KWYB (channel 18) in Butte, Montana, and KWYB-LD (channel 28) in Bozeman, Montana, are television stations serving as the ABC and Fox affiliates for Southwestern Montana. Owned by the Cowles Company, KWYB maintains studios on Dewey Boulevard in Butte, and its transmitter is located on XL Heights east of the city.
KWYB-LD operates as a low-power semi-satellite of KWYB. It simulcasts all network and syndicated programming provided by KWYB, but airs separate commercial inserts and legal identifications. KWYB-LD's transmitter is located southwest of Four Corners, Montana.
History
Channel 18 was allotted to Butte in 1983. A construction permit for a station to be owned by Community Christian Television was issued in 1986, but failed to materialize.[1]
In 1991, Continental Television Network applied for channel 18 in Butte and was granted a construction permit by the Federal Communications Commission on January 9, 1992. The launch of KWYB was delayed two years by transmitter site arrangements. To house its XL Heights transmitter, it reached a deal with local electric utility