KCTS
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| KCTS (PBS) | ||
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| Slogan: "The Public Network" | ||
| Seattle, Washington | ||
| Analog: 9 (VHF) Digital: 41 (HDTV UHF) | ||
| Owner | KCTS Television Board of Directors | |
| Founded | 1954 | |
| Joined PBS | 1970 | |
| Callsign Meaning | King County Television Service | |
| Former Affiliations | NET (1954–1970) | |
KCTS is a public television station in Seattle, Washington, affiliated with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), that broadcasts on analog channel 9, HDTV broadcasts are on channel 41. Its offices and broadcasting center along with its transmitter are located at the northeast corner of Seattle Center.
KCTS first went on the air on December 7, 1954, broadcasting from the campus of the University of Washington and using equipment donated by KING-TV owner Dorothy Bullitt.
During the 1950s and 1960s, KCTS primarily supplied classroom instructional programs used in Washington State's K-12 schools, plus National Educational Television programs. Outside of schoolrooms, KCTS' audience among the general public was somewhat limited, and most programming was in black-and-white until the mid-'70s.
In 1970, National Educational Television was absorbed into the newly-created Public Broadcasting Service. Under PBS affiliation, KCTS began offering a vastly enhanced scope of programming for the general public, including British programming.
KCTS moved to its present location on the Seattle Center campus in 1986. KCTS became independent of the University of Washington in 1987.
KCTS is one of only two Public Broadcasting Service stations licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for retransmission in Canada. KCTS is seen throughout Canada on the Bell ExpressVu and StarChoice satellite providers, as well as on many Canadian cable TV systems. KCTS receives substantial financial support from its far-flung Canadian audience as well as from viewers in Washington State.
KCTS also operates KYVE Yakima, Washington which serves central Washington. Many KCTS programs include a combined KCTS/KYVE visual bug in the lower-right corner of the screen, indicating a simulcast.
KCTS also operates a cable television service known as KCTS Plus, currently carried on Seattle area cable systems. KCTS Plus runs a mix of locally-produced content, Public Broadcasting Service series, and Classic Arts Showcase programming.
External link
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