KMTF
Encyclopedia
KMTF is a television station
in Helena, Montana
, broadcasting locally on digital channel 29 (virtual channel 10) as an affiliate of The CW. KMTF is owned by The Uhlmann Company, under the license name Rocky Mountain Broadcasting Company, and managed by Intermountain West Communications Company
, who also owns KTVH
. The owner of KMTF is a company owned by a group of people that includes the daughter of Sunbelt Communications Company's owner and founder. The arrangement is set up in such a way so as to circumvent FCC rules regarding ownership of competing stations by the same entity. KMTF and KTVH are housed in the same building in Helena, MT, and share several resources, including engineering and production staff. Currently, KMTF rebroadcasts the CW satellite feed with minimal local branding, a practice common in low-population areas. A single person maintains the legally required presence of a general manager, but their job consists primarily of creating the locally branded content inserted over the satellite signal.
affiliate. In 2001, due to low ratings, the station dropped the Fox affiliation and became an affiliate of Pax TV. After their affiliation agreement with Pax TV expired in 2005, they became an affiliate of The WB
, as part of The WB 100+ Station Group
. In September 2006, KMTF became the affiliate for The CW Television Network
and become part of The CW Plus
, the successor of The WB 100+ Station Group.
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
in Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
, broadcasting locally on digital channel 29 (virtual channel 10) as an affiliate of The CW. KMTF is owned by The Uhlmann Company, under the license name Rocky Mountain Broadcasting Company, and managed by Intermountain West Communications Company
Intermountain West Communications Company
Intermountain West Communications Company, formerly known as Sunbelt Communications Company, is the owner and operator of television stations in 11 media markets located in the western United States....
, who also owns KTVH
KTVH
KTVH-DT is a full-service television station serving Helena, Montana and the surrounding area as an NBC affiliate, broadcasting on digital channel 12. The station ceased its analog broadcasts on November 10, 2008. The station is owned by Beartooth Communications Company, a subsidiary of...
. The owner of KMTF is a company owned by a group of people that includes the daughter of Sunbelt Communications Company's owner and founder. The arrangement is set up in such a way so as to circumvent FCC rules regarding ownership of competing stations by the same entity. KMTF and KTVH are housed in the same building in Helena, MT, and share several resources, including engineering and production staff. Currently, KMTF rebroadcasts the CW satellite feed with minimal local branding, a practice common in low-population areas. A single person maintains the legally required presence of a general manager, but their job consists primarily of creating the locally branded content inserted over the satellite signal.
History
The station was original licensed on September 16, 1996 as KAQR, an independent station, but in 1997, the station changed its call letters to KBCC. In 1998, the station changed its call letters again to KMTF and started broadcasting in August of that year as the local FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate. In 2001, due to low ratings, the station dropped the Fox affiliation and became an affiliate of Pax TV. After their affiliation agreement with Pax TV expired in 2005, they became an affiliate of The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
, as part of The WB 100+ Station Group
The WB 100+ Station Group
The WB 100+ Station Group was a group of primarily non-broadcast local cable television outlets for The WB Television Network, for markets below the top 100 television media markets in the United States. Dayparts with no WB programming were programmed by the network...
. In September 2006, KMTF became the affiliate for The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
and become part of The CW Plus
The CW Plus
The CW Plus is a group of primarily digital sub-channels, analog, and non-broadcast cable television outlets for the CW Television Network, for markets below the top 99 television media markets in the United States....
, the successor of The WB 100+ Station Group.