KVPT
Encyclopedia
KVPT virtual channel 18, known on-air as Valley PBS, is the sole source of public television broadcasting in California’s Central San Joaquin Valley
. Based in Fresno, California
, Valley PBS is licensed to Digital Channel 40, but continues to use its historic analog channel 18 as its virtual channel
(which appears via PSIP
as Channel 18.1). In Septermer 2010, KVPT changed its branding to "Valley PBS". Previously, the station had been known as "Valley Public Television".
KVPT is also broadcast in Bakersfield digitally
on K18HD-D, a low-power television station. K18HD-D was formerly affiliated with Multimedios Television
. KVPT bought the station from Michael Mintz of Mintz Broadcasting in March 2007. The station flash-cut
to digital on April 25, 2008.
The station debuted in 1977 as KMTF, a service of the Fresno County public schools. (Previously, Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) programs had been made available to the area's commercial broadcasting
stations on a per-program basis, or via cable from KVIE
in Sacramento.) It became a community license in 1987. In 1990, it added a low-power translator in Bakersfield on channel 65, making Bakersfield one of the last markets to receive public television terrestrially. Later that year, the calls were changed to KVPT. The original call letters, KMTF
are now used by a CW
television station in Helena, Montana
.
Since February 17, 2009, KVPT broadcasts in digital (only) on UHF channel 40. The station continues the use of channel 18 as its virtual channel
. On September 27, 2010 KVPT renamed its channel to Valley PBS but kept the call letters KVPT. With KCET's departure from PBS in January 2011 (KCET has a translator in Bakersfield), KVPT is now the only PBS station from Merced to Bakersfield and all across the Central Valley between those cities.
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. Based in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, Valley PBS is licensed to Digital Channel 40, but continues to use its historic analog channel 18 as its virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
(which appears via PSIP
Program and System Information Protocol
The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
as Channel 18.1). In Septermer 2010, KVPT changed its branding to "Valley PBS". Previously, the station had been known as "Valley Public Television".
KVPT is also broadcast in Bakersfield digitally
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
on K18HD-D, a low-power television station. K18HD-D was formerly affiliated with Multimedios Television
Multimedios Television
Multimedios Television is a network of Spanish language television stations found throughout Mexico. The system is part of Grupo Multimedios. The flagship station of Multimedios Television is XHAW-TV located in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Programming features locally produced news, sports, children's...
. KVPT bought the station from Michael Mintz of Mintz Broadcasting in March 2007. The station flash-cut
Flash-cut
A flash-cut, also called flash-cutover, is an immediate change in a complex system, with no phase-in period.Some telephone area codes were split immediately, rather than being phased in with a permissive dialing period. An example is telephone area code 213, which was split into 213 and 714 all at...
to digital on April 25, 2008.
The station debuted in 1977 as KMTF, a service of the Fresno County public schools. (Previously, Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS) programs had been made available to the area's commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship...
stations on a per-program basis, or via cable from KVIE
KVIE
KVIE is the local PBS Public television station in Sacramento, California, USA. Its transmitter is located near Walnut Grove, California. The station broadcasts from a 2000 foot tall tower owned by KTXL...
in Sacramento.) It became a community license in 1987. In 1990, it added a low-power translator in Bakersfield on channel 65, making Bakersfield one of the last markets to receive public television terrestrially. Later that year, the calls were changed to KVPT. The original call letters, KMTF
KMTF
KMTF is a television station in Helena, Montana, broadcasting locally on digital channel 29 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...
are now used by a CW
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....
television station 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...
.
Digital Programming
| Channel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 18.1 | Main KVPT programming / PBS |
| 18.2 | Create |
| 18.3 | V-me V-me V-me is a public television service in the United States, broadcasting only in Spanish. The 24-hour digital broadcast service was launched on March 5, 2007, and is currently available in over 75% of all U.S... |
Since February 17, 2009, KVPT broadcasts in digital (only) on UHF channel 40. The station continues the use of channel 18 as its virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
. On September 27, 2010 KVPT renamed its channel to Valley PBS but kept the call letters KVPT. With KCET's departure from PBS in January 2011 (KCET has a translator in Bakersfield), KVPT is now the only PBS station from Merced to Bakersfield and all across the Central Valley between those cities.
See also
- The Fresno ChannelThe Fresno ChannelThe Fresno Channel is a collaborative effort between the City of Fresno, California, Fresno County Office of Education, Fresno Unified School District, California State University-Fresno, State Center Community College District, Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, Fresno County...
(local Public-access televisionPublic-access televisionPublic-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channel in which KVPT is a partner of)