KTVQ
KTVQ, virtual channel 2, is a CBS-affiliated television station licensed to Billings, Montana, United States. The station is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, and is part of the Montana Television Network, a statewide network of CBS-affiliated stations. KTVQ's studios are located on Third Avenue North in Billings, and its transmitter is located on Sacrifice Cliff southeast of downtown. On cable, the station is available on Charter Spectrum channel 5 in both standard and high definition.
History
The station began broadcasting on November 9, 1953, as KOOK-TV, Montana's second television station; Butte's KXLF-TV had begun in August. It was owned by Montana broadcasting pioneer Joe Sample and his Garryowen Corporation along with KOOK radio. The station carried programming from all four major networks of the time—CBS, NBC, ABC and DuMont Television Network—but has always been a primary CBS affiliate. It lost DuMont when that network shut down in 1956 and lost NBC when KGHL-TV began in 1958; between 1956 and 1961, when it closed, the station was also a NTA Film Network affiliate. The station changed its callsign to KTVQ on September 5, 1972.In 1968, channel 2 picked up a secondary affiliation with NBC after KULR opted to take a primary affiliation with ABC. This was very unusual for a two-station market, especially one as small as Billings. It shared NBC with KULR until KOUS began in 1980.
In 1970, channel 2 picked up a secondary affiliation with PBS, mainly for Sesame Street. It was standard practice at the time for PBS to offer its programming to any interested commercial outlet in areas where no PBS station was available. Channel 2's secondary PBS affiliation lasted until Montana PBS finally started in 1984.
Sample owned the station until 1984, when he sold it to SJL Broadcasting. Evening Post Industries bought it in 1994. The station remains the only Billings television station that has not changed its affiliation. In January 2010, KTVQ.com made the switch to a continuous news format.
KTVQ-DT2
KTVQ-DT2 is the CW+-affiliated second digital subchannel of KTVQ, broadcasting in 720p high definition on VHF channel 10.2. On cable, the subchannel is available on Spectrum channel 11 in both standard and high definition.KTVQ-DT2's origin began in September 2006 after The WB and UPN merged to form The CW. KTVQ launched this second digital subchannel to be Billings' affiliate of the network. Prior to the consolidation, The WB could only be seen in the market through cable-only station "KWBM". The use of the call letters was done in a fictional manner as cable-only affiliates of broadcast networks are not required to operate under an FCC station license. On September 18, 2006, KWBM shut down and re-launched as a CW affiliate on KTVQ's second subchannel.
Digital television
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming |
| 2.1 | 1080i | KTVQ-DT | Main KTVQ programming / CBS | |
| 2.2 | 720p | CW NET | Billings CW | |
| 2.3 | 480i | GRIT | Grit |
In February 2009, KULR, KTVQ and two other stations in the Billings market were refused Federal Communications Commission permission to end analog broadcasts and operate as digital-only effective on the originally-scheduled February 17, 2009 date.