KNMT

KNMT is a religious television station serving Portland, Oregon, and surrounding communities in the Pacific Northwest. The station operates on virtual channel 24 and is owned by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), a Christian television network. Its transmitter is located in Portland's Sylvan-Highlands area near the West Hills. The station was founded on June 7, 1985, but did not begin broadcasting until November 16, 1989. Its launch made it Portland's first full-power, full-service religious television station. KNMT initially operated under National Minority Television, commonly abbreviated NMTV. That ownership structure was associated with TBN's effort to comply with Federal Communications Commission ownership restrictions through a nominally minority-controlled subsidiary. TBN founder Paul Crouch served as president of NMTV, while the subsidiary's board included an African American director and a Latino director. In mid-2008, KNMT and other NMTV stations were transferred into direct TBN ownership. KNMT's schedule has primarily been built around programming supplied through the TBN satellite feed. In addition to national religious programming, the station has carried locally produced material, including Northwest Praise the Lord, a regional adaptation of TBN's Praise the Lord program, and Northwest Focus, a local public-affairs program. The station expanded to continuous 24-hour operation in February 1990. The station's facilities and distribution have changed over time. KNMT's former studios on Northeast 74th Avenue in Portland were sold to a developer for conversion into low-income housing. TBN's full-power stations ended analog transmissions on April 16, 2009, and KNMT continued as a digital broadcaster. Its digital signal remained on UHF channel 45 after the transition, while viewers continued to identify the station through virtual channel 24. By 2019, Comcast's local carriage included KNMT-DT1 and the satellite feed of Enlace. KNMT functions primarily as a local broadcast outlet for TBN's religious television service rather than as an independently programmed general-entertainment station. Its brand is therefore closely tied to TBN's Christian programming, local ministry-oriented content, terrestrial television coverage, and digital multicast distribution in the Portland market.

KNMT was established on June 7, 1985, to provide a full-power religious television service in Portland, Oregon. The station began broadcasting on November 16, 1989, becoming the first full-power, full-service religious station in the Portland market. It expanded to 24-hour operation in February 1990. During its early years, KNMT was held by National Minority Television, or NMTV, a corporate structure connected to the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The arrangement was used in the context of Federal Communications Commission restrictions on broadcast-station ownership. NMTV was presented as a minority-controlled company because its board included African American and Latino representation, while TBN founder Paul Crouch served as president. KNMT consequently operated as part of the broader TBN station network while remaining formally associated with NMTV. Programming has historically combined TBN's national satellite service with locally produced content. The station carried TBN religious programming and also presented Northwest Praise the Lord, a Portland-area version of the network's Praise the Lord program, as well as Northwest Focus, a public-affairs program addressing regional subjects. This combination gave KNMT a local identity while keeping its schedule closely aligned with TBN's national religious format. In mid-2008, KNMT and its NMTV sister stations were placed directly under TBN ownership. This ended the station's period of operation through the NMTV ownership structure and made its relationship with the national network more direct. KNMT's broadcast technology changed during the transition from analog to digital television. TBN-owned full-power stations ended analog transmissions on April 16, 2009. KNMT continued digital operation using UHF channel 45 for its digital signal, while retaining virtual channel 24 for viewer identification. The station's transmitter is located in the Sylvan-Highlands section of Portland near the West Hills, supporting service to the Portland area. The station has also experienced changes in its physical facilities. Its former studios on Northeast 74th Avenue were sold to a developer for redevelopment as low-income housing. By 2019, local Comcast carriage included KNMT-DT1 and the satellite feed of Enlace. KNMT's role is therefore that of a local TBN broadcast outlet: it distributes religious television to the Portland market, carries network and multicast services, and has historically supplemented those services with locally produced religious and public-affairs programming.

• 2009

  Digital television transition

  [1]KNMTen.wikipedia.org

  KNMT ended analog transmission as part of TBN's full-power station transition and continued digital broadcasting.

• 2008

  Direct TBN ownership

  [1]KNMTen.wikipedia.org

  KNMT moved from National Minority Television ownership into direct ownership by the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

• 1990

  24-hour operation introduced

  [1]KNMTen.wikipedia.org

  The station began round-the-clock operations in February 1990.

• 1989

  Broadcasting began

  [1]KNMTen.wikipedia.org

  KNMT commenced broadcasting on November 16, 1989, becoming Portland's first full-power, full-service religious broadcast station.

• 1985

  Station founded

  [1]KNMTen.wikipedia.org

  KNMT was founded on June 7, 1985, as a planned full-power religious television station for Portland.

A Portland-area full-power religious television station serving as a local broadcast outlet for Trinity Broadcasting Network programming, supplemented by regional religious and public-affairs content.

• Digital broadcast channel

  KNMT-DT1

  KNMT-DT1 is the station's primary digital television service and the principal local outlet for Trinity Broadcasting Network programming in the Portland market. Its schedule is centered on Christian religious programming distributed through TBN, with the station historically adding locally produced material and regional presentation.

• Local religious program

  Northwest Praise the Lord

  Northwest Praise the Lord was a locally produced regional version of TBN's Praise the Lord program. It connected KNMT's Portland service with TBN's broader religious television format while providing locally oriented presentation and ministry content.

• Public-affairs program

  Northwest Focus

  Northwest Focus was a locally produced public-affairs program carried by KNMT. It represented the station's local programming role beyond the rebroadcast of TBN's national satellite schedule.

• Digital multicast or satellite service

  Enlace

  Enlace was carried in the Portland area through KNMT's distribution arrangements. The service formed part of the station's broader digital and satellite-oriented channel offering alongside KNMT-DT1.

• 2009

  Conversion from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  Federal digital-television transition requirements affected TBN's full-power stations.

  Action taken

  KNMT discontinued analog transmission on April 16, 2009, and continued with a digital signal on UHF channel 45 while retaining virtual channel 24.

  Aftermath

  The station continued serving viewers as a digital broadcaster and maintained its established virtual-channel identity.

  Source

• 2008

  Transfer from NMTV to direct TBN ownershipStrategy

  Background

  KNMT had been held through National Minority Television, a structure associated with TBN's approach to FCC broadcast ownership restrictions.

  Action taken

  TBN placed KNMT and its NMTV sister stations under direct TBN ownership in mid-2008.

  Aftermath

  The change made KNMT's ownership relationship with the Trinity Broadcasting Network more direct.

  Source

• Studio property redevelopmentOther

  Background

  KNMT's former studios were located on Northeast 74th Avenue in Portland.

  Action taken

  The former studio property was sold to a developer for conversion into low-income housing.

  Aftermath

  The station's former studio site was repurposed for residential use.

  Source

1. 1KNMTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Trinity Broadcasting Networktbn.org