Nebraska Educational Telecommunications

Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET) is a state network of public radio and television stations in the U.S. state of Nebraska and is based in Lincoln. It is operated by the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission. The television stations are all members of PBS, while the radio stations are members of NPR.

Nebraska Educational Telecommunications
statewide Nebraska
United States
ChannelsDigital: see table below
BrandingNET
SloganNebraska's PBS and NPR Stations
Programming
AffiliationsTelevision:
PBS (1970–present)
Radio:
NPR (1989–present)
Ownership
OwnerKUON: The University of Nebraska
Others: Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission
History
First air dateNovember 1, 1954 (1954-11-01) (television)
October 10, 1989 (1989-10-10) (radio)
1965 (1965) (Statewide network launch)
Former affiliationsTelevision:
NET (1954–1970)
Call sign meaningall stations, except University Of Nebraska as Lincoln affiliate:
K
2nd letter: see table below
N Ebraska
Technical information
Facility IDsee table below
ERPsee table below
HAATsee table below
Transmitter coordinatessee table below
Links
Websitenetnebraska.org

The network is headquartered in the Terry M. Carpenter & Jack G. McBride Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Center which is located at 1800 N. 33rd Street on the East campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, and has a satellite studio in Omaha.

History

Television
NET Television logo

Nebraska was one of the first states in the nation to begin the groundwork for educational broadcasting. The University of Nebraska successfully applied to have channel 18 in Lincoln allocated for educational use in 1951.

Meanwhile, broadcasting pioneer John Fetzer purchased Lincoln's two commercial TV stations, KOLN-TV (channel 12) in August 1953 and KFOR-TV (channel 10) in February 1954. In order to avoid running afoul of Federal Communications Commission ownership regulations and to create a commercial broadcast monopoly for himself in the Lincoln market,[1] Fetzer moved KOLN from its sign-on channel 12 to KFOR's channel 10 and offered to donate the channel 12 license to UNL.[2] Since this would allow UNL to use more signal at less cost, the school quickly jumped at this proposal. KUON-TV went on the air on November 1, 1954, from KOLN-TV's studios, where the stations had to take turns using studio space; when KOLN was live, KUON had to broadcast a film, and vice versa.[2] The station joined the nascent National Educational Television (which had begun operations in May) network upon its sign-on. It was operated in trust for UNL until 1956, when the FCC granted the channel 12 license to the school's Board of Regents. In 1957, KUON moved to its own studios in the Temple Building on the UNL campus.[2] In 1960, the Nebraska Council for Educational Television was created by six school districts in Nebraska. By 1961, 5 VHF and 3 UHF channels were allocated for educational use in Nebraska—the largest set ever approved for educational use in a single state. In 1963, the state legislature, per a committee's recommendation, approved plans for a statewide educational television network under the control of the Nebraska Educational Television Commission. A deal was quickly reached in which Lincoln's KUON-TV would remain under NU's ownership, but serve as the new state network's flagship.

In 1965, KLNE-TV in Lexington became the first station in the new state network, followed a month later (October 1965) by KYNE-TV at channel 26 in Omaha.[3] The state network grew quickly; six stations signed on from 1966 to 1968 to complete the state network. It began a full seven-day schedule in 1969. The Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Center opened in 1972; it's named for Carpenter, a state senator who introduced legislation in 1969 to fund the center, and McBride, NET’s founding general manager and leader for 43 years.[2] (The KLNE-TV and KLNE-FM transmission tower (40.3848101°N 99.4588698°W / 40.3848101; -99.4588698) is on the site of the World War II prisoner-of-war camp, Camp Atlanta, near Holdrege, Nebraska.) National Educational Television would be absorbed into the new PBS network in October 1970, and KUON-TV joined that network.

In 1974, Nebraska ETV adopted a new logo – a red stylized abstract "N" formed from two trapezoids. A year later, NBC unveiled a new logo that was identical to the Nebraska ETV logo, but for the blue coloring of the right trapezoid in the NBC logo. The commission sued NBC for trademark infringement in February 1976, a suit which generated national attention. In an out-of-court settlement, Nebraska ETV agreed to allow NBC to keep its logo. In return, NBC donated a color mobile unit and other equipment totaling over $800,000. It also paid the commission an additional $55,000 for the costs of rolling out a new logo and eliminating the old logo from all advertising; Nebraska ETV's new logo was unveiled in late 1976.[4][5]

A CPB study, Study of School Use of Television and Video, found Reading Rainbow (a co-production of NET and Buffalo, New York's WNED-TV until 2006) to be the most used and viewed children's television program in America during the 1990–1991 school year.

Since 1974, NET has operated a studio in Omaha, on the campus of the University of Nebraska–Omaha. It is primarily used when KYNE breaks off from the state network to broadcast programming of specific interest to the Omaha market.

In January 2005, Nebraska ETV and Nebraska Public Radio were united under a single name, Nebraska Educational Telecommunications.

