KXLF-TV
Encyclopedia
KXLF-TV is a television station
in Butte, Montana
, broadcasting locally as a CBS
affiliate on digital channel 4-1 (VHF Ch. 5). Various programs from CBS are broadcast in high definition at 1080i. Programming from The CW is broadcast on digital channel 4-2 (VHF Ch. 5) in standard definition.
The station operates a semi-satellite in Bozeman
, KBZK channel 7. In 2007, KBZK launched a separate newscast from its studios in Bozeman, specifically for the Bozeman market.
) In 1955, Craney sold KXLF-AM-TV to Joe Sample, president of Garryowen Corporation and owner of KOOK-TV in Billings
(now KTVQ
).
KXLF's first home was the second floor of a Pay N Save food and drug store in downtown Butte. However, the studio soon suffered heavy damages because of a burglary to the grocery store downstairs. The burglars cut a hole in the floor of the studio and used the studio camera cable to climb down and gain access to the grocery store. A few months later, the cable was replaced and the studio was up and running for good.
KXLF originally carried programming from all three networks, but was a primary NBC affiliate, like its parent radio station, which was part of the "Z-Bar Network" that included radio affiliates in Portland
, Spokane
, Helena
, Great Falls
, Missoula, and Bozeman. All local programming was done live in the studio, including shows and commercials. Some of Butte's local shows in the 1950s were "The Oldtimer," featuring John Diz, "This Afternoon with You," hosted by Darian Carkeet, "What's New?" hosted by Ed Craney and "KXLF the Clown," featuring Wes Haugen, and "Shadow Stumpers" where viewers called in to identify what object's shadow was on TV.
The year 1957 was a time of change for KXLF. A complicated operation saw a transmitter placed on top of a mountain east of Butte, subsequently dubbed XL Heights. The transmitter tower was directly positioned on the Continental Divide, thereby giving the station the moniker "The Continental Divide Station." The new transmitter location made an off-air signal available for KXLJ in Helena (now KTVH
) creating the first TV "network" in Montana. That same year, KXLF found a permanent home in the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
station on Montana Street. The station was built in 1916 and features a 95-foot clock tower. In the late 1990s, the station installed a live webcam atop the clock tower, which offers a live view of downtown Butte.
In 1958, KXLF-TV and KOOK-TV, in association with separately-owned KFBB-TV
in Great Falls
and KMSO-TV in Missoula (now KECI
), formed the Skyline Network, forerunner of the Montana Television Network
. KFBB was later replaced by Great Falls' other station, KRTV
.
In March 1966, the Federal Communications Commission
merged Butte and Missoula into a single television market. KXLF-TV became the NBC affiliate for the merged market; it kept the secondary ABC affiliation but lost CBS to KGVO-TV (as KECI was then called). In 1970, Sample expanded his Montana network by building KPAX-TV
in Missoula, which operated as a semi-satellite of KXLF for several years. Sometime in the early 1970s, KXLF became a primary CBS affiliate. It continued to air ABC in the off-hours until KWYB
signed on in 1996.
In the 1970s, the depot became one of Butte's first major restoration projects. It continues to serve as an example of historic restoration. In 1984, Sample sold the MTN stations to SJL Broadcasting, who in turn sold them to Evening Post Publishing Company
in 1994.
KXLF's newscasts at 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. have long dominated the market, in no small part because they are the only local newscasts in the area. In addition to local news, KXLF produces a noon news segment, and a half hour weekly news show called "Focus".
KXLF is the technical operations center for all of Evening Post Publishing Co. properties in Montana. The station operates its programming and commercials with an automated playout system and video servers. Programming and commercials are microwaved from Butte to Bozeman's KBZK.
For many years, KXLF was responsible for operating KXLH-LP in Helena
. However, in late 2007, KXLH's operating responsibilities were transferred to sister station KRTV.
In November, 2011 KXLF dropped it's main anchor Laurel Staples. Donna Kelley will take over the helm of Southwest Montana news.
KBZK was founded in September 1987 as KCTZ, and was originally Bozeman's ABC affiliate. It switched to Fox
in 1996. The station became KBZK and a satellite of KXLF-TV in 2000.
After the DTV conversion on June 12, 2009, KXLF was one of more than 10 stations asking for a power increase because of the problems with VHF digital signals, particularly VHF-LO frequencies.
KBZK/KXLF News reporters
KBZK/KXLF STORMTracker Weather team
KBZK/KXLF MTN Sports Team
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 Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
, broadcasting locally as a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate on digital channel 4-1 (VHF Ch. 5). Various programs from CBS are broadcast in high definition at 1080i. Programming from The CW is broadcast on digital channel 4-2 (VHF Ch. 5) in standard definition.
The station operates a semi-satellite in Bozeman
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
, KBZK channel 7. In 2007, KBZK launched a separate newscast from its studios in Bozeman, specifically for the Bozeman market.
History
KXLF was founded on August 14, 1953. It is Montana's oldest television station, and was co-owned by industry pioneer Ed Craney along with KXLF radio (AM 1370, now KXTLKXTL
KXTL is a radio station licensed to serve Butte, Montana. The station is owned by Cherry Creek Radio and licensed to CCR-Butte IV, LLC. It airs a talk radio format....
) In 1955, Craney sold KXLF-AM-TV to Joe Sample, president of Garryowen Corporation and owner of KOOK-TV in Billings
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
(now KTVQ
KTVQ
KTVQ is the CBS TV affiliate in Billings, Montana, USA. It broadcasts on channel 2 and is owned by the Evening Post Publishing Company...
).
KXLF's first home was the second floor of a Pay N Save food and drug store in downtown Butte. However, the studio soon suffered heavy damages because of a burglary to the grocery store downstairs. The burglars cut a hole in the floor of the studio and used the studio camera cable to climb down and gain access to the grocery store. A few months later, the cable was replaced and the studio was up and running for good.
KXLF originally carried programming from all three networks, but was a primary NBC affiliate, like its parent radio station, which was part of the "Z-Bar Network" that included radio affiliates in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Spokane
Spokane
Spokane is a city in the U.S. state of Washington.Spokane may also refer to:*Spokane *Spokane River*Spokane, Missouri*Spokane Valley, Washington*Spokane County, Washington*Spokane-Coeur d'Alene-Paloos War*Spokane * USS Spokane...
, Helena
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...
, Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
, Missoula, and Bozeman. All local programming was done live in the studio, including shows and commercials. Some of Butte's local shows in the 1950s were "The Oldtimer," featuring John Diz, "This Afternoon with You," hosted by Darian Carkeet, "What's New?" hosted by Ed Craney and "KXLF the Clown," featuring Wes Haugen, and "Shadow Stumpers" where viewers called in to identify what object's shadow was on TV.
The year 1957 was a time of change for KXLF. A complicated operation saw a transmitter placed on top of a mountain east of Butte, subsequently dubbed XL Heights. The transmitter tower was directly positioned on the Continental Divide, thereby giving the station the moniker "The Continental Divide Station." The new transmitter location made an off-air signal available for KXLJ in Helena (now 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...
) creating the first TV "network" in Montana. That same year, KXLF found a permanent home in the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
station on Montana Street. The station was built in 1916 and features a 95-foot clock tower. In the late 1990s, the station installed a live webcam atop the clock tower, which offers a live view of downtown Butte.
In 1958, KXLF-TV and KOOK-TV, in association with separately-owned KFBB-TV
KFBB-TV
KFBB-TV is a full-service television station in Great Falls, Montana, broadcasting locally on digital VHF channel 8 as an affiliate of ABC. Founded March 21, 1954, the station is owned by Max Media. KFBB-TV also operates a semi-satellite for the Helena area, KHBB-LD channel 21...
in Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
and KMSO-TV in Missoula (now KECI
NBC Montana
NBC Montana is a network of three television stations in western Montana, all affiliated with NBC.The flagship station is KECI in Missoula, broadcasting on channel 13. It includes two semi-satellites: KCFW, channel 9 in Kalispell, Montana, and KTVM, channel 6 in Butte, Montana...
), formed the Skyline Network, forerunner of the Montana Television Network
Montana Television Network
The Montana Television Network is a network of CBS affiliates in Montana, all but one owned by the Evening Post Publishing Company.MTN was founded by Montana broadcasting pioneer Joseph S. "Joe" Sample. He signed on KOOK-TV in Billings, Montana's second television station, in 1953. He bought...
. KFBB was later replaced by Great Falls' other station, KRTV
KRTV
KRTV is a television station in Great Falls, Montana, broadcasting on digital channel 7 as an affiliate of CBS. The station is owned by Evening Post Publishing Company. The station is part of the Evening Post's Montana Television Network, a network of Montana CBS stations.-History:KRTV began...
.
In March 1966, the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
merged Butte and Missoula into a single television market. KXLF-TV became the NBC affiliate for the merged market; it kept the secondary ABC affiliation but lost CBS to KGVO-TV (as KECI was then called). In 1970, Sample expanded his Montana network by building KPAX-TV
KPAX-TV
KPAX-TV is a television station in Missoula, Montana, broadcasting locally on channel 8 as an affiliate of CBS, with programming from The CW on digital. The station is owned by Evening Post Publishing Company. The station is part of the Evening Post's Montana Television Network, a network of...
in Missoula, which operated as a semi-satellite of KXLF for several years. Sometime in the early 1970s, KXLF became a primary CBS affiliate. It continued to air ABC in the off-hours until KWYB
KWYB
KWYB is a full-service television station in Butte, Montana, broadcasting locally in digital on UHF channel 19 as an affiliate of ABC. The station's signal is rebroadcast on KWYB-LD UHF channel 28 in Bozeman...
signed on in 1996.
In the 1970s, the depot became one of Butte's first major restoration projects. It continues to serve as an example of historic restoration. In 1984, Sample sold the MTN stations to SJL Broadcasting, who in turn sold them to Evening Post Publishing Company
Evening Post Publishing Company
The Evening Post Publishing Company is a privately held media company, based inCharleston, South Carolina, United States.In addition to The Post and Courier of Charleston, the South's oldest daily newspaper, the company owns six other newspapers in South Carolina, including the Aiken Standard...
in 1994.
KXLF's newscasts at 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. have long dominated the market, in no small part because they are the only local newscasts in the area. In addition to local news, KXLF produces a noon news segment, and a half hour weekly news show called "Focus".
KXLF is the technical operations center for all of Evening Post Publishing Co. properties in Montana. The station operates its programming and commercials with an automated playout system and video servers. Programming and commercials are microwaved from Butte to Bozeman's KBZK.
For many years, KXLF was responsible for operating KXLH-LP in Helena
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...
. However, in late 2007, KXLH's operating responsibilities were transferred to sister station KRTV.
In November, 2011 KXLF dropped it's main anchor Laurel Staples. Donna Kelley will take over the helm of Southwest Montana news.
KBZK was founded in September 1987 as KCTZ, and was originally Bozeman's ABC affiliate. It switched to Fox
Fox 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...
in 1996. The station became KBZK and a satellite of KXLF-TV in 2000.
After the DTV conversion on June 12, 2009, KXLF was one of more than 10 stations asking for a power increase because of the problems with VHF digital signals, particularly VHF-LO frequencies.
Current news staff
KBZK/KXLF News anchors- Donna Kelley: 5:30 & 10:00 weekday news anchor
- Judy Slate: 5:30 & 10:00 friday news anchor/reporter
- Beth Saboe: Montana this Morning anchor/reporter
- Chet Layman: Montana this Morning anchor/reporter
- Lindsay Clein: 5:30 & 10:00 weekend news anchor/reporter
KBZK/KXLF News reporters
- Christina Lysacek
- Melanie Yuill
- Jonathan Kershaw
- Dennis Carlson
- Erin Yekal: Online Manager and social media director
KBZK/KXLF STORMTracker Weather team
- Mike Heard: chief meteorologist
- Jeff Kelly: Montana this Morning meteorologist
- Adam Bell: weekend meteorologist/reporter
KBZK/KXLF MTN Sports Team
- Ted Dawson: sports director/weekday sports anchor
- Mark Freeman: weekend sports anchor/sports reporter
Notable people
- Jay Kohn: Former News anchor/reporter, currently at KTVQKTVQKTVQ is the CBS TV affiliate in Billings, Montana, USA. It broadcasts on channel 2 and is owned by the Evening Post Publishing Company...
- Cara CapuanoCara CapuanoCara Capuano is an American sports anchor for ESPNU. Before joining ESPNU in 2008, she was a former sports reporter for FSN. She joined Fox Sports Northwest in August 2004, as a reporter and anchor for the Northwest Sports Report, and the Detroit Sports Report...
, sports reporter for FSNFSNFSN may refer to:* Fate/stay night, a visual novel and its adaptations.* The Federal Stock Number, a numeric code used to identify items in the Joint Army-Navy Catalog System.... - Stella IngerStella IngerStella Inger is the leading morning anchor for KPSP-TV. Born in Russia, Stella grew up in Sherman Oaks, California. She attended the University of Southern California where she was a broadcast journalism major. Before becoming a journalist, Stella worked as a personal banker.Stella is the leading...
, Emmy nominated reporter
Station slogans
- The News Station (????-1996)
- Coverage You Can Count On (1996-2005)
- Fair. Accurate. To the Point. (2005-present)
News titles
- MTN News (Montana Television Network) (1970s, 1980s, and 1990-1992)
- Montana's News Station (1993-present)
Repeaters
- BoulderBoulder, MontanaBoulder is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Montana, United States. It is on the north bank of the Boulder River between Butte and Helena, slightly east of the Continental Divide, at the intersection of Interstate 15 and Montana Highway 69. The population was 1,300 at...
— K08KT - BozemanBozeman, MontanaBozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
— K26DE - CondonCondon, MontanaCondon is an unincorporated community in Missoula County, Montana, United States.Condon is the site of a U.S. post office, using ZIP Code 59826. Mission Mountain School is located in the community and the U.S. Forest Service operates an airport in Condon....
— K07GM - DellDell, MontanaDell is an unincorporated community in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. Although Dell is unincorporated, it has a post office with a ZIP code of 59724. Dell lies on Big Sheep Road next to I-15 and is northwest of Lima.-References:...
— K11IN - EmigrantEmigrant, MontanaEmigrant is an unincorporated community in Park County, Montana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for Emigrant had a population of 372...
— K10AH - Gallatin River — K07LE
- Grasshopper — K07OC
- LivingstonLivingston, Montana-Geography:Livingston is located at , at an altitude of 4.501 feet .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.38% is waters.-Climate:-Demographics:...
— K55CF - PhilipsburgPhilipsburg, MontanaPhilipsburg is a town in and the county seat of Granite County, Montana, United States. The population was 914 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the famous mining engineer Philip Deidesheimer, who designed and supervised the construction of the ore smelter around which the town...
— K07KX - TownsendTownsend, MontanaTownsend is a city in and the county seat of Broadwater County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,867 at the 2000 census.-History:...
— K13KH - White Sulphur SpringsWhite Sulphur Springs, MontanaWhite Sulphur Springs is a city in and the county seat of Meagher County, Montana, United States. The population was 984 at the 2000 census.The center of population of Montana is located in White Sulphur Springs.-Geography:...
— K09MH