View source for KBTC-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Tacoma, Washington}}
{{distinguish|KTBC (TV)}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|KTPS-TV|KPTS}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox television station dual
| logo = KBTC PBS logo 2021.png
| logo_size = 220px
| logo_alt = KBTC logo
| branding = KBTC PBS
| translators = ''see {{section link||Translators}}''
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''28.1/15.1:''' [[PBS]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| country = US
| owner = [[Bates Technical College]]
| former_affiliations = [[National Educational Television|NET]] (1961–1970)
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{Official URL}}
| name1 = KBTC-TV
| name2 = KCKA
| city1 = [[Tacoma]]–[[Seattle]], Washington
| virtual1 = 28
| former_channel_numbers1 = '''Analog:''' 62 (UHF, 1961–1982), 28 (UHF, 1982–2009)
| former_callsigns1 = {{ubl|KTPS (1961–1979)|KTPS-TV (1979–1980)|KTPS (1980–1992)}}
| facility_id1 = 62469
| digital1 = 27 ([[UHF]])
| airdate1 = {{start date and age|1961|9|25|p=y}}
| coordinates1 = {{coord|47|16|43.4|N|122|30|46.4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| haat1 = {{ubl|{{convert|220|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}|{{convert|231|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} (CP)}}
| erp1 = {{ubl|100 [[kW]]|575 kW ([[construction permit|CP]])}}
| callsign_meaning1 = Bates Technical College
| digital2 = 19 (UHF)
| virtual2 = 15
| airdate2 = {{start date and age|1982|10|2|p=y}}
| city2 = [[Centralia, Washington]]
| callsign_meaning2 = Centralia, [[Kelso, Washington|Kelso]] and [[Aberdeen, Washington|Aberdeen]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518648/plan-to-end-school-tv-flap-due-sooncros/|date=January 1, 1981|accessdate=August 31, 2021|title=Plan to end school TV flap due soon—Cross|first=Betty|last=Anderson|work=Tacoma News Tribune|page=A-5}}</ref>
| former_channel_numbers2 = '''Analog:''' 15 (UHF, 1982–2009)
| erp2 = {{ubl|187 kW|353 kW (CP)}}
| haat2 = {{convert|347|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id2 = 62468
| coordinates2 = {{coord|46|33|15|N|123|3|30|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KCKA}}
}}

'''KBTC-TV''' (channel 28) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[Tacoma, Washington]], United States, serving the [[Seattle]] area as a member of [[PBS]]. Owned by [[Bates Technical College]]. KBTC-TV maintains studios and transmitter facilities separately in Tacoma, with studios on South 19th Street and the transmitter on North 35th Street. KBTC-TV is also broadcast on '''KCKA''' (channel 19) in [[Centralia, Washington|Centralia]], serving areas to the south and west of the Tacoma transmitter, and three other translators, one of them in central Seattle.

KBTC-TV is the secondary PBS member for the Seattle–Tacoma market. Through PBS' Program Differentiation Plan, KBTC-TV carries only 25% of the programming broadcast by the network.<ref>{{Cite report |title=PBS Member Station Membership Certification and Agreement |date=June 22, 2023 |url=https://www.kbtc.org/bento-api/filer-file-download/313717/ |publisher=KBTC-TV |access-date=March 19, 2024}}</ref> The market's primary PBS member, [[KCTS-TV]] (channel 9) in Seattle, carries the remaining 75%. In addition to reaching a local over-the-air audience, KBTC-TV is available on [[Xfinity|Comcast]] [[cable television|Cable]] in Seattle, [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]], [[Everett, Washington|Everett]], and in many areas of southwestern Washington.

KBTC-TV was established by [[Tacoma Public Schools]] as KTPS on UHF channel 62 in 1961. A major facility upgrade in the early 1980s moved the station down the UHF dial to channel 28 and increased its broadcast range by adding a translator station. KTPS became KBTC after Bates Technical College was split from the school system in 1991.

