Entertainment
 

Prairie Public Television

From Fargo Filmmaking

Prairie Public Television logo

Prairie Public Television (or simply PPTV) is a public television network primarily serving North Dakota, but also reaching Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota and Canadian provinces. Part of Prairie Public Broadcasting along with the Prairie Public radio network, the network currently has seven analog broadcast stations. The flagship station for Prairie Public Television is KFME 13 of Fargo, North Dakota.

[edit] History

In 1959 North Central Educational Television was incorporated. It was the predecessor organization to PPTV.

Prairie Public Television (PPTV) started broadcasting in 1963 in Fargo, North Dakota as KFME, the first educational TV station to go on the air in the state of North Dakota. KFME then set up a satellite station in 1974, KGFE in Grand Forks, marking the beginning of what is now the statewide PPTV network. KBME in Bismarck was established afterward in 1979, with KSRE in Minot following suit in 1980, KDSE in Dickinson in 1982, KWSE in Williston in 1983, and KJRE in Ellendale in 1992.

KFME acquired a color VTR in 1967, and color cameras were purchased in 1975.

KFME purchased a satellite earth station in 1978 to receive PBS programming.

They purchased the Fargo American Life Building in 1983 and moved into the new broadcasting facility in 1984. Prairie School Television began in 1988, and the Prairie Satellite Network distance education network, with 70 sites was completed in 1994.

In 1989 they went to a 24/7 broadcast schedule.

The transmitter for KGFE was damaged in May 2004, due to ice buildup on the tower, which caused very large chunks of ice to fall off and go through the roof of the transmitter building. This caused water damage to the transmitter's equipment, as well as damage to the roof of the transmitter site. KGFE went back on the air on February, 2005 on low power.

Prairie Public also has two digital-only stations on the air in Devils Lake and Crookston, MN (east of Grand Forks), but they were planned on being built before KGFE received ice damage. The two transmitters roughly cover all of the KGFE viewing area plus areas west and east of the area.

KGFE has been available on cable TV stations in Winnipeg since 4 p.m. July 10, 1975[1], and Brandon in Manitoba. Several documentaries about southern Manitoba have been produced including Portage Avenue: Dreams of Castles in the Sky, Red River Divide, Assiniboine Park: A Park for all Seasons, and Lake Winnipeg's Paradise Beaches, among others.

[edit] List of People Associated with Prairie Public Television Past and Present

[edit] External Links

Retrieved from "http://fargofilmmaking.wikia.com/wiki/Prairie_Public_Television"