KPAX-TV

KPAX-TV, virtual channel 8 (VHF digital channel 7), is a dual CBS/CW+-affiliated television station licensed to Missoula, Montana, United States. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, it is part of the Montana Television Network, a statewide network of CBS-affiliated stations. KPAX-TV's studios are located on West Central Avenue in Missoula, and its transmitter is located on TV Mountain north of the city.

Not to be confused with Pax TV.
KPAX-TV
Missoula, Montana
United States
ChannelsDigital: 7 (VHF)
Virtual: 8 (PSIP)
BrandingKPAX 8 (general)
Missoula/Flathead CW 8.2
MTN News (newscasts)
SloganMontana's News Leader
Programming
Affiliations8.1: CBS (1970–1976, 1984–present)/MTN
8.2: CW+
8.3: Grit (O&O)
Ownership
OwnerE. W. Scripps Company
(Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC)
History
First air date
1970 (1970)[1]
Former channel number(s)
Analog:
8 (VHF, 1970–2009)
ABC (1970–1991; secondary 1970–1976 and 1984–1990)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID35455
ERP22.5 kW
HAAT653.5 m (2,144 ft)
Transmitter coordinates47°1′2.1″N 114°0′50.5″W
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
Websitewww.kpax.com
KAJJ-CD
Semi-satellite of KPAX-TV
Kalispell, Montana
United States
ChannelsDigital: 18 (UHF)
Virtual: 18 (PSIP)
BrandingKAJ 18 (general)
MTN News (newscasts)
Slogansee KPAX-TV infobox
Programming
Affiliations18.1: CBS/MTN
18.2: CW+
18.3: Grit (O&O)
Ownership
OwnerE. W. Scripps Company
(Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC)
History
First air date
1982 (1982)
Former call signs
K18AJ (1982–2011)
KAJJ-CA (2011–2012)
Former channel number(s)
Analog:
18 (UHF, 1985–2012)
Digital:
39 (UHF, 2012-2018)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID35453
ClassCD
ERP9.55 kW
HAAT805 m (2,641 ft)
Transmitter coordinates48°8′48″N 114°21′58″W
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
Websitewww.kpax.com/news/local-news/flathead-county

KAJJ-CD (virtual and UHF digital channel 18) in Kalispell operates as a low-powered, Class A semi-satellite of KPAX-TV; known on-air as KAJ, it broadcasts the same schedule as KPAX, but with local commercials and news segments. To comply with the requirements of its Class A license, KAJJ also produces its own weeknight 5:30 and 10 p.m. newscasts with a separate anchor, which premiered in 2010.

History

Channel 8 signed on for the first time in 1970 as a semi-satellite of KXLF-TV in Butte. The station was originally owned by Garryowen Corporation, controlled by Joe Sample, as part of the Montana Television Network.[2] In 1977, KPAX opened a new studio on Regent Street in Missoula and severed the electronic umbilical cord with Butte.

For most of its existence, KPAX-TV has been a primary CBS affiliate.[3] However, it shared ABC with KGVO-TV (channel 13, now KECI-TV)[3] until 1976, when KPAX, along with KXLF-TV, upgraded ABC to a primary affiliation,[4] relegating CBS to a secondary affiliation shared with KGVO.[5] KPAX returned to CBS in 1984,[6] and continued to air ABC in off-hours (shared with KECI) until KTMF (channel 23) signed on in 1990.

In 1984, Sample sold the MTN stations to SJL, Inc. for $20 million.[7] SJL, in turn, sold KPAX-TV, KXLF-TV, and KRTV in Great Falls to Evening Post Publishing Company, through its Cordillera Communications subsidiary, for $24 million in 1986.[8]

KAJJ was established in 1984[9] as K18AJ. Its original owner, Telecrafter Broadcasting Corporation (whose principals, Thomas A. Curtis and Daniel W. Coon, were stockholders in KOUS-TV in Billings and KYUS-TV in Miles City[10]), sold K18AJ to Cordillera in 1988.[11] It became KAJJ-CA in 2011, and KAJJ-CD in 2012.

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[12][13]
8.11080i16:9KPAX-DTMain KPAX-TV programming / CBS
8.2720pKPAX-CWCW 8.2
8.3480i4:3Grit TV

Analog-to-digital conversion

KPAX-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 8, 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.[14] The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition VHF channel 7.[15] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former VHF analog channel 8.

Notable former on-air staff

Repeaters
List of translators
CityCallsign
Bitterroot RangeK11IL-D
Big ArmK11RX-D
FerndaleK12LO-D
PlainsK05GM-D
PolsonK11HO-D
St. RegisK10HM
SulaK03IA-D
SuperiorK11FF-D
Thompson FallsK48MB-D
Woods BayK48EO-D

References
  1. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says June 5, while the Television and Cable Factbook says May 1.
  2. 1972 Broadcasting Yearbook (PDF). 1972. p. A-35. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  3. "Listing of channel lineups in TV Guide Montana Edition". matthewsittel.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  4. "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 7, 1976. p. 24. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  5. Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 (PDF). 1977. p. B-116. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  6. Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985 (PDF). 1985. p. C-36. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  7. "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 16, 1984. p. 138. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  8. "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 29, 1986. p. 78. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  9. "Application Search Details (KAJJ-CD)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  10. "In re Applications … For Construction Permit for a New Television Station Billings, Montana". Federal Communications Commission. October 6, 1987. Retrieved October 4, 2015. Curtis and Coon each own a 50% in Telecrafter Broadcasting Corporation, licensee of LPTV station K18AJ, Kalispell, Montana.
  11. "Public Notice Content". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  12. RabbitEars TV Query for KPAX
  13. RabbitEars TV Query for KAJJ-CD
  14. Eggerton, John (2009-06-29). "Boise Station Gets Power Boost". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  15. "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.
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