KRSU-TV

KRSU-TV is a full-power educational independent television station licensed to Claremore, Oklahoma, and serving viewers in the Tulsa area and surrounding parts of northeastern Oklahoma. The station is owned by Rogers State University and operates from studios in Markham Hall on the university's Claremore campus. Its transmission facility is located near Oologah Lake in northern Rogers County. The station combines a broadcast outlet with an academic and public-service role: its schedule includes cultural and educational programming, locally produced documentaries, general-interest programs, children's content, college telecourses, interactive courses associated with Rogers State University's distance-learning activities, and overnight programming from Classic Arts Showcase. It also carries selected programming from First Nations Experience, a network focused on Native American perspectives and culture. KRSU-TV is distinctive within Oklahoma's educational television landscape. It is the state's only full-power public television station licensed to a public university, and it is also the only educational television station in Oklahoma that operates outside both the PBS member-station system and the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority's statewide PBS network. The station therefore has an independent programming identity rather than functioning as a local PBS affiliate or as a conventional commercial network station. The station began broadcasting on July 1, 1987, under the call sign KXON-TV. In its initial period, it carried programming from The Learning Channel, at a time when that cable service had a substantially educational orientation. KXON-TV was described as the only broadcast television station affiliated with The Learning Channel. Network commercials were replaced with public-service announcements and station promotional material, reflecting the outlet's educational mission. At launch, the station transmitted with 5,000 watts from a 300-foot tower on the Rogers State campus. In 1991, its power was increased to 2.75 million watts after the station moved to a new 850-foot tower near Lake Oologah. This substantially expanded the potential reach of the signal across the Tulsa region and northeastern Oklahoma. On July 1, 1992, the station adopted the call sign KRSC-TV, referring to Rogers State College, the institution's former name. On September 24, 2013, it became KRSU-TV, aligning the call letters with the university's current name, Rogers State University. KRSU-TV completed the federally mandated U.S. transition from analog to digital broadcasting on June 12, 2009. Its former analog service operated on UHF channel 35, while the digital signal continued on UHF channel 36 using virtual channel 35. The station remains a university-owned educational broadcaster whose identity is built around instructional access, cultural programming, regional service, and support for Rogers State University's educational mission.

KRSU-TV originated as KXON-TV, signing on July 1, 1987, in Claremore, Oklahoma. The station was established as an educational television outlet associated with Rogers State University. During its early years, it carried programming from The Learning Channel, which at that time maintained a more explicitly educational profile than it would later develop. KXON-TV was notable as the only broadcast television station affiliated with the network. Commercial breaks from the network were replaced with public-service announcements and station promotions. The original facility operated at 5,000 watts from a 300-foot tower located on the Rogers State campus. In 1991, the station substantially expanded its technical reach. It moved to a new 850-foot tower near Lake Oologah and increased power to 2.75 million watts. The new transmission arrangement improved coverage of the Tulsa market and the surrounding northeastern Oklahoma region. On July 1, 1992, the station changed its call sign to KRSC-TV. The new letters referenced Rogers State College, the name then used by the institution that owned and operated the station. The outlet continued to develop as a university-linked educational broadcaster rather than becoming a commercial network affiliate. Its programming mission centered on instruction, culture, public affairs, documentaries, general-interest material, and services connected to higher education. KRSU-TV's educational role extends beyond conventional television programming. Its schedule has included college telecourses and interactive courses that support Rogers State University's distance-learning programs. The station has also carried children's programming, cultural content, locally produced documentaries, overnight presentations from Classic Arts Showcase, and selected programs from First Nations Experience, a Native American-oriented network. This mix gives the station a broader public-service identity than a conventional commercial broadcaster. The station is unusual in Oklahoma because it is a full-power public television station licensed to a public university while operating independently of PBS. It is also outside the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority's statewide PBS member-station network. Consequently, KRSU-TV's schedule and institutional identity are shaped primarily by Rogers State University and the station's own educational and cultural objectives. KRSU-TV completed the national transition from analog to digital television on June 12, 2009. Its analog service had used UHF channel 35, and its digital service continued on UHF channel 36 while retaining virtual channel 35. On September 24, 2013, the station adopted the KRSU-TV call sign, aligning its broadcast identity with the university's current name, Rogers State University. The station continues to operate as an active university-owned educational independent station serving the Tulsa area from Claremore.

• 2013

  Call sign changes to KRSU-TV

  [1]KRSU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station changes its call letters from KRSC-TV to KRSU-TV on September 24 to reflect Rogers State University's current name.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]KRSU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station shuts down its analog UHF channel 35 signal on June 12 as part of the nationwide U.S. digital television transition.

• 1992

  Call sign changes to KRSC-TV

  [1]KRSU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopts KRSC-TV, referring to Rogers State College, the institution's name at the time.

• 1991

  Transmission facility and power are expanded

  [1]KRSU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station moves from its campus tower to a taller facility near Lake Oologah and increases effective power from 5,000 watts to 2.75 million watts.

• 1987

  KXON-TV signs on

  [1]KRSU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting on July 1 as KXON-TV from Claremore, initially carrying educational programming associated with The Learning Channel.

A university-owned, educational independent television station providing instructional, cultural, children's, documentary, and public-interest programming to the Tulsa region without operating as a PBS or OETA member station.

• Educational television station · 1987

  KRSU-TV broadcast service

  The station's primary offering is a full-power over-the-air television service licensed to Claremore and serving the Tulsa area. Its programming is educational and culturally oriented rather than built around a commercial network affiliation. The service uses virtual channel 35 and provides a platform for university-linked instruction, public-interest content, documentaries, children's programs, and other noncommercial or educational material.

• Higher-education media

  Rogers State University distance-learning programming

  KRSU-TV has carried college telecourses and interactive courses connected with Rogers State University's distance-learning activities. These programs extend the university's instructional mission through broadcast television and distinguish the station from general-interest public broadcasters whose schedules are not directly integrated with a university curriculum.

• Public-interest programming

  Cultural and documentary programming

  The station's schedule includes cultural programs, general-interest material, and documentaries produced in-house or selected for their educational and public-service value. This programming supports KRSU-TV's role as a regional university broadcaster and gives it an editorial identity independent of PBS and OETA.

• Cultural television programming

  First Nations Experience programming

  KRSU-TV carries some programming from First Nations Experience, a television network focused on Native American communities, history, culture, and perspectives. The service complements the station's educational and cultural remit.

• 2013

  Align the station identity with Rogers State UniversityStrategy

  Background

  The station's KRSC-TV call sign referred to the former Rogers State College name.

  Action taken

  The broadcaster changed its call letters to KRSU-TV on September 24, 2013.

  Aftermath

  The station's broadcast brand became consistent with the institution's current Rogers State University identity.

  Source

• 2009

  Transition from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  The United States required full-power television stations to end analog broadcasting in 2009.

  Action taken

  KRSU-TV, then operating as KRSC-TV, discontinued its analog UHF channel 35 signal and continued digitally on UHF channel 36 with virtual channel 35.

  Aftermath

  The station became a digital television broadcaster while preserving its familiar virtual channel designation.

  Source

• 1991

  Expand transmission reach through a new tower and higher powerStrategy

  Background

  The station began with a low-power campus transmission facility and sought broader regional coverage.

  Action taken

  KXON-TV moved to an 850-foot tower near Lake Oologah and increased power to 2.75 million watts.

  Aftermath

  The change increased the station's potential service area across the Tulsa region and northeastern Oklahoma.

  Source

1. 1KRSU-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KRSU-TV official websitersu.tv