Kentucky Educational Television - Stations

Stations

KET's television service consists of three channels. Its original service, KET, at one time known as KET1, is its largest, consisting of 16 transmitters and 3 translators covering all of Kentucky and portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. It broadcasts in high-definition and is available to all of Kentucky's cable television subscribers.

As the system is one of a few PBS member state networks encompassing two time zones, the state network's schedules are tuned to the more wide-ranging Eastern Time Zone, with the Central Time Zone in the western part of the state being identified secondarily, so all program time calls are listed in the form of " Eastern/ Central."

Notes:

• 1. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says WCVN signed on September 9, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on September 8.
• 2. WKPC-TV was a stand-alone station, municipally owned and operated, from its 1958 inception, right up to the time it was acquired by KET in 1998. It used the callsign WFPK-TV from 1958 to 1969. It was a member of NET from 1958 until 1970.
• 3. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says WKPC (then WFPK) signed on September 5, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on September 8.
• 4. WKPD was a commercial independent station, using the callsign WDXR-TV, from its 1971 sign-on to 1981.

KET2 based on KET's original Louisville station, WKMJ-TV, airs the national PBS schedule, local programming including shows focused on the Louisville area, children's shows, how-to series, documentaries and public affairs programs. Outside of Louisville, KET2 can be seen on several cable systems across Kentucky, as well as on KET's digital signals. It is broadcast in standard definition and is available to 62 percent of Kentucky's cable subscribers. Originally, WKMJ-TV was the KET translator serving the Louisville market, alongside of the independent WKPC-TV; it carried the same programs as in the rest of the state.

Notes:

• 5. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says WKMJ signed on August 31, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on September 2.

KET KY (formerly KET3), which is available on digital, formerly broadcast all of the state network's educational programming throughout its broadcast day. Beginning in January 2008, however, KET3 became KET KY, "The Kentucky Channel," broadcasting programs by, about and for Kentuckians 20 hours each day. KET KY also broadcasts coverage of the Kentucky General Assembly while it is in session, combining the services previously offered on KET5 and KET6. It broadcasts 24 hours a day in standard definition.

Since the fall of 2009, from 1am until 5am Eastern Time, KET ED provides a feed of K-12 educational programming on KET KY. KET ED (formerly KET4), formerly offered KET's digital service in prime time and the Annenberg Channel at other times and was available on digital. At one time, this service was on KET's fourth subchannel. In Louisville, this service was also available around-the-clock on WKMJ's digital signal, but has since been discontinued, due to PBS's increase of fees for the usage of the national PBSHD channel. Instead, KET reinvested the money for new digital equipment, plus the ability to present local and delayed programming in high-definition. This increase of PBSHD fees has also led to KET scheduling HD programming themselves, rather than merely picking up the national feed. Today, KET ED has combined the educational programming from ITV, Annenberg and KET's own professional development series and PBS' educational content, all of which was previously seen on either KET3 or KET4.

KET5 and KET6 featured live coverage of the Kentucky House of Representatives and Senate respectively, while the state General Assembly was in session. These channels were eliminated in January 2008 when KET realigned its digital programming (see KET KY and KET ED above). As mentioned above, coverage of the General Assembly, while reduced significantly, is still carried on KET KY.

KET World features programs about world history. Currently, this channel is only found on WKMJ-DT3 in Louisville. Content is from World Channel.

KET was affiliated with NET when the state network was first established on September 23, 1968.