Radio

The Educational Television Commission had its mission broadened to radio in 1984, but it was 1989 before it could begin the groundwork for building a statewide public radio network. For many years, there were only two NPR members in the entire state—Omaha's KIOS and Lincoln's KUCV, which had signed on in 1974. In 1989, however, UNL bought KUCV from Union College. KUCV officially relaunched from its new studios on October 10, 1989. In 2001, KUCV moved from 90.9 FM (where it had been since its sign-on) to 91.1.

In 1990, the commission opened stations in Alliance, Lexington, Columbus, Norfolk, and Hastings. North Platte, Bassett, Merriman, and Chadron followed in 1991. The entire Nebraska Public Radio Network (NPRN) was formally dedicated on October 8 in a special ceremony, broadcast live on NPRN and NETV.

The Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Facilities Corporation was established to facilitate lease/purchase of the GTE SpaceNet 3 transponder.

Television stations

NET Television consists of nine full-power TV stations make up the network, all stations have callsigns beginning with the letter K, as licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and ending in NE (the postal abbreviation for NEbraska) except UON (University Of Nebraska) for the Lincoln station. Combined, they reach almost all of Nebraska, as well as parts of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Eight of the stations are owned by the NETC. Flagship station KUON is owned by the University of Nebraska, but is operated by the Commission through a long-standing agreement between the Commission and NU.

Station City of license Channels
(VC / RF)		 First air date Call letters'
meaning		 ERP HAAT Facility ID Transmitter coordinates Public license information
KTNE-TVAlliance13 (PSIP)
13 (VHF)		September 7, 1966 (1966-09-07)Television NEbraska27 kW466 m (1,529 ft)4799641°50′27″N 103°3′18″WProfile
LMS
KMNE-TVBassett7 (PSIP)
7 (VHF)		September 1, 1967 (1967-09-01)Middle NEbraska27 kW453 m (1,486 ft)4798142°20′5″N 99°29′2″WProfile
LMS
KHNE-TVHastings29 (PSIP)
28 (UHF)		November 18, 1968 (1968-11-18)Hastings NEbraska200 kW366 m (1,201 ft)4798740°46′20″N 98°5′21″WProfile
LMS
KLNE-TVLexington3 (PSIP)
26 (UHF)		September 6, 1965 (1965-09-06)Lexington NEbraska375 kW331 m (1,086 ft)4797540°23′5″N 99°27′30″W
(Nebraska Educational Tower Holdrege)		Profile
LMS
KUON-TVLincoln12 (PSIP)
12 (VHF)		November 1, 1954 (1954-11-01)University Of Nebraska75 kW253 m (830 ft)6658941°8′18″N 96°27′20″WProfile
LMS
KRNE-TVMerriman12 (PSIP)
12 (VHF)		December 9, 1968 (1968-12-09)MeRriman NEbraska75 kW322 m (1,056 ft)4797142°40′37″N 101°42′39″WProfile
LMS
KXNE-TVNorfolk19 (PSIP)
19 (UHF)		November 10, 1967 (1967-11-10)X (Across) NEbraska475 kW253.2 m (831 ft)4799542°14′15″N 97°16′41″WProfile
LMS
KPNE-TVNorth Platte9 (PSIP)
9 (VHF)		September 12, 1966 (1966-09-12)North Platte NEbraska85 kW334 m (1,096 ft)4797341°1′22″N 101°9′14″WProfile
LMS
KYNE-TVOmaha26 (PSIP)
17 (UHF)		October 19, 1965 (1965-10-19)Your NEbraska21.5 kW283.6 m (930 ft)4797441°18′32″N 96°1′34.2″WProfile
LMS

Note:

  • 1. KYNE occasionally breaks off from the NET Television state network to broadcast local programming.[6][7] KYNE's programming became digital-only on February 17, 2009.[8]

Translators

NET operates 15 translators to widen its coverage area. Nine directly repeat KUON, four repeat KXNE and one repeats KMNE.

Station City of license Channels
(VC / RF)		 Parent station Facility ID
K23AABeatrice23 (UHF)KHNE47983
K24GOBlair24 (UHF)KUON47969
K46KP-DBroken Bow46 (UHF)KMNE181534
K06JCChadron6 (VHF)KTNE47977
K06KRCrawford6 (VHF)KTNE47991
K44FNCulbertson44 (UHF)KPNE47954
K34IBDecatur34 (UHF)KXNE47976
K46FG-DFalls City25 (UHF)KUON-TV47970
K08LNHarrison8 (VHF)KUON47992
K33FOMax33 (UHF)KPNE48009
K50IONeligh50 (UHF)KXNE47985
K14MINiobrara14 (UHF)KXNE47988
K33ACPawnee City33 (UHF)KUON47993
K10JWVerdigre10 (VHF)KXNE47989
K20IJWauneta20 (UHF)KPNE47980

Cable and satellite availability

NET Television is available on nearly all cable systems in Nebraska. Selected cable systems in northern Kansas carry Hastings' KHNE in addition to Smoky Hills PBS; these counties are part of the Hastings/Kearney side of the Lincoln/Hastings/Kearney media market. Additionally, Omaha's KYNE is carried on most cable systems in southwestern Iowa.

