KAMU-TV

KAMU-TV, virtual and VHF digital channel 12, is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television station licensed to College Station, Texas, United States. Owned by Texas A&M University, it is a sister station to National Public Radio (NPR) member KAMU-FM (90.9 MHz). The two stations share studios at the Moore Communications Center on the university's campus and transmitter facilities at adjacent Hensel Park. KAMU-TV serves as the sole PBS member station for the Waco–Temple–Bryan market.

KAMU-TV
College Station/Bryan/
Waco/Temple/Killeen, Texas
United States
BrandingKAMU PBS
ChannelsDigital: 12 (VHF)
Virtual: 12 (PSIP)
Affiliations12.1: PBS (1970–present)
12.2: Create
12.3: PBS Kids
OwnerTexas A&M University
First air dateFebruary 15, 1970 (1970-02-15)
Call sign meaningA & M University
Former channel number(s)Analog:
15 (UHF, 1970–2009)
Former affiliationsNET (1970)
Transmitter power3.2 kW
Height105 m (344 ft)
Facility ID65301
Transmitter coordinates30°37′48″N 96°20′34″W
Licensing authorityFCC
Public license informationProfile
CDBS
Websitewww.kamutvfm.org

History

KAMU-TV began broadcasting on February 15, 1970.[1] It originally aired on UHF channel 15, and was the first educational station in central Texas.

Moore Communications Center, where KAMU studios are located

On April 1, 2003, KAMU was the first station in the region to begin broadcasting in HDTV.[2] KAMU made the first live HDTV broadcast in the region on April 22, 2004, with the program Meet the Candidates 2004.[3]

On February 27, 2018, Central Texas College's board of trustees voted to close down KNCT (which served the western third of the Waco–Temple–Bryan market, including Waco and Killeen) over budgetary concerns related to the FCC spectrum repacking that would have required that station to move from RF channel 46 to RF channel 17 starting in 2020, as well as the need to replace its original transmitter.[4] The shutdown of KNCT, which would occur on August 31, 2018, would leave KAMU-TV as the only PBS member station in the market.[5][6][7] However, most cable systems on the western side of the market opted to import KLRU from Austin, which had already served as the default PBS member station for the market's southwestern areas.

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming
12.11080i16:9KAMU-HDMain KAMU-TV programming / PBS
12.2480iKAMUCreate
12.3 KAMUKidPBS Kids

Analog-to-digital conversion

KAMU's broadcasts became digital-only, effective June 12, 2009. It opted not to use PSIP to remap to channel 15, instead opting to use channel 12 as its virtual channel. KAMU offered ResearchChannel on subchannel 12.3 until that service was discontinued in August 2010.

Programming

Programs produced by KAMU
  • Between the Lines – a student-run talk and variety show. (No longer in production)
  • The Bookmark – a bi-weekly book review program about books from the Texas A&M University Press and the Texas Book Consortium, produced and hosted each week by Christine Brown.
  • Brazos Valley Magazine – a weekly community and public affairs program produced and hosted each week by Barbara Smith.
  • ETC "Etcetera" – a student-produced television program about people and events of Texas A&M University and the surrounding community. The program is an integral part of KAMU's academic role at Texas A&M University.
  • Meet the Candidates – a live special program and has been on for over 30 years. Airing once each spring and again in the fall, this public affairs presentation seeks to provide information to voters directly from the candidates themselves on issues that the voters care about.
  • My Kind of Art – Join host Chris Dyer as he visits with non-traditional artists from around Bryan/College Station and the Brazos Valley.
  • Veterans of the Valley – a KAMU-TV show that captures the memories of our local war veterans who live or have lived here in the Brazos Valley area. (No longer in production)

Programs produced in Austin and presented by KAMU
  • Texas Parks & Wildlife – KAMU is the presenting station of this weekly, half-hour television series, which is produced by Texas Parks and Wildlife. A magazine style show, with three or four different segments each week.

See also

References
  1. http://kamu.tamu.edu/aboutus.php History of KAMU
  2. LeBas, John (2003-03-30). "KAMU makes waves with digital upgrade". The Bryan-College Station Eagle. Archived from the original on 2011-07-04. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  3. "KAMU has first live HD broadcast". The Battalion. 2004-04-24. Archived from the original on 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  4. FCC TV spectrum Phase Assignment Table, FCC Incentive Auction Television Transition Data Files, April 13, 2017.
  5. Angeline, Jillian (February 28, 2018). "Local PBS station KNCT going dark soon". KCEN. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  6. Hoover, Carl (March 3, 2018). "Killeen-Temple public television station KNCT to end broadcasts". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  7. Ferraro, Julie A. (March 3, 2018). "Eventual closure of KNCT a tough decision". Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
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