KSPS-TV
A community-licensed PBS member television station serving Spokane and a cross-border audience in the inland Northwest and Alberta.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
KSPS-TV is a PBS member television station broadcasting on channel 7 from Spokane, Washington. It operates under the KSPS PBS brand and is licensed to a community nonprofit rather than to a commercial broadcaster. The station's studios are located at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane's Southgate neighborhood, while its main transmitter is on Krell Hill southeast of the city. Translators and cable distribution extend its reach across eastern Washington, northern Idaho, western Montana, and parts of Alberta, Canada. The station originated as an educational television project of Spokane Public Schools. Although channel 7 had been reserved for educational use, the school district did not begin formal planning until the early 1960s. The district applied to the Federal Communications Commission in 1963, received a construction authorization the following year, and selected the call letters KSPS, reflecting Spokane Public Schools. KSPS-TV signed on April 24, 1967, initially carrying locally produced daytime educational programs and evening programs from National Educational Television, the predecessor of PBS. Early local productions were made in black and white to reduce costs and to support distribution of programming to schools. The station's geographic role quickly became larger than its Spokane origins. It became the first educational television service available to viewers in Alberta and also served communities in western Montana before those areas had their own in-state public television services. Cable and microwave links helped bring the signal to Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Kalispell, and other communities. Canadian viewers and businesses consequently became an unusually important part of the station's membership and underwriting base, at times accounting for about half of its support. Financial pressure changed KSPS's operating model. After Spokane Public Schools lost substantial funding in the early 1980s, the station discontinued most of its remaining formal educational schedule, introduced pledge drives, and reduced local production. Public affairs and community programming continued on a more limited basis. Friends of Seven, later renamed Friends of KSPS, became the station's principal fundraising organization. The station also developed nationally distributed programming, most notably Sit and Be Fit, an exercise series for older adults and people with mobility limitations that began production in 1987 and eventually aired on hundreds of public television stations. In 2013, following approval by Spokane Public Schools, Friends of KSPS, and the FCC, the station was transferred from the school district to Friends of KSPS. The change formalized a relationship that had already become increasingly independent and placed the station under a community-licensee structure. KSPS continues to combine PBS network programming with locally produced public-affairs, health, arts, history, and cultural content. Its cross-border audience remains strategically important, although the station has faced financial and operational pressure from changes in public broadcasting support, currency effects, distribution decisions, and shifts in Canadian-U.S. relations.
History
KSPS-TV was created to provide educational television for Spokane and surrounding communities. Channel 7 had been reserved for an educational station, but remained unused until Spokane Public Schools began organized planning in the early 1960s. The school board authorized planning in December 1961 and submitted an FCC application in 1963. A federal construction grant helped make the project possible, and the FCC approved the construction permit in 1964. The station was initially assigned another call sign, but the district requested KSPS, an abbreviation associated with Spokane Public Schools. KSPS-TV began broadcasting on April 24, 1967. Its early schedule included locally produced daytime educational programs and evening material from National Educational Television. Production was initially black and white, both to control costs and to make it easier for schools to use the programming. The station expanded its weekday schedule during its first year and later added weekend evening service. In 1970, PBS replaced NET as the national public television network. The station's service area expanded through translators, microwave links, and cable carriage. A 1971 link built by Alberta Government Telephones brought KSPS to cable systems in Calgary and Edmonton, with Lethbridge added later in the decade. This made KSPS the first educational television service available to many Alberta viewers. Western Montana also received the station through a translator built in the Flathead Valley in 1970 and subsequent relay facilities. These cross-border audiences became central to KSPS's financial model. At various points, Canadian individuals and businesses supplied roughly half of the station's support. KSPS faced a major financial reversal in 1981, when a Spokane Public Schools budget reduction removed approximately $400,000 from the station's funding. It responded by beginning pledge drives, ending most formal educational programming on its broadcast schedule, and sharply reducing local production. Friends of Seven, the station's fundraising organization, became increasingly important. Despite the cuts, the station maintained community-oriented programs, including Northwest Profiles, and later expanded its facilities. Friends of Seven was renamed Friends of KSPS in 2010. The most successful national production associated with the station was Sit and Be Fit. Created in 1987 with host Mary Ann Wilson, the series presented seated exercise for older adults and wheelchair users. It moved from an initial local production to national public television distribution and remained in production through Wilson's retirement in 2023. Other KSPS programs have focused on regional history, public affairs, health, music, dance, and films. In November 2006, ice and wind destroyed the upper part of the station's Krell Hill antenna. Cable viewers retained service, while over-the-air viewers experienced an interruption. A temporary antenna was installed within weeks, and the full mast was rebuilt in 2007. KSPS began digital broadcasting in 2004 and ended analog transmissions in 2009, ultimately using digital channel 7. By the late 2000s, Spokane Public Schools was no longer closely involved in day-to-day station operations. Friends of KSPS supplied most of the station's outside support, while the district's annual contribution was much smaller than the fundraising organization's cumulative assistance. In 2012, both governing bodies unanimously approved a transfer, which the FCC authorized in 2013. Gary Stokes became general manager after Claude Kistler's retirement. The station thereafter operated as a community licensee under Friends of KSPS. KSPS continues to serve Spokane and the broader inland Northwest through its main transmitter, translators, and cable distribution. Its programming combines PBS content with regional productions such as Northwest Profiles, Inland Sessions, Saturday Night Cinema, At Issue, and Health Matters. The station has also faced carriage competition: some western Montana cable systems replaced KSPS with Montana PBS, citing local relevance and high-definition availability. In 2025, Stokes retired and reduced federal support created a significant budget shortfall, prompting staffing and programming reductions. The station's Canadian donor base remained especially important but was affected by currency conditions and concerns about cross-border relations.
