KPTS

KPTS, virtual and VHF digital channel 8, is a PBS member television station serving Wichita, Kansas, United States that is licensed to Hutchinson. The station is owned by Kansas Public Telecommunications Service, Inc., a non-profit educational organization. KPTS maintains studio facilities located on 21st and Waco Streets in northwestern Wichita, and its transmitter is located in rural northeastern Reno County (south-southeast of Buhler).

On cable, the station is available on Cox Communications and AT&T U-verse channel 8 in standard definition, and in high definition on Cox digital channel 2008 and U-verse channel 1008. The station's signal is relayed on fill-in low-power translator station on UHF channel 17, which operates its transmitter facilities in Park City.

History

In June 1965, the Garvey Foundation purchased a transmitter site in Hutchinson, with the intent to start a non-commercial educational television station. Shortly afterward, on July 21, 1965, the Sunflower Educational Television Corporation was chartered to start a public television station for the Wichita market. A year later, the SETC's board of trustees filed for a construction permit with the Federal Communications Commission for a non-commercial educational license on VHF channel 8, which was eventually assigned KPTS as its call letters.