Owner
OperatorCowles Company
(via time brokerage agreement)
History
First air date
August 29, 1969 (55 years ago) (1969-08-29)[2]
Former channel number(s)
Analog:
3 (VHF, 1969–2009)
Primary:
Independent (1969–1970)
ABC (via KOUS, 1987–1993; via KSVI, 1993-1996)
Fox (1996–1998)
Secondary:
Fox (1994-1995)
UPN/The WB (c. 1997–1998)
Call sign meaning
cayuse, a type of Native American pony[3][4]
Technical information[5]
Facility ID5237
ERP2.9 kW
HAAT30 m (98 ft)
Transmitter coordinates46°25′34″N 105°51′40″W / 46.42611°N 105.86111°W / 46.42611; -105.86111 (KYUS-TV)
Links
Public license information

KULR-TV (channel 8) is a television station in Billings, Montana, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by the Cowles Company. The station's studios are located on Overland Avenue in the Homestead Business Park section of Billings, and its transmitter is located on Coburn Hill southeast of downtown.

KYUS-TV (channel 3) in Miles City operates as a full-time satellite of KULR, covering areas of east-central Montana; this station's transmitter is located northwest of Miles City. KYUS is owned by The Marks Group, which also owns several radio stations in Montana, among other broadcasting properties. Cowles operates the station under a time brokerage agreement (TBA). KYUS is a straight simulcast of KULR; on-air references to KYUS are limited to Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-mandated hourly station identifications during newscasts and other programming. Aside from the transmitter, KYUS does not maintain any physical presence locally in Miles City. At one point known as the smallest network affiliate in the country, KYUS has largely served as a satellite of other stations since 1984, and has simulcast KULR since 1998. Marks Radio Group also owns KXGN-TV in Glendive, which broadcasts KULR's newscasts on a digital subchannel.

History

KULR-TV

Channel 8's first broadcast was on March 15, 1958, as KGHL-TV, an NBC affiliate owned by Midland Empire Broadcasting Company along with KGHL radio (AM 790).[6] The station's first studios were co-located with KGHL radio on North 30th Street in Billings.[7] Midland Empire Broadcasting sold KGHL-AM-TV to Crain-Snyder Television in 1962; Crain-Snyder immediately spun KGHL radio off to George C. Hatch, retaining KGHL-TV.[8] The following year, the new owners changed the station's call letters to KULR-TV,[9] which were a play on the word "color" as most programs in the mid-1960s started changing from being televised in black and white to color. During this time, most on-air verbal references to the station called it "Color 8."[7] KULR also added a secondary affiliation with ABC in 1963.[10] In the late 1960s, the station moved its studios to a new building adjacent to the transmitter on Coburn Road, southeast of downtown Billings.[7] Chicago-based Harriscope Broadcasting purchased the station in 1967 for $350,000.[11]

Harriscope agreed in 1967 to change the primary network affiliation for KULR-TV and KFBB-TV in Great Falls to ABC at the end of each station's existing affiliation contract;[12] KULR's switch took effect January 1, 1969, at which point NBC was relegated to secondary status.[13] Channel 8 then became the fourth primary ABC affiliate in Montana. This was very unusual for a two-station market, especially one as small as Billings. NBC wouldn't return to Billings on a full-time basis until KOUS-TV (channel 4, now KHMT), which signed on in 1980, became a primary NBC affiliate in 1982. From 1970 until KUSM in Bozeman (now part of Montana PBS) signed on in 1984, KULR aired some PBS programming, as Montana was one of the few states at the time that did not have a PBS member station of its own.

In spring 1981, KULR dumped the "Color 8" branding and became known as "Straight 8." During this time, its local newscast, Straight 8 Newsservice, featured anchor Dave Rye, sports director Larry Gebert, and weather forecaster Kit Carson. Other on-air reporters and weekend anchors at the time included Joni Earle, Monica Gayle, Kyle Safely, and David Smock. The station announced in September 1983 that it would build new studios on Overland Avenue in Billings;[7] KULR completed the move in 1984.[14]

Harriscope sold KULR-TV and KTWO-TV in Casper, Wyoming to Dix Communications in 1986 for $12.2 million.[15] In 1987, NBC wanted a stronger affiliate in the market, and quickly negotiated a return to KULR; the switch took effect that August.[16]

Dix Communications sold KULR-TV, along with KFBB-TV in Great Falls, to Max Media on June 16, 2004, for $12.25 million.[17][18] Dix chairman Robert Dix said that the sale made sense, as KULR and KFBB were the company's last two television stations.[19] On September 30, 2013, the Cowles Company announced that it would acquire Max Media's Montana television station cluster (comprising KULR and ABC affiliates KWYB in Butte, KFBB-TV in Great Falls, KHBB-LD in Helena and KTMF in Missoula) for $18 million.[20][21] The sale was completed on November 29.[22]

KYUS-TV

KYUS-TV went on the air August 29, 1969, under the ownership of Custer Broadcasting Corporation.[23] Originally an independent station, it joined NBC in 1970.[24] In its early years, KYUS was known as the smallest network affiliate in America.[25][26] The station's principal owner, David Rivenes, did the news, sports, weather and reporting himself[25] — he was also featured in the late-1970s on NBC's Real People and in TV Guide for his career. He also hosted much of the station's other local programming (which comprised up to five hours of the KYUS schedule) along with his wife, Ella;[25] in a 1980 interview with Sports Illustrated, Rivenes said that the local programs, which were broadcast in lieu of acquiring syndicated programming, were "what the FCC wants: real public service television."[26] During the station's early years, KYUS did not turn a profit, and was supported by Rivenes' title insurance business.[26] In 1984, the Riveneses sold KYUS to the owners of KOUS-TV for $200,000;[25] at that point, channel 3 became a satellite of KOUS[27] and the station's local programming was discontinued.[25] KYUS, along with KOUS, switched to ABC in 1987.[28] After KOUS shut down and moved its programming to KSVI (channel 6) in 1993, KYUS became a satellite of KSVI.[29]

As a satellite of KOUS-TV and KSVI, KYUS-TV was on the verge of closure several times, as the station generated insufficient revenue to cover its costs. In addition, the station's owner, Big Horn Communications, had difficulties listing KYUS for sale due to the size and location of Miles City; one media brokerage company, Blackburn & Company, said it was "economically impossible" for KYUS to operate as a standalone station. Ultimately, Big Horn sold the station to Stephen Marks in 1995. Marks originally proposed to operate KYUS as a satellite of KXGN-TV, his CBS and NBC affiliate in Glendive.[30] However, in 1996, KYUS became a Fox affiliate;[31] by 1997, channel 3 had also added secondary affiliations with UPN and The WB.[32] After two years with Fox, KYUS-TV became a satellite of KULR-TV under a time brokerage agreement on May 1, 1998.[33] The original agreement expired after ten years; KYUS-TV now broadcasts KULR-TV's programming under a series of informal agreements, receiving no payment and keeping no advertising income. Although the station generates no revenue of its own, Marks continues to operate it as a public service.[33][34]

News operation

In 2009, KULR began broadcasting its local newscasts in widescreen standard definition. KULR became the first television station in Montana to switch to full HD news operation during its 5 p.m. newscast on August 27, 2012. Studio cameras are currently still in 16:9 standard definition, however.

Since KULR's purchase by Cowles Publishing Company, the station adopted the "Right Now" branding and other elements standardized with its flagship station, KHQ-TV in Spokane (replacing its prior use of graphics used by the NBC Owned Television Stations). In October 2022, its newscasts were rebranded as NonStop Local, as part of a group-wide rebranding by Cowles.[35]

Notable former on-air staff

Technical information

Subchannels

The stations' digital signals are multiplexed:

Subchannels of KULR-TV and KYUS-TV
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
KULR-TV KYUS-TV KULR-TV KYUS-TV
8.1 3.1 1080i 16:9 KULR-HD KYUS-DT Main programming / NBC
8.2 3.2 KULRSWX SWX Right Now[36]

In February 2009, KULR, KTVQ and two other stations in the Billings market were refused FCC permission[37] to end analog broadcasts and operate as digital-only effective on the originally-scheduled February 17, 2009, date.[38]

KYUS began broadcasting in high definition in February 2018.

Translators

City of license Callsign Channel ERP HAAT Facility ID Transmitter coordinates Owner
Ashland K10AC-D 10 0.192 kW 247 m (810 ft) 53164 45°36′1.9″N 105°56′16.9″W / 45.600528°N 105.938028°W / 45.600528; -105.938028 (K10AC-D) Powder River County
Bridger, etc. K35JW-D 34 1.09 kW 91 m (299 ft) 168741 45°17′10.2″N 108°56′3.1″W / 45.286167°N 108.934194°W / 45.286167; -108.934194 (K35JW-D) Clarks Fork Valley TV District No. 1
Broadus K06AA-D 6 0.088 kW 93 m (305 ft) 53167 45°24′37.9″N 105°21′29.9″W / 45.410528°N 105.358306°W / 45.410528; -105.358306 (K06AA-D) Powder River County
Colstrip K09OY-D 9 0.021 kW −4 m (−13 ft) 12387 45°53′41.9″N 106°37′41″W / 45.894972°N 106.62806°W / 45.894972; -106.62806 (K09OY-D) Colstrip
K26OX-D 26 0.57 kW 348 m (1,142 ft) 187560 45°50′23.9″N 106°54′41.1″W / 45.839972°N 106.911417°W / 45.839972; -106.911417 (K26OX-D) Cowles Montana Media Company
Columbus K24FL-D 24 3.2 kW −124 m (−407 ft) 129406 45°37′36″N 109°15′39″W / 45.62667°N 109.26083°W / 45.62667; -109.26083 (K24FL-D)
Emigrant K21MA-D 21 1 kW −213 m (−699 ft) 190254 45°20′6.7″N 110°41′24.7″W / 45.335194°N 110.690194°W / 45.335194; -110.690194 (K21MA-D) Paradise Valley TV District
Forsyth K14RV-D 14 0.15 kW 63 m (207 ft) 187561 46°19′37.9″N 106°41′51.1″W / 46.327194°N 106.697528°W / 46.327194; -106.697528 (K14RV-D) Forsyth Community TV Relay System
K31NW-D 31 0.1 kW 19 m (62 ft) 187564 46°15′39.5″N 106°40′23.2″W / 46.260972°N 106.673111°W / 46.260972; -106.673111 (K31NW-D)
K33MC-D 33 0.352 kW 18 m (59 ft) 190011 46°15′39.5″N 106°40′23.2″W / 46.260972°N 106.673111°W / 46.260972; -106.673111 (K33MC-D)
Harlowton K13BE-D 13 0.031 kW 109 m (358 ft) 26142 46°19′51.8″N 109°43′32.6″W / 46.331056°N 109.725722°W / 46.331056; -109.725722 (K13BE-D) Harlowton TV Association
Howard K34OB-D 34 0.25 kW 68 m (223 ft) 187565 46°19′14.9″N 106°59′48.1″W / 46.320806°N 106.996694°W / 46.320806; -106.996694 (K34OB-D) Forsyth Community TV Relay System
Hysham K13PO-D 13 0.021 kW 107 m (351 ft) 67608 46°14′25.9″N 107°19′36.2″W / 46.240528°N 107.326722°W / 46.240528; -107.326722 (K13PO-D) Treasure County
Miles City K06FE-D 6 0.1 kW 34 m (112 ft) 35726 46°26′7.8″N 105°50′51.9″W / 46.435500°N 105.847750°W / 46.435500; -105.847750 (K06FE-D) Cowles Montana Media Company
Rosebud, etc. K10QZ-D 10 0.029 kW 32 m (105 ft) 190611 46°18′27.9″N 106°30′32″W / 46.307750°N 106.50889°W / 46.307750; -106.50889 (K10QZ-D) Forsyth Community TV Relay System
Roundup K31PY-D 31 0.016 kW 2 m (7 ft) 57762 46°28′1.8″N 108°33′52.4″W / 46.467167°N 108.564556°W / 46.467167; -108.564556 (K31PY-D) Roundup T.V. Tax District
White Sulphur Springs K07NU-D 7 0.09 kW 82 m (269 ft) 21711 46°27′43.7″N 110°51′24.7″W / 46.462139°N 110.856861°W / 46.462139; -110.856861 (K07NU-D) Meagher County Television District
Cody, WY K25OV-D 25 0.708 kW 472 m (1,549 ft) 51631 44°35′13.8″N 108°51′10.4″W / 44.587167°N 108.852889°W / 44.587167; -108.852889 (K25OV-D) Cowles Montana Media Company
Meeteetse, WY K17KC-D 17 1.3 kW 66 m (217 ft) 51629 44°12′43.8″N 108°51′32.4″W / 44.212167°N 108.859000°W / 44.212167; -108.859000 (K17KC-D)

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KULR-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says KYUS signed on August 29, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on September 1.
  3. ^ Kennedy, Ray. "The Man Who Brought Surfing to Montana Archived January 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine", Sports Illustrated. September 15, 1980. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  4. ^ Wishart, David J. (2004). Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Archived May 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. University of Nebraska Press. p. 505. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  5. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KYUS-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  6. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1959 (PDF). 1959. p. B-50. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 28, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d Johnson, John C. "KGHL TV / KULR TV Channel 8 Billings Photos". John in Arizona. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  8. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 24, 1962. p. 67. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  9. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 4, 1963. p. 78. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  10. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1964 (PDF). 1964. p. A-36. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  11. ^ "Changing hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 13, 1967. p. 66. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 27, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  12. ^ "Two Harriscope stations affiliate with ABC-TV" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 16, 1967. p. 63. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  13. ^ "Media reports" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 23, 1968. p. 40. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 27, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  14. ^ "KULR-8 History". KULR-8 Television. Archived from the original on December 11, 2004. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  15. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 3, 1986. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  16. ^ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 9, 1987. p. 145. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  17. ^ BIA Financial Networks (October 12, 2003). "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  18. ^ "Application Search Details". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  19. ^ Falstad, Jan (September 30, 2003). "KULR sold; ABC-6/Fox-4 drop local news". Billings Gazette. Archived from the original on January 1, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  20. ^ Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License Archived December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine "Federal Communications Commission", October 1, 2013
  21. ^ Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License Archived December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine "Federal Communications Commission", October 1, 2013
  22. ^ "CDBS Print". Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  23. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1971 (PDF). 1971. p. A-35. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  24. ^ "Media reports" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 29, 1970. p. 39. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  25. ^ a b c d e "David, Ella Rivenes". Great Falls Tribune. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  26. ^ a b c Kennedy, Ray (September 15, 1980). "The man who brought surfing to Montana". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  27. ^ Fahber, Bill (September 1985). "Television News" (PDF). VHF-UHF Digest. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  28. ^ Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook 1989 (PDF). 1989. p. C-38. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  29. ^ Smith, Doug (August 1993). "TV News" (PDF). VHF-UHF Digest. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  30. ^ Caton, William F. (February 27, 1995). "In re Application of Big Horn Communications, Inc. (Assignor) and KYUS Broadcasting Corporation (Assignee) For Consent to Assign the License for Station KYUS-TV, Channel 3 Miles City, Montana" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  31. ^ Smith, Doug (July 1996). "TV News" (PDF). VHF-UHF Digest. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  32. ^ Smith, Doug (July 1997). "TV News" (PDF). VHF-UHF Digest. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  33. ^ a b "Time Brokerage Agreement" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. April 29, 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  34. ^ "Re: KYUS-TV Broadcasting Corporation … Response to Staff Letter Dated September 5, 2014" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. September 22, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  35. ^ "Washington, Montana stations consolidate under 'NonStop Local' brand". NewscastStudio. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  36. ^ "SWX on TV". KULR8.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  37. ^ NBC News
  38. ^ "News". Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
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