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Iowa Public Television

Iowa Public Television (IPTV) is a statewide network of television stations in the state of Iowa. A member of the Public Broadcasting Service, it is owned by the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board, an agency of the state education department which holds the licenses for all the PBS member stations in the state. IPTV's studios are located in Johnston, Iowa; a suburb of Des Moines.

History

IPTV began in 1969 as the Iowa Educational Broadcasting Network, after the state of Iowa purchased the former KDPS-TV from the Des Moines Public Schools and renamed it KDIN-TV. KDPS had signed on in 1959, taking National Educational Television programming from WOI-TV.

KIIN-TV in Iowa City, serving most of eastern Iowa, became the network's second affiliate in 1970. By 1977 the newly-renamed Iowa Public Broadcasting Network had eight full-power stations. The Iowa Public Television name was adopted in 1982. In 2003, it purchased KQCT-TV in Davenport, which repeated the programming of Quad Cities PBS station WQPT-TV in the Iowa side of the Quad Cities. The calls were changed to KQIN.

IPTV was originally run by the state's General Services Department before then-Gov. Terry E. Branstad signed a bill creating the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board on May 16, 1983. In 1986 IPTV became part of the state's Cultural Affairs Department, and on July 1, 1992, IPTV became part of the Iowa Department of Education.

Combined, the nine IPTV stations reach almost all of Iowa, plus portions of Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Missouri.

Stations

Nine full-power TV stations make up the network, all stations have callsigns beginning with a K, as licensed by the FCC, & ending in IN "IN" stands for Iowa Network.

Station	City of license	Channels (Analog/ Digital)	First air date	Second letter’s meaning	ERP (Analog/ Digital)	HAAT (Analog/ Digital)	Facility ID	Transmitter Coordinates
KBIN-TV	Council Bluffs	32 (UHF) 33 (UHF)	September 7, 1975	Council Bluffs	575 kW 200 kW	98 m 98 m	29108
KDIN-TV¹	Des Moines	11 (VHF) 50 (UHF)	April 27, 1959	Des Moines	316 kW 966 kW	600 m 593 m	29102	(analog) (digital)
KHIN	Red Oak	36 (UHF) 35 (UHF)	September 7, 1975	Horizons	2040 kW 600 kW	475 m 475 m	29085
KIIN	Iowa City	12 (VHF) 45 (UHF)	February 8, 1970	Iowa City	316 kW 922.3 kW	439 m 423 m	29095
KQIN²	Davenport	36 (UHF) 34 (UHF)	December 16, 1991	Quad Cities	6.03 kW 150 kW	65 m 102 m	5471	(analog) (digital)
KRIN	Waterloo	32 (UHF) 35 (UHF)	December 15, 1974	WateRloo	5000 kW 250 kW	579 m 584 m	29114
KSIN-TV	Sioux City	27 (UHF) 28 (UHF)	January 4, 1975	Sioux City	4070 kW 400 kW	327.7 m 348.3 m	29096
KTIN	Fort Dodge	21 (UHF) 25 (UHF)	April 8, 1977	Television	1580 kW 600 kW	355 m 355 m	29100
KYIN	Mason City	24 (UHF) 18 (UHF)	May 14, 1977	Your	1740 kW 250 kW	436 m 448.5 m	29086	(analog) (digital)

Notes:

1. KDIN-TV used the callsign KDPS-TV from its 1959 sign-on until 1969.
2. KQIN used the callsign KQCT as a relay of WQPT from its 1991 sign-on until it was acquired by IPTV in 2003.

The network also has eight low-power repeater signals, located in Decorah (channel 14 K14AF), Ottumwa (channel 18 K18GU), Rock Rapids (channel 25 K25AA), Sibley (channel 33 K33AB), Fort Madison (channel 38 K38AB), Lansing (channel 41 K41AD), Keokuk (channel 44 K44AB), and Keosauqua (channel 54 K54AF). KIIN's transmitter, while listed as residing in Iowa City, is actually situated north of West Branch.

Programming

Although IPTV provides PBS programming, it also produces original programs such as Iowa Press, a panel discussion show; Living in Iowa, a magazine show focusing on Iowa life; and Market to Market, a nationally distributed show about agribusiness. Dan Wardell is the Host of the Children's Television block, featuring programs such as "The Big Comfy Couch" and "Sesame Street".