KLRU
kW | |
| HAAT | 357.5 m (1,173 ft) |
|---|---|
| Transmitter coordinates | 30°19′19″N 97°48′12″W / 30.32194°N 97.80333°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | www |
KLRU (channel 18), branded on-air as Austin PBS, is a
KLRU was founded in 1979 as a full-time satellite of San Antonio PBS member KLRN. That station had long doubled as the PBS member for Austin as well, but provided a marginal signal at best to much of Austin's inner ring. Soon after KLRU was brought on line, its owner, the Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Council, laid the groundwork for repurposing it as a full-fledged PBS station for the Austin area. This culminated in 1986, when KLRU severed the electronic umbilical cord with KLRN and became a separately-programmed station. A year later, the Capital of Texas Public Broadcasting Council was formed as KLRU's owner.
History
When
The Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Council, owner of KLRN, filed to build a new television station on Austin's non-commercial reserved channel 18 in 1975 and received a construction permit on September 3, 1976.[6] It was to serve as a full-time satellite of KLRN, and was primarily intended to reach up to 100,000 homes in Austin's inner ring where KLRN coverage was poor or nonexistent. Austin ABC affiliate KVUE leased space on its transmitter for the new station.[4]
In 1978, KLRN began a public fundraising drive to raise the money to build KLRU.[4] Its construction enabled 23 additional school districts to benefit from the station's educational programming.[7] The transmitter was activated on April 24, 1979,[8] and programs began May 4.[9] Born at a time when its ownership was embroiled in other controversies involving operations, the station's first license was only for one year due to misrepresentations over matching donations during the fund drive.[10]
From the moment KLRU signed on, officials envisioned a future in which KLRN and KLRU were separate, locally-focused PBS member stations.[9] Only a year after KLRU hit the airwaves, it received its own Austin-based governing board, though it continued under the ownership of the Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Council. In 1984, KLRN moved to a new tower in San Antonio. Two years later, for financial reasons, officials began exploring an outright split of the two stations. In particular, they believed a split would allow KLRU to be "a better (corporate) citizen" in Austin and use its longstanding ties to UT to increase local programming.[11] The split was approved in September 1986 and took place in two stages. Separate branding for both stations was instituted on October 1, 1986.[3] In 1987, the two stations officially went their separate ways when the Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Council split into two nonprofit organizations, with KLRU coming under the ownership of the Capital of Texas Public Broadcasting Council.[12]
In addition to the Austin market, KLRU claims
On November 4, 2019, the station rebranded as Austin PBS with a new logo, to coincide with PBS' rebranding the same day and the 50th anniversary of the parent network.[14]
Programming
Programs produced by KLRU
- Arts In Context – Documentary series focusing on creativity and the arts. klru.org/artsincontext
- Austin City Limits – A PBS music program that helped establish Austin as the "Live Music Capital of the World".
- Austin Now – A weekly series that examines people, ideas, and issues that define Austin. (not currently in production)
- Austin Revealed – An oral history project sharing the stories of Austin's past and present to encourage discussion and thought around the city's future.
- BBQ with Franklin – Cooking tips from Aaron Franklin.
- Blackademics TV –Top Black Studies scholars engage with projects and research focused on education, performance and youth empowerment.
- Central Texas Gardener – A natural gardening program hosted by Tom Spencer.
- Civic Summit – KLRU's program for discourse on public affairs. klru.org/civicsummit
- Docubloggers – A high-tech look at the life of Austin. (no longer in production)
- In Context – A series on design, architecture, and art. (no longer in production, became Arts In Context)
- The Intergalactic Nemesis – A 17-part live-action graphic novel- a mash-up of a radio play and comic book.
- Juneteenth Jamboree – Celebrate the history and rich culture of African Americans in Central Texas. klru.org/juneteenth
- Overheard – A weekly interview series, formerly known as Texas Tribune editor Evan Smith. klru.org/overheard
- Painted Churches of Texas – Documentary on the painted churches located in Central Texas.
- Special Session – Seen while the Texas State Legislatureis in session, it is a magazine show that looks at issues that are important to Texans; it is hosted by Paul Stekler. (not currently in production)
- Austin Chronicleweekly newspaper.
- What's That, Buzz? – A 12-part web series that explores the world of sound effects and Foley. Learn how sounds effects are made and how professionals in the field do their job.
Programs produced in Austin and presented by KLRU
- The Biscuit Brothers – A television series about country music for children.
- The Daytripper – KLRU is the presenting station of the program, which is produced by Hogaboom Road, Inc., highlighting travel destinations across Texas; it is hosted by Chet Garner.
- Downtown – A weekly series spotlighting the people, places, and things associated with downtown Austin and how it differs from other cities' downtown areas. (no longer in production)
- Hardly Sound – Hardly Sound is a documentary TV series focusing on Texas underground music and artists - showcasing their stories, the creative process, and sharing a dialogue within the creative community.
- The Forgotten Americans – A 2000 documentary produced by Galán Productions for PBS
- One Square Mile: Texas – Produced by filmmakers Carl and Elisabeth Crum. One Square Mile: Texas is a documentary television series that depicts Texas culture from the perspective of distinct square miles across the Lone Star state. The series is a microcosm of Texas life and a collective portrait of the state. The series represents the many faces and facets of Texas from the perspective of the individual while spanning the emotional, demographic & physical landscapes.
Technical information
Subchannels
The station's digital signal is
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.1 | 1080i | 16:9 |
KLRU-HD | Main KLRU programming / PBS |
| 18.2 | 480i | KLRU-CR | Create | |
| 18.3 | KLRU-Q | Q (Locally programmed channel with PBS/KLRU encores and additional programs not aired on primary channel. Q Night at the Movies on Saturday nights focuses on film[16]) | ||
| 18.4 | PBSKids | PBS Kids[17] |
Analog-to-digital conversion
KLRU shut down its analog signal on April 16, 2009. Before shutting down the signal forever, it played its nightly sign-off from the 70's one last time.[18] The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 22, using virtual channel 18.
References
- ^ "FCC History Cards for KLRU" (PDF).
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KLRU". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ a b Herndon, John (September 22, 1986). "Local public television stations to separate". Austin American-Statesman. p. D8. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ a b c Kelly, Lee (February 5, 1978). "New public TV station planned". Austin American-Statesman. pp. A1, A10. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "Do Channel 9's Programs Look Like This On Your TV?". Austin American-Statesman. March 17, 1978. p. G2. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ FCC History Cards for KLRU
- ^ "Do Channel 9's Programs Look Like This On Your TV?". Austin American-Statesman. March 17, 1978. p. G2. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "New TV station gears up for action". Austin American-Statesman. April 25, 1979. p. B1. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ a b Reaves, Gayle (May 4, 1979). "KLRU debut due today". Austin American-Statesman. p. B1. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Szilagyi, Pete (February 26, 1981). "FCC awards 1-year license to KLRN/U". Austin American-Statesman. p. B1. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Stanley, Dick (June 20, 1986). "KLRU split with KLRN considered". Austin American-Statesman. p. B7. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Herndon, John (February 18, 1987). "Split of public television stations all but completed". Austin American-Statesman. p. B6. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Coverage map
- ^ Sengupta Stith, Deborah (November 4, 2019). "Local station KLRU rebrands as PBS celebrates 50 years". Austin 360 by Austin American-Statesman. GateHouse Media, LLC. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
- ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KLRU
- ^ "KLRU Q starts July 1". KLRU. June 30, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
- ^ "PBS Kids begins airing April 1 on 18.4". KLRU. March 31, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ List of Digital Full-Power Stations Archived August 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine