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Alaska Rural Communications Service

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Alaska Rural Communications Service
Channels
BrandingARCS
Programming
Affiliations.1:ABC(viaKYUR)
CBS(viaKAUU)
Fox(viaKTBY)
Syndicated programming(via KAUU-DT4)
NBC(viaKTUU)
.2:PBS (viaKAKM)
.3:UAF TV/FNX
.4:360 North
Ownership
OwnerState of Alaska
(transmitter owner)
OperatorAlaska Public Media
History
KTVA(CBS, 19??–2020)
KUAC(PBS, 19??-2021)
Links
Websitewww.arcstv.org

TheAlaska Rural Communications Service(ARCS) is a statewide network oflow-poweredtelevision stations,serving 235 communities throughout theAlaskan Bushareas. Developed in the late 1970s, the network is based inAnchorage, Alaska,and is operated byAlaska Public Media.[1][2]Programming is beamed via satellite to the rural transmitters owned by the Alaska state government.

Low powered television broadcasts began in 1959, with a transmitter in theSuntrana-Healyarea. In 1972, the Alaskan Public Broadcasting Commission (APBC) receivedFCCpermission to test the use of videotapes to bring television to areas of Alaska with no ability to access terrestrial repeaters; tests began in three villages the next year. Alaska's state legislature then provided funding to the state's Office of Telecommunications to lease a satellite transponder and modify existing telephone earth stations for television in 1976. The first satellite-fed television transmissions began on January 15, 1977, inTenakee Springs.A Telecommunications Committee under theAlaska Federation of Nativesselected programming for the new service, the committee became known as the Rural Alaska Television Network (RATNET). In 1995, after state funding cuts,Bethel Broadcasting, Incorporated,operators of KYUK, assumed responsibility for the service, at the time called The Alaska Satellite Television Project (ASTP).[3]Control of ARCS passed from Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc. to Alaska Public Media, which also operates Anchorage's PBS member stationKAKM,in 2021.[1]

Programming on ARCS is a selection of shows from the four largest commercial broadcast networks (NBC,CBS,ABC,Fox) andsyndication,via theAnchorage stations;plusPBSprogramming fromKAKMand other PBS members in the state; occasionally, ARCS produces some of its own programming (including local sports coverage). Anchorage stations provide their programming to ARCS free of charge with the condition that advertising is allowed to remain.

There is currently noCWprogramming available on ARCS (nor did it air programming fromThe WB), and though in the past the network carriedMyNetworkTVprogramming fromKYES-TV(and previously,UPN), it has not since its 2009 conversion from a network to an all-repeatprogramming service;it did carry other syndicated programming from that station, mainly on weekends, until KYES-TV took over the CBS affiliation from KTVA on August 1, 2020 (KYES-TV's former programming shifted to its fourth subchannel and will continue to air on ARCS on weekends). In late February 2021, KYES'scall letterswere changed to KAUU, to complement sister stationKTUU.

Even though much of ARCS' programming contains commercials, the operation of ARCS is partially funded by donations from its viewers, just like member stations of PBS, as well as those of the Christian-basedTrinity Broadcasting Network.

Many of ARCS' stations which were in analog were converted to digital broadcasting as part of theFCC mandated digital television transitionwhich was originally scheduled for July 13, 2021 for low-power TV stations as well as translator stations in Alaska. The network flash cut its transmitters once the transition is completed, shutting down its analog transmissions and switching on their digital transmitters at the same time. This has also allowed ARCS to add new subchannels, including 360 North, First Nations Experience, and UAF TV via Alaska Public Media's KAKM-TV.[4]

In June 2021, the FCC granted a waiver for the service to continue analog television service on 15 of its transmitters until January 10, 2022, so that they could continue to complete the upgrade of its low-powered stations to digital. The FCC cited Alaska's climate and short construction season, the remoteness of the transmitter sites in question, and the fact that all the transmitters represented the sole over-the-air television service in each of the communities involved.[5][6]Another application to extend the construction permits on several other ARCS transmitters was submitted on January 10, 2022; as of February 2022,the application is under review.[7]In a subsequent filing to the FCC in July 2022, the State of Alaska and Alaska Public Media indicated that they planned to let construction permits for 37 of the repeaters lapse.[8]

List of stations

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As of June 2021, the ARCS had 169 station licenses, of which 106 were operational.[6]The ARCS is seen on the following low-powered television stations:

References

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  1. ^abMaguire, Sean (30 December 2020)."Alaska Public Media will begin operating ARCS on Friday, but digital conversion is currently on hiatus".Alaska's News Source.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-12-30.Retrieved2021-05-05.
  2. ^"Alaska Rural Communication System".doa.alaska.gov.Retrieved2021-05-05.
  3. ^Hudson, Heather E. (2015).Connecting Alaskans: telecommunications in Alaska from telegraph to broadband.Fairbanks, AK.ISBN978-1-60223-269-3.OCLC922640765.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^"Digital Multichannel: The Evolution of ARCS".Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc.
  5. ^Winslow, George (June 22, 2021)."FCC Gives Alaska LPTVs More Time for Digital Transition".TVTechnology.RetrievedJuly 25,2021.
  6. ^ab"FCC Extends Analog Termination Date for 15 TV Translators in Alaska".Federal Communications Commission. 2021-06-21.Retrieved2021-08-25.
  7. ^"Licensing and Management System".enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov.Retrieved2022-02-11.
  8. ^"Licensing and Management System".enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov.Retrieved2022-07-29.
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