- 2025
Leadership and funding pressures
[1]Gary Stokes retired, while reduced federal support led to staffing reductions and changes to local production.
- 2023
Mary Ann Wilson retires from Sit and Be Fit
[1]The longtime host retired from the program at age 85 after its extended national run.
- 2013
Community-licensee transfer finalized
[1]FCC approval completed the transfer from Spokane Public Schools to Friends of KSPS.
- 2009
Analog service ends
[1]The station ended regular analog broadcasting and continued with digital service on channel 7.
- 2004
Digital broadcasting begins
[1]KSPS commenced digital television transmission.
- 1995
Studio expansion completed
[1]The station expanded its studio facilities by approximately 17,000 square feet.
- 1987
Sit and Be Fit begins production
[1]KSPS launched the exercise program that later became one of its nationally distributed productions.
- 1981
Station shifts from formal educational programming
[1]A major district funding cut led KSPS to end most broadcast educational courses, begin pledge drives, and reduce local production.
- 1972
Friends of Seven established
[1]A community fundraising organization was formed to support the station during school-district budget pressure.
- 1971
Signal reaches Alberta cable systems
[1]A microwave link brought KSPS programming to cable viewers in Calgary and Edmonton.
Products and positioning
A locally rooted, donor-supported public television service connecting Spokane and the inland Northwest with PBS programming and community-focused local content.
Broadcast television service · 1970
PBS programming
KSPS carries programming supplied through PBS, including national public television content. The station began with National Educational Television programming before PBS replaced NET in 1970. PBS service forms the core of the schedule while KSPS adds regional productions, membership drives, and community information for viewers in the inland Northwest and Alberta.
Health and exercise television · 1987
Sit and Be Fit
Sit and Be Fit is an exercise series designed especially for older adults and people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users. KSPS began producing it in 1987 after Mary Ann Wilson proposed adapting her chair-exercise classes for television. The program expanded from an initial local production to distribution on a large number of public television stations across the United States.
Regional documentary and community programming
Northwest Profiles
Northwest Profiles is a locally oriented series focused on people, places, history, and community life in the region served by KSPS. It became an especially important local offering after the station reduced its educational and public-affairs production in the early 1980s.
Arts and music programming
Inland Sessions
Inland Sessions presents recorded performances by regional musicians, dancers, and other artists. The program reflects KSPS's role as a cultural outlet for Spokane and the inland Northwest.
Public-affairs programming
At Issue
At Issue is a locally produced public-affairs series addressing matters of regional civic interest. It is part of KSPS's continuing effort to supplement national PBS programming with discussion of local issues.
Health education programming
Health Matters
Health Matters provides health-related information for the station's local audience. It represents the station's broader community-service role alongside its arts, history, and public-affairs productions.
Marketing campaigns
- 1981Pledge-drive expansion
Spokane · Inland Northwest · Alberta
After a major school-district budget cut, KSPS expanded pledge drives and relied more heavily on viewer membership and community support.
Outcome. The campaign helped replace some lost public funding, although local production and educational broadcasting were reduced.
- 1972Friends of Seven community fundraising
Spokane · Eastern Washington · Northern Idaho · Western Montana · Alberta
Friends of Seven was created to raise community support for KSPS during financial pressure on Spokane Public Schools. It later became the station's primary fundraising vehicle and was renamed Friends of KSPS.
Outcome. The organization helped preserve station operations and ultimately became the community licensee following the 2013 transfer.
Brand decisions
2012
Approve transfer to community licenseeStrategyBackground
The school district's operational relationship with KSPS had become increasingly indirect, while Friends of KSPS supplied most of the station's support.
Action taken
Spokane Public Schools and Friends of KSPS approved transferring the station to Friends of KSPS, subject to FCC approval.
Aftermath
The transfer was finalized in 2013, making Friends of KSPS the community licensee.
2012
Address western Montana carriage competitionStrategyBackground
Time Warner Cable systems in Kalispell and Missoula removed KSPS while adding Montana PBS, citing in-state service and high-definition availability.
Action taken
The cable systems replaced KSPS with Montana PBS.
Aftermath
KSPS lost carriage in parts of western Montana, where it had approximately 1,100 members.
- Montana PBS — Montana PBS gained cable carriage in markets previously served by KSPS.
1981
Reduce educational broadcasting after budget cutStrategyBackground
Spokane Public Schools reduced KSPS's budget by approximately $400,000.
Action taken
The station discontinued most formal educational programming on its broadcast schedule, moved some educational material to cable, and reduced local production.
Aftermath
KSPS became more dependent on pledge drives and community fundraising while retaining a smaller local-programming operation.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/ksps-tv · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled