KTGF-TV History: The Evolution of a Great Falls Television Station
The landscape of local broadcasting in Great Falls, Montana, underwent a significant shift in the mid-1980s. For years, the market relied on a few primary affiliates, but a change in network alignment created a void that paved the way for the birth of KTGF. What began as a mission to provide a full-time NBC presence in the region evolved into a complex saga of ownership changes, affiliation battles, and technical challenges.
The Continental Television Network Era
In 1984, KRTV (channel 3) shifted its primary affiliation to CBS, reducing its carriage of NBC programs. While some NBC content continued to air on KRTV and KFBB-TV, Joe Colla recognized the need for a dedicated NBC affiliate. After the NBC network encouraged him to secure a station first, Colla's firm, Video International Publishers, applied for a construction permit for channel 16 in April 1985.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the application on July 25, 1985. By February 1986, the firm—rebranded as Continental Television Network—secured a $1.1 million loan from the Montana Economic Development Board. The network was supported by local business figures Al Donohue and William Cordingley.
KTGF officially began broadcasting on September 21, 1986, operating out of a former machine shop on 6th Street South. While the station launched local newscasts in October 1986, it struggled to compete with established rivals KRTV and KFBB. Despite investing in translators and a microwave joint venture with TCI, KTGF's news ratings remained in third place. Staffing shortages eventually led to the cancellation of weekend news in August 1992, and the final weeknight newscast aired on March 5, 1993.
During the 1990s, Continental expanded its footprint by launching ABC affiliates KTMF in Missoula (1990) and KWYB in Butte and Bozeman (1996). Starting in 1994, these stations also served as secondary Fox affiliates.
Transition to Max Media
In December 2000, Max Media purchased Continental's three Montana stations for $18 million. Max Media aimed to modernize the network by interconnecting the Great Falls, Missoula, and Butte stations via facilities in Missoula. However, this transition was plagued by technical failures, most notably during the 2002 Winter Olympics, where Great Falls viewers experienced significant transmission issues.
To address the lack of local news, Max Media contracted with the Independent News Network of Davenport, Iowa, in September 2002. This partnership produced Big Sky News, a regional newscast featuring reports from six different Montana areas but presented from a studio in Iowa. The early edition of this program was discontinued in early 2004.
Destiny Communications and Affiliation Instability
The ownership structure shifted again in 2004. To acquire KFBB-TV and KULR-TV, Max Media was required to sell KTGF. The station was purchased by Darnell Washington of Destiny Communications, making KTGF the only Black-owned television station in Montana. Washington intended to rebuild the news department, but the station soon faced a crisis regarding its network affiliation.
KTVH in Helena began expanding into the Great Falls market, and by July 1, 2005, NBC moved its affiliation to KBGF-LP. KTGF subsequently pivoted to Fox and UPN affiliations through an agreement with Equity Broadcasting Corporation. This arrangement was short-lived; by May 5, 2007, Fox programming returned to KLMN, leaving KTGF as an independent station relying on syndicated content.
Financial instability hit Destiny Communications between 2009 and 2010. After a failed radio venture and defaulting on debt payments, the station began broadcasting JCTV, a Christian youth channel. KTGF went off the air entirely on December 19, 2009, due to microwave system failures, and eventually filed to transfer its license to creditor RGW Investments LLC.
RGW Investments and the Shift to KJJC-TV
The license was formally transferred to RGW Investments on September 27, 2010. In March 2012, the station was sold to the KTGF License Corporation, owned by broadcaster Roger Lonnquist. The station returned to the air as a JCTV affiliate before adding MeTV programming in September 2013.
By 2014, MeTV became the primary channel, while JUCE TV (formerly JCTV) moved to a subchannel. On July 1, 2018, the station officially changed its call letters to KJJC, later adding the "-TV" suffix in May 2019.
Key Facts
- Launch Date: September 21, 1986.
- Original Affiliation: NBC.
- Historic Milestone: Became Montana's only Black-owned TV station under Destiny Communications.
- Major Ownerships: Continental Television Network, Max Media, Destiny Communications, RGW Investments, and KTGF License Corporation.
- Current Identity: Now operates as KJJC-TV, primarily carrying MeTV.
| Period | Owner | Primary Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| 1986–2000 | Continental Television Network | NBC |
| 2000–2004 | Max Media | NBC |
| 2004–2005 | Destiny Communications | NBC |
| 2005–2007 | Destiny Communications | Fox / UPN |
| 2007–2009 | Destiny Communications | Independent |
| 2009–2012 | Destiny / RGW Investments | JCTV |
| 2012–Present | KTGF License Corp (Roger Lonnquist) | MeTV / JUCE TV |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did KTGF lose its NBC affiliation?
The loss occurred on July 1, 2005, after KTVH in Helena expanded its reach into Great Falls. NBC moved its affiliation to KBGF-LP, citing decisions made years prior regarding a former owner of KTGF.
Who was the first Black owner of a TV station in Montana?
Darnell Washington of Destiny Communications became the owner of KTGF in 2004, making it the only Black-owned television station in the state.
What happened to the local news at KTGF?
Local news struggled from the start, trailing behind competitors KRTV and KFBB. Weeknight newscasts ended in March 1993 due to staffing issues. A later attempt at regional news via "Big Sky News" was produced in Iowa and eventually dropped in 2004.
What is the station called now?
The station changed its call letters to KJJC on July 1, 2018, and is currently known as KJJC-TV.
What programming does the station currently air?
As of 2014, the station carries MeTV on its primary channel and JUCE TV (formerly JCTV) on a second subchannel.