==History==
[[File:KBTC.svg|thumb|200px|Former KBTC logo used from 2001 to 2021.]]
The station signed on the air September 25, 1961, as KTPS, owned by the [[Tacoma Public Schools]] (licensed under the district's official name, "Tacoma School District No. 10").<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518294/ktps-educational-tv-to-premiere-tomorrow/|accessdate=August 31, 2021|date=September 24, 1961|work=Tacoma News Tribune|page=C-16|title=KTPS Educational TV to Premiere Tomorrow}}</ref> Broadcasting on channel 62 from studios at the Vocational Technical Institute in Tacoma,<ref>{{cite news|title=Tacoma Education Channel 62 Will Beam First Program to Classrooms September 25|work=Tacoma News-Tribune|page=A-12|date=September 10, 1961|accessdate=August 31, 2021|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518345/tacoma-education-channel-62-will-beam-fi/}}</ref> the station broadcast with 21,400 watts and provided instructional programming to the schools in the district as well as evening programs from [[National Educational Television]]. In 1967, KTPS boosted its power to 337,000 watts, making it the most powerful UHF station in the Northwest,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518398/tacoma-educational-tv-returns-monday/|accessdate=August 31, 2021|date=September 10, 1967|title=Tacoma Educational TV Returns Monday|page=Magazine 22|work=Tacoma News Tribune}}</ref> and received money to begin producing local programs in color in 1974.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518440/all-color-on-ktps/|accessdate=August 31, 2021|title=All color at KTPS|date=July 21, 1974|page=TV Spotlight 15|work=Tacoma News Tribune}}</ref> The station, like all NET stations, joined its successor network, PBS upon its start on October 5, 1970.

In 1980, when Kelly Broadcasting settled with a citizens' group to return [[KCPQ]] (channel 13) to commercial status, one of the beneficiaries was KTPS. Since Kelly intended to move KCPQ's transmitter to [[Gold Mountain (Washington)|Gold Mountain]] in [[Bremerton]] (thus increasing its signal range), it donated its previous transmitter tower near [[Ruston, Washington|Ruston]] to KTPS.<ref name="whole">{{Cite news |last=Webster |first=Kerry |date=December 14, 1975 |title=Whole new life for Channel 13 |pages=TV Spotlight 2, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83957539/whole-new-life-kpec-ktvw-kcpq/ 15] |work=Tacoma News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83957467/whole-new-life-for-channel-13/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=August 25, 2021 |archive-date=August 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825233512/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83957467/whole-new-life-for-channel-13/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The station was also beginning a new quest to move down the dial to a lower channel number than 62 in order to use more signal at less cost. It originally filed for Tacoma's channel 20 but bowed out in a settlement agreement with another applicant, who won the construction permit; that station would eventually become [[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]] [[O&O]] [[KTBW-TV]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518512/two-tv-channel-applicants-drop-out/|accessdate=August 31, 2021|title=Two TV channel applicants drop out|page=A-6|work=Tacoma News Tribune|date=May 5, 1981}}</ref> The station was instead approved to move to channel 28 from the former KCPQ tower, having bought a UHF transmitter from [[Nebraska Educational Television]]; the technical upgrade came just as KTPS's original tower was blown down in a windstorm in February 1982 and the station was operating at severely reduced power in the interim period.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518539/channel-62-will-become-28-with-new-towe/|accessdate=August 31, 2021|title=Channel 62 will become 28 with new tower|first=Jack|last=Pyle|work=Tacoma News Tribune|date=September 18, 1981|page=B-6}}</ref>

The move from channel 62 to 28 took place in September 1982; shortly after on October 2, the station launched a full-power satellite southward in Centralia, KCKA on channel 15, thus increasing the station's reach in Western Washington.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518608/ktps-tv-on-air-as-channel-28/|accessdate=August 31, 2021|page=A-14|title=KTPS-TV on air as Channel 28|work=Tacoma News Tribune|date=September 21, 1982}}</ref> In 1986, the station registered in the Nielsen ratings for the first time in its 25-year history; the next year, an upgraded transmitter expanded the station's signal range again, being receiveable now as far north as [[Everett, Washington|Everett]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518692/ktps-tv-able-to-turn-on-more-viewers/|accessdate=August 31, 2021|title=KTPS-TV able to 'turn on' more viewers|work=Tacoma News Tribune|date=March 30, 1987|first=Kim|last=Severson}}</ref>

In 1991, the [[Washington State Legislature]] split technical colleges like Bates Technical College, where KTPS was housed, from the school districts with which they were affiliated.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84518765/|title=Parting of technical colleges from school districts is painful|accessdate=August 31, 2021|date=July 18, 2021|first=Art|last=Popham|page=B4|work=Tacoma News Tribune}}</ref> As a result, KTPS' license was transferred to Bates Technical College, who changed the callsign to KBTC on October 12, 1992. When [[KSTW]] announced it would move to a new studio in Renton, it put its old studios in Tacoma up for sale. Bates made a move to purchase the studios to gain additional studio and production space.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84576527/bates-seeks-to-buy-kstw-studio/|accessdate=September 1, 2021|first=David|last=Wickert|work=Tacoma News Tribune|title=Bates seeks to buy KSTW studio|date=September 10, 1999|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84576558/kstw/ B3]}}</ref> The legislature approved the financing necessary to make the purchase in March 2000,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84576585/bates-can-buy-kstw-studio/|accessdate=September 1, 2021|date=March 23, 2000|title=Bates can buy KSTW studio|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84576636/bates/ B7]|first=David|last=Wickert|work=Tacoma News Tribune}}</ref> and KBTC moved in in late 2001.<ref>{{cite news|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84576662/television/ A8]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84576680/local-news-may-return-soon-on-kstw-tv/|title=Local news may return soon on KSTW-TV|date=August 11, 2001|accessdate=September 1, 2021|first=David|last=Wickert|work=Tacoma News Tribune}}</ref> In 2016, Bates converted the facility into a campus, the Central/Mohler Campus, by opening a second building, the Advanced Technology Center.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Santos |first=Melissa |date=January 31, 2016 |title=Bates Technical College marks 75 years in Tacoma with new building, big plans  |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article56943813.html |access-date=September 1, 2021}}</ref>

KBTC-TV and KCKA ended regular programming on their analog signals, over [[UHF]] channels 28 and 15, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States [[Digital television transition in the United States|transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate.<ref>{{cite web|title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds|url=https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=June 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf|archive-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=APPENDIX B: ALL FULL-POWER TELEVISION STATIONS BY DMA, INDICATING THOSE TERMINATING ANALOG SERVICE BEFORE ON OR FEBRUARY 17, 2009.|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A5.pdf|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref> The stations' digital signals remained on its pre-transition [[UHF]] channel 27 (KBTC-TV) and 19 (KCKA), using [[virtual channel|virtual channels]] 19 and 15.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |access-date=July 15, 2024}}</ref> The FCC allowed KBTC-TV and KCKA to run a [[Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act|DTV nightlight service]] until July 10, 2009.<ref name="FCC Nightlight">{{cite web|url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-291375A1.pdf|title=UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=June 12, 2009|access-date=May 25, 2024}}</ref> The DTV nightlight program consisted of an episode of ''This Old House'' which provided information regarding the digital television transition, which looped until the analog signal was turned off.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/A10E2r7fUJk Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20240715114750/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A10E2r7fUJk Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A10E2r7fUJk | title = KBTC 28 Tacoma Analog Sign-off ("Nightlight") | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On November 1, 2009, KBTC began broadcasting in [[1080i]] [[high-definition television|HD]] on 28.1, with [[MHz Worldview]] appearing on subchannel 28.2. A [[documentary]] channel was broadcast on 28.3 and [[Create (TV network)|Create]] on 28.4, but was soon removed due to the increased bandwidth required for the HD broadcast on 28.1.

On May 15, 2010, K24IC-D began broadcasting in 1080i HD from [[Mount Constitution]]. On December 6, 2010, KBTC added [[TVW (Washington)|TVW]] on subchannel 28.3.

On June 19, 2012, KBTC added a low power, 1&nbsp;kW transmitter on channel&nbsp;16 to serve Seattle.

On January 28, 2016, KBTC added [[NHK World]] on subchannel 28.2. MHz Worldview was shifted to 28.3, and TVW moved to 28.4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kbtc.org/page.php?id=1715|title=KBTC Public Television - KBTC 28.2 - NHK WORLD|access-date=August 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003134901/http://www.kbtc.org/page.php?id=1715|archive-date=October 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On November 7, 2017, K24IC-D suffered a prolonged transmitter outage due to a hardware failure. The transmitter resumed operation on November&nbsp;11.

On September 26, 2019, KBTC moved its low-power Seattle translator to channel&nbsp;28.<ref name="TechnicalAlert-092719">{{cite web |title=Technical alerts |url=https://www.kbtc.org/about/technical-alerts/ |website=www.kbtc.org |publisher=KBTC |access-date=September 27, 2019}}</ref> With the conversion of MHz Worldview into a subscription-based streaming service, the 28.3 subchannel switched to [[First Nations Experience]] on February 28, 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=MHz Worldview |url=https://www.kbtc.org/tv-schedule/mhz-world-view/ |website=www.kbtc.org |publisher=KBTC |access-date=September 27, 2019}}</ref>

==Programming==
As the Seattle market's secondary PBS station, KBTC generally carries network programming on a delay of several days to week, and runs a more non-traditional PBS schedule than [[KCTS]]. More traditionally, it runs [[PBS Kids]] programming from the late morning into the early evening.

===Local production===
KBTC's local production efforts revolve around the weekly public affairs program ''Northwest Now'', which features interviews with newsmakers, election night coverage, and [[electronic news-gathering]] pieces shot in the field. In addition to regular Emmy nominations, the program has won several Telly and Society of Professional Journalists Awards.

''Full Focus'' is a half-hour documentary-style show that looks at some of the people, places, and historical events that have helped shape Western Washington. While ''Full Focus'' is no longer in regular production, episodes produced by KBTC Managing Editor Tom Layson, Oregon-based producer Forrest Burger, and former KBTC filmmaker Daniel Kopec are available on the station's website.

===News programming===
KBTC and ''Business Examiner'' produced a local program called the ''South Sound Business Report''. The program first aired on April 20, 2010, on [[KSTW]] (channel 11). The ''SSBR'' has since ceased production.

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The stations' signals are [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of KBTC-TV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KBTC#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KBTC|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|accessdate=November 18, 2024}}</ref> and KCKA<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KCKA#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KCKA|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|accessdate=November 18, 2024}}</ref>
! scope = "col" colspan="2"|[[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" colspan="2"|Short name
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|Programming
|-
! scope = "col" | {{small|KBTC-TV}}||{{small|KCKA}} || scope = "col" | {{small|KBTC-TV}}||{{small|KCKA}}
|-
! scope = "row" | 28.1 || 15.1 
| [[1080i]] || rowspan=4|[[16:9]] || KBTC || KCKA || [[PBS]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 28.2 || 15.2 
| [[720p]] || colspan="2" align="center"|NHK_WLD || [[NHK World]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 28.3 || 15.3 
| rowspan=2|[[480i]] || colspan="2" align="center"|FNX || [[First Nations Experience|FNX]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 28.4 || 15.4 
| colspan="2" align="center"|TVW || [[TVW (Washington)|TVW]]
|-
|}

===Translators===
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|167292|3=K18NJ-D}}''' [[Bellingham, Washington|Bellingham]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|167292|3=K16LV-D}}''' [[Grays River, Washington|Grays River]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|62469|3=KBTC-TV (DRT)}}''' 28 [[Seattle]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}}

{{Seattle TV}}
{{PBS Washington}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kbtc-Tv}}
[[Category:1961 establishments in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:First Nations Experience affiliates]]
[[Category:Mass media in Tacoma, Washington]]
[[Category:PBS member stations]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1961]]
[[Category:Television stations in Seattle|BTC-TV]]