KBDI-TV
Encyclopedia
KBDI-TV, known as Colorado Public Television or CPT12, is a PBS
member television station
in Denver, Colorado
. The station is licensed to Broomfield
, with studios in the Five Points neighborhood just northeast of downtown Denver. It broadcasts a digital signal on channel 13, which remaps to channel 12 (the former analog channel) via PSIP. Its transmitting antenna is located at 3508 m (11,509 ft) on Squaw Mountain, just west of Evergreen
in Clear Creek County
, which makes it the highest full-power television transmitting antenna in the United States. The station also operates low-powered translators in Boulder
and Colorado Springs, and has gained cable viewership on the Western Slope
. KBDI reaches over 80% of Colorado's population. KBDI does not yet broadcast in high definition.
channel 6 was the other). The channel 12 slot was originally intended only for University of Colorado at Boulder, but was assigned to Broomfield-based FREMCO when the FCC’s plans for a Boulder-only station fell through.
In 1989, KBDI moved its offices and studios to Denver, and again in 1994 to its current Denver location in the Five Points neighborhood at the new Five Points Media Center, which KBDI shares with two other community media organizations. KBDI purchased the media center outright in 2006.
In the late 1990s, with the station expanding statewide through its network of low-powered repeaters and cable systems, KBDI phased out its usage of call letters for its branding and started identifying themselves as "Colorado Public Television", with KBDI still used for legal station identification
, per FCC regulations.
). Several peaks of significant height exist between the antenna and the metro area, most notably Mount Morrison (7881 ft), Green Mountain (6856 ft), and Lookout Mountain
(7581 ft). These peaks interrupt the clear line of sight from the antenna and create a coverage "shadow" for a significant part of the west metro suburbs, particularly Lakewood
and Golden
. The switch to VHF channel 13 in June 2009 did not address the coverage shadow, because the antenna location will remain the same. The 40% boost in power will improve digital signal strength to current viewers and it will extend the reach of the station's signal to more distant locations that have line-of-sight access to Squaw Mountain.
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Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
member television station
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 Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. The station is licensed to Broomfield
Broomfield, Colorado
The City and County of Broomfield is a prominent suburb and tier of the Denver metropolitan area in the State of Colorado of the United States. Broomfield has a consolidated city and county government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The...
, with studios in the Five Points neighborhood just northeast of downtown Denver. It broadcasts a digital signal on channel 13, which remaps to channel 12 (the former analog channel) via PSIP. Its transmitting antenna is located at 3508 m (11,509 ft) on Squaw Mountain, just west of Evergreen
Evergreen, Colorado
Evergreen is a census-designated place and a U.S. Post Office in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Evergreen is roughly west of Denver. The population was 9,038 at the 2010 census...
in Clear Creek County
Clear Creek County, Colorado
Clear Creek County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 9,322 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Georgetown...
, which makes it the highest full-power television transmitting antenna in the United States. The station also operates low-powered translators in Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
and Colorado Springs, and has gained cable viewership on the Western Slope
Colorado Western Slope
The Western Slope of Colorado refers to a region of the U.S. state of Colorado incorporating everything in the state west of the Continental Divide. The Colorado River and its tributaries divide the region into north and south at Grand Junction, Colorado...
. KBDI reaches over 80% of Colorado's population. KBDI does not yet broadcast in high definition.
Translators
- K11QJ BoulderBoulder, ColoradoBoulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
- K14JZ-D PeetzPeetz, ColoradoPeetz is a Statutory Town in Logan County, Colorado, United States. The population was 227 at the 2000 census. Peetz is home to the RE-5 School District and...
- K31IQ-D SterlingSterling, ColoradoThe City of Sterling is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Logan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 14,777 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sterling is located at...
- K31KM-D Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, ColoradoColorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
- K49EX-D AntonAnton, ColoradoAnton is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in Washington County, Colorado, United States. The ZIP Code of the Anton Post Office is 80801.-History:Anton was established about 1915. The Anton Post Office opened on July 18, 1916....
Digital television
| Channel | Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|
| 12.1 | KBDI-DT | Main KBDI programming / PBS |
| 12.2 | KBDI+ | PBS Encore |
| 12.3 | KBDI-WV | MHz Worldview MHz Worldview MHz WorldView is an independent, non-commercial Public television network that broadcasts newscasts and other programs from around the world. It is owned and operated by Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation who also run MHz Networks.... |
History
KBDI was founded by small group of founders whose organisation, the Front Range Educational Media Corporation (FREMCO), applied for the Channel 12 license. Later the same year, the FCC granted the license to FREMCO and in February 1977, Channel 12 went on the air, initially broadcasting from a garage and using a juice can as a transmitting antenna. KBDI was one of two reserved, "non-commercial, educational" VHF frequencies that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated to the metro Denver area (KRMA-TVRocky Mountain PBS
The Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network, known on-air as Rocky Mountain PBS, is the Public Broadcasting Service member non-commercial educational Public television station in Colorado. It reaches one million viewers in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and New Mexico...
channel 6 was the other). The channel 12 slot was originally intended only for University of Colorado at Boulder, but was assigned to Broomfield-based FREMCO when the FCC’s plans for a Boulder-only station fell through.
In 1989, KBDI moved its offices and studios to Denver, and again in 1994 to its current Denver location in the Five Points neighborhood at the new Five Points Media Center, which KBDI shares with two other community media organizations. KBDI purchased the media center outright in 2006.
In the late 1990s, with the station expanding statewide through its network of low-powered repeaters and cable systems, KBDI phased out its usage of call letters for its branding and started identifying themselves as "Colorado Public Television", with KBDI still used for legal station identification
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
, per FCC regulations.
Topographic Issues in a Mountainous Region
The station's transmitter is located 16 miles due west of the western edge of the Denver metro area (as measured from State Highway C470 near MorrisonMorrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
). Several peaks of significant height exist between the antenna and the metro area, most notably Mount Morrison (7881 ft), Green Mountain (6856 ft), and Lookout Mountain
Lookout Mountain (Colorado)
Lookout Mountain is one of the larger foothills which overlooks Golden, Colorado. The Denver metropolitan area can be seen clearly from the mountain. It is known for its natural scenery and has played a major role in area recreation, transportation, water supply and telecommunications...
(7581 ft). These peaks interrupt the clear line of sight from the antenna and create a coverage "shadow" for a significant part of the west metro suburbs, particularly Lakewood
Lakewood, Colorado
Lakewood is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Lakewood is the fifth most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 172nd most populous city in the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in April 1, 2010...
and Golden
Golden, Colorado
The City of Golden is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the mining camp was...
. The switch to VHF channel 13 in June 2009 did not address the coverage shadow, because the antenna location will remain the same. The 40% boost in power will improve digital signal strength to current viewers and it will extend the reach of the station's signal to more distant locations that have line-of-sight access to Squaw Mountain.
Staff
- President & CEO: Willard D. "Wick" Rowland, Jr.
- Chief Operating Officer: Kim Johnson
- Director of Membership: Shari Bernson
- Director of Programming: Brad Haug
- Director of Production: Dominic Dezzutti
- Director of Marketing & Communications: Pamela Osborne
- Major Gifts Officer: Tamara Durstine
External links
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