Every once in a while it’s nice to have a few Friends over to spend some time and enjoy each other’s company. But here at KSPS, we rarely have our Friends over, unless they are volunteering. We’ve recently changed that. During March Pledge, we opened the doors for some of our long-time supporters to show them how we make television. They were able to watch the live pledge program from several different spots – the control room where the production team works to put on the broadcast; the studio where the crew, hosts and phone volunteers all work together to produce a program that will be fun to watch and encourage you to support our programming and mission; and finally the conference room where they had the chance meet some of our Friends team, have some refreshments and take home a few thank you gifts. I think we enjoyed it as much (if not more) than they did. It takes a lot of work to put on the broadcast, but it’s also the best way for us to talk directly to you and thank you for your support. Our guests liked the behind-the-scenes perspective, and I think they left with an appreciation for all the work it takes to make it look so easy. On behalf of the Friends team and the Pledge Crew, we’d like to thank you for coming to visit and we hope to give more of you the chance in the very near future.

But…for some of our Friends in Montana that future is bit cloudy. By the time you read this, KSPS will no longer be on cable in Western Montana. Bresnan Cable was purchased by Optimum Cable, which made the business decision to remove KSPS from the lineup. While we understand that decision, we feel badly for the more than a thousand Friends we’ve come to know over the many years we’ve been serving that part of the state. From the many stories we’ve covered as part of Northwest Profiles, to the events we’ve had both there and here, you’re more than Friends…you’re family. For those who care to, you can still get KSPS over the air with an antenna. We hope you will. If not, we’ll miss you and hope someday to be welcomed back into your homes, as we are now opening up ours to you.

Thank you all for all you do for KSPS and the Friends. See you soon.

Gary Stokes