KXGN-TV
KXGN-TV is a PBS member television station serving Glendive and eastern Montana, and one of the smallest television stations in the United States by market size.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
KXGN-TV is a television station licensed to Glendive, Montana, broadcasting on channel 5. It serves eastern and far eastern Montana and is affiliated with PBS as part of the Montana PBS state network. Montana State University owns the station, while the network’s master control and internal operations are based at the Visual Communications Building on the university’s Bozeman campus. KXGN-TV’s transmitter is located in Makoshika State Park, and its signal has historically been supplemented by translators and cable systems reaching communities from Ekalaka to Scobey and Plentywood. The station began broadcasting on November 1, 1957, after Lewis W. Moore’s Glendive Broadcasting Corporation obtained authorization from the Federal Communications Commission to construct a channel 5 station. Moore already owned KXGN radio and had entered broadcasting partly as a hedge against the declining economics of his Rose Theater business. KXGN-TV initially operated as an independent station with a very small staff and limited locally produced programming. Its market was exceptionally small even by rural western standards; Nielsen has ranked Glendive last among the United States’ designated television markets, with approximately 3,900 households in the market described by the station’s reference history. A microwave and receiving link through Wibaux enabled KXGN-TV to relay programming from KDIX-TV in Dickinson, North Dakota, providing access to CBS programming in 1962. The station subsequently became a primary CBS affiliate and developed a long-running pattern of carrying selected programming from other networks, especially NBC. Moore moved the station into improved studio facilities and built a higher transmission site in the early 1960s. In 1968, he acquired an interest in Glendive’s cable system, helping KXGN remain competitive as cable brought viewers additional television choices. The station’s community-service role, local sports coverage, public-affairs programming, and absence of another local television station gave it unusual importance in the region. The Marks Group purchased KXGN radio and television in 1989 from the Moore family. The transaction required an FCC waiver because radio and television cross-ownership rules generally restricted the arrangement at the time. The company later added KDZN-FM in 1995. From 1990, KXGN-TV formally participated in the Montana Television Network, carrying KTVQ newscasts from Billings and contributing eastern Montana reports. It also carried selected Fox programming, including NFL games, after Fox obtained National Football League rights from CBS in 1994. The station faced substantial financial and technical constraints during the transition to digital television. It received extensions because of the cost and difficulty of installing digital equipment and ultimately converted to digital broadcasting in 2009. A dedicated NBC service was added on a digital subchannel in September of that year, while the primary channel continued to carry CBS. Local news production was gradually reduced: the station’s short-form newscast, known at different times as Action 5 News and Montana East News, ended in 2015. The remaining local production was the public-affairs program Let’s Talk About It, which was later distributed through associated radio and television outlets. Following Stephen Marks’s death in 2022, The Marks Group began separating its broadcast assets. KXGN radio and KDZN-FM were sold to P&A Media in 2024, while KXGN-TV remained with the Marks estate. The station ended NBC programming at the end of 2024 and discontinued studio-based local production. In 2025, KXGN-TV and KYUS-TV in Miles City were sold to Montana State University, with part of the transaction value treated as a donation. The sale closed on October 22, 2025, bringing KXGN-TV into Montana PBS and extending over-the-air public television service farther into eastern Montana. The station therefore moved from a historically unusual small-market commercial model to operation within a statewide public broadcasting network.
History
KXGN-TV was created by Lewis W. Moore, a Glendive businessman who owned the Rose Theater and had established KXGN radio in 1948. His radio experience provided an operating base for a television venture aimed at one of the smallest and most geographically dispersed markets in the United States. Glendive Broadcasting Corporation applied to construct a channel 5 station in December 1956, received FCC approval in March 1957, and began broadcasting on November 1 of that year. The station initially operated independently, producing a modest amount of live and filmed material with a small staff. Its limited local economy and sparse population made advertising and production difficult. In 1962, a receiving facility and microwave connection through Wibaux allowed KXGN-TV to relay programming from KDIX-TV in Dickinson, North Dakota. The arrangement gave the station access to CBS programming and supported its development as a primary CBS affiliate. Moore also invested in improved facilities and a higher tower site, strengthening the station’s technical position. KXGN’s survival strategy combined network programming with strong local service. In 1968, Moore acquired a 50 percent interest in Glendive’s cable system, helping the station compete as cable expanded the number of available channels. KXGN remained important because it was the only local television station and supplied community information, local sports, public affairs, and occasional news coverage. Its unusually small market made it a recurring subject of national and industry reporting. Moore placed the radio and television properties on the market in 1988 while preparing for retirement. The regional economy was under pressure from weak energy prices, drought, reduced railroad activity, and declining advertising. The station reduced costs by cutting staff, dropping the Associated Press newswire, and ending its weekly public-affairs program. A local purchasing group could not meet Moore’s asking price, and Stephen Marks, owner of another single-station-market outlet in Alpena, Michigan, acquired the properties in 1989. Because radio-television cross-ownership restrictions applied, the FCC did not grant the required waiver until May 1990. The commission cited the market’s economic conditions, the long-standing integrated operation, and the availability of other media. Under Marks ownership, KXGN-TV became a formal Montana Television Network member in 1990. It aired KTVQ newscasts from Billings and supplied eastern Montana reports. The station also carried selected Fox programs, including NFL games, while retaining its CBS relationship and selected NBC programming. KDZN-FM joined the Marks portfolio in 1995. Local television news continued under titles including Action 5 News and Montana East News, but production was frequently handled by one person and became progressively shorter. Longtime personality Ed Agre, who joined in 1993, was associated with local reporting and high-school sports coverage. The 2000s brought the costly transition to digital broadcasting. KXGN-TV obtained multiple extensions because equipment and financing were difficult to secure. The FCC later permitted a digital operation on VHF channel 5 rather than the originally planned channel 10, reducing expense but contributing to installation delays. The digital conversion was completed in 2009, and an NBC subchannel launched that September. Translators were converted over subsequent years, extending the reach of both services. The locally produced newscast ended in 2015. Let’s Talk About It became the principal local production and was distributed through KXGN radio, KDZN, and another Marks-owned station by the early 2020s. After Stephen Marks died in 2022, the Marks Group began dismantling its combined broadcast holdings. KXGN radio and KDZN were sold to P&A Media in 2024, while KXGN-TV remained with the estate. The station ended NBC programming and studio production at the close of 2024. In July 2025, the Marks Group agreed to sell KXGN-TV and KYUS-TV to Montana State University. The stated transaction value was $375,000, with the remainder of the stations’ value credited as a donation. The sale closed on October 22, 2025. KXGN-TV consequently became a PBS member station within Montana PBS, extending the public television network’s direct over-the-air presence into far eastern Montana.
- 2025
Integration into Montana PBS
[1]Montana State University completed its acquisition of KXGN-TV and moved the station into the Montana PBS network.
- 2015
End of local newscasts
[1]The station discontinued its locally produced daily newscast.
- 2009
Digital television conversion
[1]The station completed its digital conversion and launched an NBC digital subchannel.
- 1990
Montana Television Network membership
[1]KXGN-TV began formally participating in the Montana Television Network.
- 1989
Acquisition by The Marks Group
[1]Stephen Marks bought KXGN-TV and its associated radio properties from the Moore family.
- 1968
Investment in Glendive cable
[1]Lewis W. Moore acquired a half interest in the local cable system.
- 1962
CBS affiliation begins
[1]A microwave relay made it possible to carry CBS programming from a neighboring regional station.
- 1957
Launch on channel 5
[1]KXGN-TV began broadcasting from Glendive as an independent station owned by Glendive Broadcasting Corporation.
Products and positioning
A community-oriented rural television station serving Glendive and eastern Montana, now positioned as a local outlet within Montana’s statewide public television network.
Television broadcasting · 1957
KXGN-TV channel 5
The station’s primary broadcast service, historically a commercial CBS affiliate and now a PBS member service within Montana PBS. It serves Glendive and surrounding eastern Montana communities from a transmitter at Makoshika State Park.
Digital television · 2009
NBC digital subchannel
A dedicated NBC service launched in September 2009 after the digital transition. It carried network programming and selected regional news, but was discontinued at the end of 2024.
Local programming
Local news and public affairs
KXGN produced short local newscasts under names including Action 5 News and Montana East News, as well as public-affairs programming such as Let’s Talk About It. Daily local news ended in 2015, and studio production ended in late 2024.
Broadcast retransmission
Translator distribution
KXGN-TV has relied on translators and cable systems to reach communities beyond Glendive, including areas near Ekalaka, Scobey, and Plentywood.
Brand decisions
2025
Sale to Montana State UniversityM&ABackground
After Stephen Marks’s death and the sale of the group’s radio assets, KXGN-TV and KYUS-TV were the Marks estate’s remaining broadcast properties.
Action taken
The Marks Group agreed to sell both stations to Montana State University, owner of Montana PBS.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on October 22, 2025, and KXGN-TV joined the Montana PBS network, bringing direct public television service to far eastern Montana.
Transaction value. $375,000 stated purchase price; remaining value credited as a donation (July–October 2025)
2024
End of NBC and studio programmingStrategyBackground
The Marks Group cited profitability considerations while preparing the station for major ownership and operating changes.
Action taken
KXGN-TV ended NBC programming on December 31, 2024, and discontinued studio-based local production.
Aftermath
The station entered the Montana State University sale with a reduced commercial programming operation.
2015
Withdrawal from locally produced daily newsStrategyBackground
The station’s small market and limited resources made regular local news production difficult.
Action taken
KXGN-TV cancelled its local newscast and retained Let’s Talk About It as its main local production.
Aftermath
The station continued to provide some community-oriented programming, but its local television news presence was substantially reduced.
2009
Launch of the NBC digital subchannelProduct launchBackground
The digital transition created an opportunity to add a second network service to KXGN-TV’s broadcast offering.
Action taken
KXGN-TV launched a dedicated NBC subchannel in September 2009 while continuing its CBS service on the primary channel.
Aftermath
The NBC service expanded network programming in eastern Montana but was later discontinued at the end of 2024.
Recent events
- 2025
Montana State University acquires KXGN-TV[1]
M&A
Montana State University acquired KXGN-TV and KYUS-TV from the Marks Group, integrating both stations into Montana PBS.
- 2024
NBC programming and studio production are discontinued[1]
Product generation
The station ended NBC service at 11:59 p.m. on December 31 and discontinued local studio programming amid cost and profitability pressures.
- 2015
Local newscasts end[1]
Other
KXGN-TV discontinued its locally produced newscast, leaving Let’s Talk About It as its principal local studio production.
- 2009
KXGN-TV completes its digital transition[1]
Product generation · Product launch
After several extensions and a change in its digital channel allocation, KXGN-TV completed its digital conversion and added NBC programming on a subchannel.
- 1990
KXGN-TV joins the Montana Television Network[1]
Other
The station began formally carrying KTVQ and Montana Television Network news while contributing reporting from eastern Montana.
- 1989
The Marks Group acquires KXGN radio and television[1]
M&A
Stephen Marks purchased the KXGN broadcast properties from the Moore family after an FCC waiver addressed the market’s unusual radio-television ownership circumstances.
- 1962
KXGN-TV adopts a primary CBS affiliation[1]
Other
A microwave receiving and relay arrangement enabled the station to carry CBS programming and develop a more sustainable schedule.
- 1957
KXGN-TV begins broadcasting[1]
Product launch
The Glendive channel 5 station launched as an independent television broadcaster under the ownership of Lewis W. Moore’s Glendive Broadcasting Corporation.
Sources2 sources
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