Iowa PBS

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Iowa PBS
Iowa PBS logo.png
statewide Iowa
United States
ChannelsDigital: See below
Programming
Affiliations.1: PBS (1970–present)
.2: PBS Kids
.3: World
.4: Create
Ownership
OwnerIowa Public Broadcasting Board
History
First air date
April 27, 1959 (62 years ago) (1959-04-27)
(KDIN-TV—Des Moines)
1969 (52 years ago) (1969)
(statewide network launch)
Former call signs
See below
Former channel number(s)
See below
NET (1959–1970)
Call sign meaning
All stations:
K
2nd letter: See below
Iowa Network
Technical information
Facility IDSee below
ERPSee below
HAATSee below
Transmitter coordinatesSee below
Links
Websitewww.iowapbs.org

Iowa PBS, formerly Iowa Public Television (IPTV), is a network of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member stations in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is owned by the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board, an agency of the state education department which holds the licenses for all the PBS member stations in the state. Iowa PBS' headquarters are located at 6450 Corporate Drive in Johnston, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. The nine stations cover almost all of Iowa, as well as portions of Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska.

History[]

Logo as "Iowa Public Television" used until 2019

Iowa is a pioneer in educational broadcasting; it is home to two of the oldest educational radio broadcast stations in the world, the University of Iowa's WSUI and Iowa State University's WOI.

The electrical engineering department at the State University of Iowa (SUI) in Iowa City demonstrated television with an exhibit at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on August 28, 1931. J. L. Potter supervised the project. At the conclusion of the Iowa State Fair, the television experiment was set up in the communications laboratory of the electrical engineering building at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

By 1933, the University of Iowa received an FCC license for experimental TV station W9XK, later W9XUI providing twice a week video programming, with WSUI radio providing the audio channel. By 1939, the FCC allocated TV channels 1 and 12 for W9XUI.[1] This early attempt at educational broadcasting ended by December 1941, with the entrance of the United States into World War II.[2][3][4]

The University of Iowa later applied for a construction permit for station WSUI-TV on channel 11 in February 1948.[5]

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) froze the granting of new television licenses, on September 30, 1948. The FCC, at the time, was swamped with hundreds of requests for licensing. It was creating a problem for allocation and causing interference issues. The FCC wanted time to study the issues and work towards a better overall solution.[6]

The freeze, originally set to last just six months, was extended when the Korean War began. Plus, the issues the FCC was trying to resolve were complicated and many. It ended up taking four years to end the freeze.

The April 14, 1952 FCC “6th Report and Order” effectively lifted the freeze. The decisions had been made on all five dilemmas. In the end, a color standard was chosen, 242 channels were designated for educational non-commercial use, strict rules separated stations sharing channels, channel allocation was resolved with an assignment table, and the entire spectrum of UHF band channels was authorized for use.

In 1951, the university supported the reallocation of channel 11 to Des Moines for an educational television station there.[7]

Meanwhile, Iowa State University's WOI-TV in Ames avoided the 1948 Freeze and began commercial broadcast operations in 1950 and carried some National Educational Television programming.[8] Des Moines Public Schools applied for the channel 11 allocation and signed on KDPS-TV as the educational station for central Iowa in 1959. However, in the 1960s the only other areas of the state with a clear signal from an educational station were the southwest (from Nebraska ETV's KYNE-TV in Omaha), and the northwest (from South Dakota ETV's KUSD-TV in Vermillion).

In 1969, the state of Iowa bought KDPS-TV from the Des Moines Public Schools and changed its calls to KDIN-TV, intending it to be the linchpin of a statewide educational television network. As part of the state's ambition, it rebranded KDIN as the Iowa Educational Broadcasting Network.

The network's second station, KIIN-TV in Iowa City, joined IEBN in 1970 to expand statewide educational programming to eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. Soon afterward, IEBN became a charter member of PBS. By 1977 the newly renamed Iowa Public Broadcasting Network had eight full-power stations. The Iowa Public Television name was adopted in 1982 and began on-air January 1, 1983. In 2003, it purchased KQCT-TV in Davenport, which repeated the programming of Quad Cities PBS station WQPT-TV in the Iowa side of the Quad Cities. The calls were changed to KQIN.

IPTV was originally run by the state's General Services Department before Governor Terry Branstad signed a bill creating Iowa Public Television as a separate state agency on May 16, 1983. In 1986, IPTV became part of the state's Cultural Affairs Department, and on July 1, 1992, IPTV became part of the Iowa Department of Education.

Combined, the nine Iowa PBS stations reach almost all of Iowa and portions of the surrounding states of Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

On December 2, 2019, IPTV announced that it would rebrand as Iowa PBS in 2020, in alignment with PBS' new national brand identity.[9]

Television stations[]

Nine full-power TV stations make up the network; all stations have callsigns beginning with the letter K, as licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and ending in IN (standing for Iowa Network). Aside from their transmitters, the network's stations (except KDIN-TV) do not maintain any physical presence in their cities of license.

Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap 
Download coordinates as: KML
Station City of license
(other cities served) 		Channels
(RF / VC) 		First air date Second letter's meaning ERP HAAT Facility ID Transmitter coordinates Former callsigns Public license information
KBIN-TV Council Bluffs
(Omaha, NE) 		33 (UHF)
32 (PSIP) 		September 7, 1975 (45 years ago) (1975-09-07) Council Bluffs 200 kW 98 m (322 ft) 29108 41°15′14.6″N 95°50′8.1″W / 41.254056°N 95.835583°W / 41.254056; -95.835583 (KBIN-TV) Profile
LMS
KDIN-TV Des Moines 11 (VHF)
11 (PSIP) 		April 27, 1959 (62 years ago) (1959-04-27) Des Moines 22.5 kW 600 m (1,969 ft) 29102 41°48′33″N 93°36′53″W / 41.80917°N 93.61472°W / 41.80917; -93.61472 (KDIN-TV) (Alleman) KDPS-TV (1959–1969) Profile
LMS
KHIN Red Oak 35 (UHF)
36 (PSIP) 		September 7, 1975 (45 years ago) (1975-09-07) 600 kW 475 m (1,558 ft) 29085 41°20′39.4″N 95°15′21.9″W / 41.344278°N 95.256083°W / 41.344278; -95.256083 (KHIN) (Hancock) Profile
LMS
KIIN Iowa City
(Cedar Rapids) 		12 (VHF)
12 (PSIP) 		February 8, 1970 (51 years ago) (1970-02-08) Iowa City 57 kW 439 m (1,440 ft) 29095 41°43′15″N 91°20′29.4″W / 41.72083°N 91.341500°W / 41.72083; -91.341500 (KIIN) (West Branch) Profile
LMS
KQIN Davenport
(Bettendorf/
Moline–Rock Island, IL) 		34 (UHF)
36 (PSIP) 		December 16, 1991 (29 years ago) (1991-12-16) Quad Cities 368 kW 233 m (764 ft) 5471 41°18′44″N 90°22′46″W / 41.31222°N 90.37944°W / 41.31222; -90.37944 (KQIN) (Orion, IL) KQCT (1991–2003) Profile
LMS
KRIN Waterloo 35 (UHF)
32 (PSIP) 		December 15, 1974 (46 years ago) (1974-12-15) WateRloo 250 kW 584 m (1,916 ft) 29114 42°18′58.4″N 91°51′31.1″W / 42.316222°N 91.858639°W / 42.316222; -91.858639 (KRIN) (Rowley) Profile
LMS
KSIN-TV Sioux City 28 (UHF)
27 (PSIP) 		January 4, 1975 (46 years ago) (1975-01-04) Sioux City 400 kW 348.3 m (1,143 ft) 29096 42°30′52.8″N 96°18′16″W / 42.514667°N 96.30444°W / 42.514667; -96.30444 (KSIN-TV) Profile
LMS
KTIN Fort Dodge 25 (UHF)
21 (PSIP) 		April 8, 1977 (44 years ago) (1977-04-08) 600 kW 355 m (1,165 ft) 29100 42°49′3.1″N 94°24′42″W / 42.817528°N 94.41167°W / 42.817528; -94.41167 (KTIN) (Bradgate) Profile
LMS
KYIN Mason City 18 (UHF)
24 (PSIP) 		May 14, 1977 (44 years ago) (1977-05-14) 533 kW 448.5 m (1,471 ft) 29086 43°28′32″N 92°42′30″W / 43.47556°N 92.70833°W / 43.47556; -92.70833 (KYIN) (Meyer) Profile
LMS

Translators[]

City of license Callsign Translating Channel ERP HAAT Facility ID Transmitter coordinates
Decorah K25PE-D KYIN 24 25 15 kW 132 m (433 ft) 29113 43°19′36.0″N 91°45′57.0″W / 43.326667°N 91.765833°W / 43.326667; -91.765833 (K29PE-D)
Fort Madison K28JD-D KIIN 12 28 15 kW 133 m (436 ft) 29099 40°37′55.0″N 91°26′01.0″W / 40.631944°N 91.433611°W / 40.631944; -91.433611 (K28JD-D)
Keokuk K19KX-D KIIN 12 19 5.36 kW 69 m (226 ft) 29097 40°24′40.1″N 91°24′14.5″W / 40.411139°N 91.404028°W / 40.411139; -91.404028 (K19KX-D)
Keosauqua K24IM-D KIIN 12 24 15 kW 121 m (397 ft) 29091 40°43′04.0″N 91°56′25.0″W / 40.717778°N 91.940278°W / 40.717778; -91.940278 (K24IM-D)
Lansing K31NJ-D KYIN 24 31 15 kW 182 m (597 ft) 29112 43°20′59.0″N 91°13′16.0″W / 43.349722°N 91.221111°W / 43.349722; -91.221111 (K31NJ-D)
Ottumwa K18GU-D KIIN 12 18 15 kW 142 m (466 ft) 29087

40°57′41.0″N 92°22′14.0″W / 40.961389°N 92.370556°W / 40.961389; -92.370556 (K18GU-D)

