About KAKM

KAKM Mission: To instruct the curious, inform the electorate, stimulate the creative and elevate the spirit in each of us by producing and/or broadcasting television programming that: encourages an understanding of human culture, past and present; explores and explains issues of public concern; stimulates personal growth and development; promotes awareness of Alaska’s heritage and potential; stimulates creativity and creative endeavors; responds to the public’s varied interests and needs in public affairs, education, entertainment and the arts.

PBS-member station KAKM Channel 7 has been “bringing the world” to Southcentral Alaska since it began broadcasting on May 7, 1975 as the Alaska Public Television Inc. from temporary facilities made available by the University of Alaska. The station’s call letters were chosen to reflect the areas that KAKM serves: Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and the Kenai. A capital campaign raised sufficient funds to build a new broadcast facility on the Alaska Pacific University in 1991, and KAKM moved into what is now known as the Elmo Sackett Broadcast Center the following year.  The center was named after KAKM’s General Manager at the time, Elmo Sackett. In 1994, KAKM merged with public radio station KSKA FM 91.1, forming the parent company of Alaska Public Telecommunications Inc. (APTI). KSKA joined KAKM in the Elmo Sackett Broadcast center in 1997 in an effort to reduce costs. On July 1, 2004, APTI merged with the Alaska Public Radio Network (APRN).  APRN moved into newly designed office and production facilities in the Elmo Sackett Broadcast Center in June 2006.

KAKM broadcasts a wide variety of local, regional, and national programming in a variety of genres including public and civic affairs, history, children’s programming, science and technology, drama, mystery and great performances. Today, KAKM broadcasts an analog signal from 6 a.m. to midnight and provides digital broadcasts and cable feeds 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week from the Elmo Sackett Broadcast Center. The center is located at 3877 University Drive on the Alaska Pacific University campus in Anchorage, serving a potential audience of more than 300,000 viewers.

The Alaska Public Telecommunications Inc. (APTI) Board of Directors governs KAKM and a Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) advises the station on programming issues. Board meetings are open to the public and are held monthly, generally on the fourth Thursday of the month at 4 p.m. CAC meetings, open to the public, are scheduled at 4 p.m. on the third Monday of the quarter in the Elmo Sackett Broadcast Center.

KAKM conducts four membership drives annually, in September, December, March and June. Other fundraisers include specially scheduled events and televised auctions. More than 70 percent of KAKM’s funding comes from viewers and local business.

KAKM Channel 7 translates in the following communities as: K05FW Girdwood, K12LA Kenai/Soldotna, K48AC Kasilof, K21AM Ninilchik, K07PF Homer/Seldovia.

Digital Television Conversion
KAKM converted to digital technology in September 2005. On February 17, 2009, digital television will be the only way to broadcast in America and KAKM will retire its analog broadcast signal, although translated areas will continue to receive KAKM’s analog signal until the station rebuilds its translator system.

Digital Production Center
As part of the digital television conversion, KAKM built a Digital Production Center within the footprint of its existing infrastructure, replacing 20-plus-year-old equipment. The digital production facility allows producers to create programs in a 16:9 aspect ratio, high-definition format. The $4.2 million facility was funded with a $3 million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

Local Production
KAKM’s locally produced programs include special features, documentaries and election coverage including the popular Running series on candidates and issues as well as the weekly discussion of current events with local news editors during Anchorage Edition. KAKM’s daily half-hour weather program, Alaska Weather, broadcasts every day and is distributed to public television throughout the state and to the Alaska Rural Communications Service (ARCS).

Education and Community Outreach
KAKM provides more than 70 hours each week of quality, non-commercial and non-violent children’s programming. From 1994 through 2007, KAKM implemented the PBS early childhood literacy outreach initiative, Ready To Learn. In addition to the children’s programming, the initiative included education workshops for parents, educators and other childcare providers to help them prepare children to enter school “ready to learn.” The initiative also provided more than 25,000 thousand books to Alaskan families. Currently, KAKM is a media partner for BEST BEGINNINGS, a public-private collaborative effort that mobilizes people and resources to ensure all Alaska children begin school ready to succeed.

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KAKM Channel 7 is a public service of Alaska Public Telecommunications, Inc. (APTI)
3877 University Dr  |  Anchorage AK 99508  |  907-550-8400  |  Copyright ©2004-2007 APTI

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