On satellite, KUON, KYNE, KPNE, KXNE, and KTNE are carried on the local Lincoln, Omaha, North Platte, Sioux City, and Cheyenne, Wyoming Dish Network feeds, respectively. KTNE is the sole PBS station available to satellite viewers in the Cheyenne market. KHNE, KYNE, and KXNE are available on the Lincoln, Omaha, and Sioux City DirecTV feeds, respectively.

Digital television

Digital channels

The digital signals of NET's stations are multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
xx.1720p16:9NETMain NET Programming / PBS
xx.2NET-WWorld
xx.3480iNET-CCreate
xx.4NET-KPBS Kids

Analog-to-digital conversion

During 2009, in the lead-up to the analog-to-digital television transition that would ultimately occur in 2009, NET shut down the analog transmitters of its stations on a staggered basis. Listed below are the dates each analog transmitter ceased operations as well as their post-transition channel allocations:[18]

  • KUON-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 12, in Autumn 2008. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 40 to VHF channel 12.
  • KHNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 29, on February 17, 2009, the original date in which full-power television stations in the United States were to transition from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate (which was later pushed back to June 12, 2009). The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 28. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 29.
  • KLNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 3, on February 17, 2009. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 26. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former VHF analog channel 3.
  • KMNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 7, in Autumn 2008. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 15 to VHF channel 7.
  • KPNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 9, in Autumn 2008. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 16 to VHF channel 9.
  • KRNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 12, in Autumn 2008. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 17 to VHF channel 12.
  • KTNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 13, in Autumn 2008. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 24 to VHF channel 13.
  • KXNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 19, in November 2008. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 16 to former UHF analog channel 19.
  • KYNE-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 26, on February 17, 2009. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 17. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 26.

Radio stations
NET Radio logo

NET Radio is governed by the NET Commission and the NET Foundation for Radio Board. It consists of all NPR member stations in the state except for KIOS in Omaha; that station is operated by the Omaha Public Schools. Programming consists of classical music and NPR news and talk.

NET Radio broadcasts two HD Radio channels. The first is a simulcast of the analog signal, while the second airs increased news programming as well as jazz. Both stream live on the Internet. National radio programming carried on the radio network is distributed by NPR. NET's radio service is committed to providing programs that inform, entertain, and inspire most of the communities of Nebraska.

There are nine full-power stations in the state network:

Station Frequency City ERP
W		 Height
m (ft)		 Callsign Meaning
KUCV 91.1 FM Lincoln (flagship) 100,000 210 meters (690 ft) Union College (original owner) Voice
KCNE-FM 91.9 FM Chadron 8,400 103 meters (338 ft) Chadron Nebraska
KHNE-FM 89.1 FM Hastings 68,000 329 meters (1,079 ft) Hastings NEbraska
KLNE-FM 88.7 FM Lexington 65,000 296.8 meters (974 ft) Lexington NEbraska
KMNE-FM 90.3 FM Bassett 100,000 402 meters (1,319 ft) Middle NEbraska
KPNE-FM 91.7 FM North Platte 88,000 288 meters (945 ft) North Platte NEbraska
KRNE-FM 91.5 FM Merriman 100,000 294 meters (965 ft) MeRriman NEbraska
KTNE-FM 91.1 FM Alliance 100,000 404 meters (1,325 ft) Towards NEbraska
KXNE-FM 89.3 FM Norfolk 45,000 300 meters (980 ft) X (Across) NEbraska

The state network also has five low-power repeater/translator signals.

Station Frequency City Parent Station
K209FS 89.7 FM Columbus KXNE
K224CH 92.7 FM Culbertson KPNE
K205FP 88.9 FM Falls City KUCV
K208CB 89.5 FM Harrison KTNE
K227AC 93.3 FM Max KPNE

Programming

Although NET Television provides PBS programming, it also produces original programs, such as:

News operation

The NET News team consist of seven full-time reporters, led by News Director Dennis Kellogg.[19] The news department produces regular "Signature Stories" for air on NET Radio.

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References
  1. McGuire, Jana (Fall 2004). "50 Years of Service NET". Nebraska Alumni Magazine. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  2. "NET Television's 60 Anniversary Celebrates Its Educational Focus". NET Nebraska (press release). 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  3. "ETV Comes to Omaha University". Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  4. Levine, Ken (8 September 2011). "One of NBC's great blunders".
  5. Shales, Tom (19 July 1985). "At NBC, All's Well That N's Well". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  6. http://tvschedule.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCSGrid.do?stnNum=33812&channel=12.1&aid=tvschedule
  7. http://tvschedule.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCSGrid.do?stnNum=33940&channel=26.1&aid=tvschedule
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2012-09-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Digital delay muddles broadcasters' plans, BRYAN REDEMSKE, Omaha WORLD-HERALD, February 6, 2009
  9. RabbitEars TV Query for KUON
  10. RabbitEars TV Query for KHNE
  11. RabbitEars TV Query for KLNE
  12. RabbitEars TV Query for KMNE
  13. RabbitEars TV Query for KPNE
  14. RabbitEars TV Query for KRNE
  15. RabbitEars TV Query for KTNE
  16. RabbitEars TV Query for KXNE
  17. RabbitEars TV Query for KYNE
  18. "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.
  19. http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/news/news

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