Rock Rapids K33PV-D KSIN 27 33 15 kW 145 m (476 ft) 29092

43°22′35.7″N 96°11′48.6″W / 43.376583°N 96.196833°W / 43.376583; -96.196833 (K33PV-D)

Sibley K26JI-D KSIN 27 26 14 kW 160 m (525 ft) 29084 43°24′12.0″N 95°40′07.0″W / 43.403333°N 95.668611°W / 43.403333; -95.668611 (K26JI-D)

In 2012, an application was filed for a digital replacement translator to extend coverage of KRIN into Dubuque, but as of 2021 this application is still pending.[10]

Digital television[]

Digital channels[]

The digital signals of Iowa PBS' stations are multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
xx.1 1080i 16:9 IOWAPBS Main Iowa PBS programming / PBS
xx.2 720p PBS Kids
xx.3 480i World
xx.4 Create

Analog-to-digital conversion[]

Iowa PBS (as IPTV) shut down its stations' analog signals on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital channel allocations post-transition are as follows:[20]

  • KBIN-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 32; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 33. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 32.
  • KDIN-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 11; the station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 50 to VHF channel 11.
  • KHIN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 36; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 35. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 36.
  • KIIN shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 12; the station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 45 to VHF channel 12.
  • KQIN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 36; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 34. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 36.
  • KRIN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 32; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 35. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 32.
  • KSIN-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 27; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 28. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 27.
  • KTIN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 21; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 25. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 21.
  • KYIN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 24; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 18. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 24.

Late night programming[]

Starting August 31, 2013, Iowa PBS (as IPTV) had gone off-the-air nightly from midnight to 5 a.m. over-the-air due to budget concerns, reduced from a 24-hour schedule. Mediacom continued to carry the network in their markets with 24-hour programming due to their direct fiber connection from IPTV in Johnston to their Des Moines headend, which distributes the four IPTV channels statewide. The national satellite services carry the network's primary HD channel (IPTV.1) and have a fiber connection so the channel was available 24/7 to their subscribers. At the present time, they do not carry the three sub-channels.

The network restored over-the-air 24-hour service on January 15, 2019; late night programming mainly consists of the national PBS schedule.[21]

Programming[]

Although Iowa PBS provides PBS programming and also coordinates several political debates during the Iowa Caucuses, it also produces original programs, such as:

  • Iowa Press, a political panel discussion show.
  • Iowa Ingredient, with host Charity Nebbe, highlighting various foods grown, raised and produced in Iowa.
  • Iowa Outdoors, with hosts Scott Siepker and Kellie Kramer, highlighting outdoor recreation, environmental issues, conservation initiatives and Iowa's outdoor natural resources.
  • Market to Market, a nationally distributed show about agribusiness.
  • Iowa PBS Sports, a series of high school girls' championship events sanctioned by the IGHSAU including basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Dan Wardell is the host of the children's programming block, featuring shows such as Curious George, Sesame Street, and Kids Clubhouse Adventures.

Friends of Iowa PBS[]

In 1970, Friends of Iowa Public Television (Iowa Public Television Foundation Board) was created for the development, growth and support of Iowa PBS through the building of a strong statewide membership base. Its 65,000 member households across Iowa and bordering states contribute nearly 90% of the out-of-pocket costs for acquiring and producing general audience programming.[22] When IPTV rebranded as Iowa PBS in December 2019, Friends of Iowa Public Television changed its name to Friends of Iowa PBS.

References[]

  • IPTV History from the Iowa Public Television web site, accessed April 1, 2006
  1. ^ "Television stations authorized by the FCC, January 1, 1941". RCA Radio Travel-Log. 1941. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  2. ^ "The FCC: Seventy-Six Years of Watching TV" (PDF). FCC. Summer 2003. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  3. ^ Rick Plummer. "A Short History of Television Station W9XK/W9XU". Early Television Museum. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  4. ^ "The Untold Story, W9XK - Iowa City". Wartburg College. Archived from the original on 2 July 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Outlook Among [TV] Grantees, CPs, And Applications" (PDF). Broadcasting-Telecasting. April 12, 1948. p. 91.
  6. ^ https://jfredmacdonald.com/onutv/freeze.htm
  7. ^ "Comments on Proposed [Non-Commercial] Allocations" (PDF). Broadcasting-Telecasting. May 14, 1951. pp. 74–75.
  8. ^ "ISC paid for TV with Federal Funds" (PDF). The Daily Iowan. 25 January 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Iowa Public Television will become Iowa PBS in 2020". IPTV. 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  10. ^ http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1495389. Retrieved 21 May 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KBIN
  12. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KDIN
  13. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KHIN
  14. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KIIN
  15. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KQIN
  16. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KRIN
  17. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KSIN
  18. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KTIN
  19. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KYIN
  20. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  21. ^ "IPTV Schedule". IPTV. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  22. ^ "Friends of Iowa Public Television Foundation". IPTV. Retrieved 30 August 2013.

External links[]

Coordinates: 41°39′50.6″N 93°42′28.2″W / 41.664056°N 93.707833°W / 41.664056; -93.707833 (Iowa Public Television)

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