KBTC-TV

KBTC-TV and KCKA
Channels for KBTC-TV
Channels for KCKA
BrandingKBTC PBS
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerBates Technical College
History
First air date
  • KBTC-TV: September 25, 1961 (1961-09-25)
  • KCKA: October 2, 1982 (1982-10-02)
Former call signs
  • KBTC-TV:
    • KTPS (1961–1979)
    • KTPS-TV (1979–1980)
    • KTPS (1980–1992)
Former channel numbers
  • KBTC-TV: Analog: 62 (UHF, 1961–1982), 28 (UHF, 1982–2009)
  • KCKA: Analog: 15 (UHF, 1982–2009)
NET (1961–1970)
Call sign meaning
  • KBTC-TV: Bates Technical College
  • KCKA: Centralia, Kelso and Aberdeen
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID
  • KBTC-TV: 62469
  • KCKA: 62468
ERP
  • KBTC-TV:
  • KCKA:
    • 187 kW
    • 353 kW (CP)
HAAT
  • KBTC-TV:
    • 220 m (722 ft)
    • 231 m (758 ft) (CP)
  • KCKA: 347 m (1,138 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
Translator(s)see § Translators
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.kbtc.org

KBTC-TV (channel 28) is a television station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, United States, serving the Seattle area as a member of PBS. Owned by Bates Technical College. KBTC-TV maintains studios and transmitter facilities separately in Tacoma, with studios on South 19th Street and the transmitter on North 35th Street. KBTC-TV is also broadcast on KCKA (channel 19) in Centralia, serving areas to the south and west of the Tacoma transmitter, and three other translators, one of them in central Seattle.

KBTC-TV is the secondary PBS member for the Seattle–Tacoma market. Through PBS' Program Differentiation Plan, KBTC-TV carries only 25% of the programming broadcast by the network. The market's primary PBS member, KCTS-TV (channel 9) in Seattle, carries the remaining 75%. In addition to reaching a local over-the-air audience, KBTC-TV is available on Comcast Cable in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, and in many areas of southwestern Washington.

KBTC-TV was established by Tacoma Public Schools as KTPS on UHF channel 62 in 1961. A major facility upgrade in the early 1980s moved the station down the UHF dial to channel 28 and increased its broadcast range by adding a translator station. KTPS became KBTC after Bates Technical College was split from the school system in 1991.