KCPO-LP signed on the air for the first time in 1999 as a UPN and Bloombergaffiliate for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 2004, KCPO-LP launched a semi-satellite with the call letters KCPL-LP in Rapid City. KCPO was affiliated with UPN until KELO-TV launched its UPN affiliated "UTV" digital subchannel in January 2004. KCPL was affiliated with UPN until the network stopped operations in 2006, while simulcasting KCPO outside of network programming. After 2006, KCPL operated as an independent station fully simulcasting KCPO. A third sister station, KCPM, located in Grand Forks, North Dakota was affiliated with MyNetworkTV, and was also a former UPN affiliate since its launch in 2003. It simulcast much of KCPO's programming when not airing network material, but aired separate commercials, station identifications and sometimes different syndicated programming due to Federal Communications Commission market regulations. KCPM's license was canceled on March 9, 2020, for failure to transmit from authorized facilities for the past 12 months. KCPO aired syndicated television programs, movies and locally produced programming, including a country music video program called That Country Video Show and a motorsports program called Talk'n Dirt featuring coverage of area race tracks and events. Both of these programs could be seen on KCPO and KCPM. The uniqueness of this three-station system was it was the only South Dakotastation group that broadcast/cablecast in South and North Dakota and Minnesota. Agreements with other broadcast stations have provided sports programming allowing viewers to see coverage of such activities as the KSTC broadcasts of Minnesota State High School Leaguefootball, hockey, and basketball tournaments. These tournaments have been regularly carried on the Central Plains Media stations for many years. KCPL-LP's license was canceled by the FCC on March 12, 2013, while KCPO-LP was briefly off the air and its license was planned to be canceled on March 12, 2014, but was renewed.
KCPO was planning to flash-cut to digital broadcasting in 2015, and would carry Retro TV on a digital subchannel. It converted to digital in spring 2020.
