Midco
| Midcontinent Communications | |
| Company type | Jointly owned by Midcontinent Media and Comcast |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications, Cable TV, Internet |
| Founded | 1931 Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Headquarters | Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
Key people | Pat McAdaragh, CEO |
| Products | Cable television Digital cable High-definition television Video on Demand Internet Telephony |
| Website | www.midcocomm.com www.midcocall.com |
Midcontinent Communications is a provider of cable TV, internet, and general telephony services for home and business, largely serving the Dakota states, but also some communities in Minnesota and few in Nebraska. (the company is headquartered in Sioux Falls). Midcontinent does business in more than 200 communities and serves a total of more than 200,000 customers. It is a partnership between Midcontinent Media and Comcast.
Midcontinent Media (aka "Midco") was originally founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1931 as the Welworth Theater Company, an operator of movie theaters. The company remained in that business until the 1990s, when it sold its theaters to various chains, including Carmike Cinemas. In 1952, it bought the Midcontinent Broadcasting Company, owner of KELO-AM-FM in Sioux Falls; the company name changed to Midcontinent Media. The company also bought the construction permit for South Dakota's first television station, KELO-TV, which took to the air in 1953. Midcontinent purchased several other radio and television stations, but began exiting broadcasting in the 1990s, selling off the last of its radio holdings in 2004.
Midco diversified and extended its reach into other areas of the Upper Midwest, providing telephone and cable TV in rural parts of its service area, starting in the 1960s. In 1999, Midcontinent Media and AT&T Broadband merged their cable operations in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Nebraska into Midcontinent Communications, a joint venture between both companies. Comcast later bought out AT&T Broadband.
Midco previously provided paging service, starting in 1985, but sold its paging services to another South Dakota company, Vantek Communications, in 2004. Today, the former paging service is known as Midco Call Center. Midco Call Center is a national leader in outsourced customer service specializing in catalog orders and after hours message service. Midco Call Center now employs over 300 people in Sioux Falls.
Midcontinent Communications now serves both urban and rural communities and is the most-prominent cable TV provider in many of its service areas. It also provides telephone service, internet access (through its MidcoNet service), and leased data circuits via fiber-optic cable for business.
Television
They consist of 29 to 78 analog cable tv channels, including Discovery Channel, ESPN, and CNN. 300 to 320 digital cable tv channels, including Music Choice, High Definition, Pay Per View, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz!, Video on Demand, and Spanish Networks.
Channel Types
- Basic Cable Package
- Preferred Cable Package
- Sports & Variety Package
- PPV
- VOD Video On Demand
- HBO Package
- Showtime Package
- Cinemax Package
- Starz/Encore Package
- Spanish Package
- () Family Package Channel.
Basic SD/HD Cable TV Channels 2-99
- Channels 2-619 may be significantly different between areas.
- Midco offers some local channels in "in-the-clear" QAM.
Fargo-Grand Forks, ND Locals
| Network | Station |
|---|---|
| PBS | PPTV HD |
| PBS | PPTV SD |
| CBS | KXJB SD/HD |
| ABC | WDAZ SD/HD |
| ABC | WDAY SD/HD |
| CW | WDAY-DT2 SD |
| NBC | KVLY SD/HD |
| FOX | KVRR/KBRR/KNRR/KJRR SD |
Rapid City, SD Locals
| Network | Station |
|---|---|
| PBS | KBHE-TV SD |
| PBS | KBHE-TV HD |
| ABC | KOTA-TV SD/HD |
| FOX | KEVN SD/HD |
| CBS | KCLO SD/HD |
Sioux Falls, SD Locals
| Network | Station |
|---|---|
| ABC | KABY/KPRY/KSFY SD/HD |
| PBS | SDPB HD |
| CBS | KELO SD/HD |
| Weather | KELO Weathernow |
| NBC | KDLT SD/HD |
| NBC Weather Plus | KDLT-DT2 |
| FOX | KTTW HD |
| PBS | SDPB SD |
| My Network TV | UTV SD |
| CW | KWSD-DT SD |
| Retro Television Network | KWSD-DT2 SD |
National Channels
| Name!
|
|---|
| ABC Family Channel () |
| Univision () |
| WGN () |
| C-SPAN () |
| QVC () |
| TBN () |
| CNN () |
| C-SPAN 2 () |
| The Learning Channel () |
| HSN () |
| EWTN () |
| Speed Channel () |
| INSP () |
| Celebrity Shopping Network () |
| The Weather Channel () |
| Midcontinent Channel () |
| Discovery Channel () |
| TBS () |
| TV Guide Network () |
| ESPN |
| ESPN 2 |
| ESPNews |
| NFL Network |
| Golf Channel |
| FSN North |
| FSN Rocky Mountain |
| Outdoor Channel |
| Versus |
| Big Ten Network |
| Food Network () |
| Home & Garden Television () |
| Lifetime |
| Women's Entertainment |
| FitTV |
| Discovery Health |
| Oxygen |
| Travel Channel |
| Soapnet |
| Hallmark Channel |
| Cartoon Network |
| Disney Channel () |
| Nickelodeon () |
| Toon Disney () |
| Tvland |
| Animal Planet |
| Sci-fi Channel |
| truTV |
| A&E |
| History Channel |
| CNN Headline News () |
| CNBC |
| Bloomberg TV |
| MSNBC |
| FOX News Channel |
| BET |
| USA Network |
| TNT |
| Comedy Central |
| Spike TV |
| GSN |
| G4 |
| E! |
| FX |
| Fox Movie Channel |
| AMC |
| Turner Classic Movies |
| Bravo |
| VH-1 |
| MTV |
| MTV2 |
| Great American Country |
| Fuse |
| CMT |
Digital Cable TV Channels
Channels 101-514
| Name | Package
|
|---|---|
| Noggin | Preferred Cable |
| Discovery Kids () | Preferred Cable |
| Toon Disney / Jetix () | Preferred Cable |
| Nicktoons Network | Preferred Cable |
| The N | Preferred Cable |
| Boomerang | Sports & Variety |
| Nick Too | Sports & Variety |
| PBS Kids Sprout () | Preferred Cable |
| Qubo | Preferred Cable |
| Planet Green | Preferred Cable |
| DIY () | Sports & Variety |
| Fine Living | Sports & Variety |
| Tvland | Preferred Cable |
| Style | Preferred Cable |
| Women's Entertainment | Preferred Cable |
| Soapnet | Preferred Cable |
| Biography Channel | Preferred Cable |
| BBC America | Preferred Cable |
| GSN | Preferred Cable |
| Discovery Health | Preferred Cable |
| FitTV | Preferred Cable |
| American Life TV | Sports & Variety |
| TV One | Preferred Cable |
| Sci-Fi Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Sleuth | Preferred Cable |
| Bravo | Preferred Cable |
| RFD TV | Sports & Variety |
| History Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Bravo | Preferred Cable |
| HGTV () | Preferred Cable |
| MSNBC | Preferred Cable |
| tru TV | Preferred Cable |
| C-SPAN 2 () | Preferred Cable |
| Hallmark Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Reelz Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Investigation Discovery | Preferred Cable |
| Science Channel () | Preferred Cable |
| National Geographic Channel () | Preferred Cable |
| G4 | Preferred Cable |
| Military Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Pentagon Channel | Preferred Cable |
| History Channel International | Preferred Cable |
| Bloomberg TV | Preferred Cable |
| Current TV | Preferred Cable |
| C-SPAN 3 () | Preferred Cable |
| Fox Business Network | Preferred Cable |
| ION | Preferred Cable |
| ION Life | Preferred Cable |
| Independent Film Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Lifetime Movie Network | Preferred Cable |
| Sundance Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Turner Classic Movies | Preferred Cable |
| Fox Movie Channel | Preferred Cable |
| TBN | Preferred Cable |
| JCTV | Preferred Cable |
| 3ABN | Preferred Cable |
| I-LifeTV | Sports & Variety |
| MTV2 | Preferred Cable |
| MTV Hits | Preferred Cable |
| MTV Tr3s | Preferred Cable |
| VH-1 Soul | Preferred Cable |
| CMT Pure Country | Sports & Variety |
| Great American Country | Preferred Cable |
| VH-1 Classic | Preferred Cable |
| Fuse | Preferred Cable |
| MTV Jams | Preferred Cable |
| BET J | Preferred Cable |
| ESPNEWS | Preferred Cable |
| ESPN Classic | Preferred Cable |
| Speed Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Outdoor Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Sportsman Channel | Sports & Variety |
| NFL Network | Sports & Variety |
| NHL Network | Sports & Variety |
| TVG Network | Sports & Variety |
| Versus | Preferred Cable |
| Golf Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Tennis Channel | Sports & Variety |
| Fox Soccer Channel | Preferred Cable |
| Gol TV | Sports & Variety |
| CBS College Sports Network | Sports & Variety |
| FCS Pacific | Sports & Variety |
| FCS Central | Sports & Variety |
| FCS Atlantic | Sports & Variety |
| Big Ten Network | Sports & Variety |
| ESPN Game Plan/ESPN Full Court | PPV |
| NBA League Pass Preview Channel | Limited Basic |
| NBA League Pass/MLS Direct Kick | PPV |
| MLB Extra Innings/NHL Center Ice | PPV |
| MLB Extra Innings/NHL Center Ice HD | PPV |
| HBO East | HBO |
| HBO West | HBO |
| HBO 2 East | HBO |
| HBO 2 West | HBO |
| HBO Signature East | HBO |
| HBO Signature West | HBO |
| HBO Family East | HBO |
| HBO Family West | HBO |
| HBO Comedy East | HBO |
| HBO Zone East | HBO |
| HBO Latino East | HBO |
| Cinemax East | Cinemax |
| Cinemax West | Cinemax |
| More Max East | Cinemax |
| More Max West | Cinemax |
| Action Max East | Cinemax |
| Thriller Max East | Cinemax |
| Showtime East | Showtime |
| Showtime West | Showtime |
| Showtime Too East | Showtime |
| Showtime Too West | Showtime |
| Showtime Showcase East | Showtime |
| Showtime Showcase West | Showtime |
| Showtime Extreme East | Showtime |
| Showtime Extreme West | Showtime |
| Showtime Women East | Showtime |
| Showtime Family Zone East | Showtime |
| Showtime Next East | Showtime |
| Flix East | Showtime |
| The Movie Channel East | Showtime |
| The Movie Channel West | Showtime |
| The Movie Channel Xtra East | Showtime |
| The Movie Channel Xtra West | Showtime |
| STARZ! East | Starz/Encore |
| STARZ! West | Starz/Encore |
| STARZ! Edge East | Starz/Encore |
| STARZ! Edge West | Starz/Encore |
| STARZ! IN BLACK East | Starz/Encore |
| STARZ! Kids & Family East | Starz/Encore |
| STARZ! Comedy East | Starz/Encore |
| STARZ! Cinema East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore WAM! East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore West | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Westerns East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Westerns West | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Mysteries East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Mysteries West | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Action East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Action West | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Drama East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Drama West | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Love Stories East | Starz/Encore |
| Encore Love Stories West | Starz/Encore |
| TVE Internacional | Spanish |
| Discovery en Español | Spanish |
| Cine Latino | Spanish |
| Club Casa TV | Spanish |
| Venemovies | Spanish |
| Fox Sports en Español | Spanish |
| CNN en Espanol | Spanish |
| Toon Disney en Espanol | Spanish |
| MTV Tr3s | Spanish |
| History en Espanol | Spanish |
| Cine Mexicano | Spanish |
| SUR | Spanish |
| EWTN Espanol | Spanish |
| Telemundo | Spanish SS |
| Mun2 | Spanish SS |
| ESPN Deportes | Spanish |
HDTV Channels
High Definition Locals
- 80.x, 81.x, & 116.x with QAM Tuner and 601-614 with Cable Box Local Networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, and Fox) in SD & HD
National High Definition
| Ch # | Station | Package
|
|---|---|---|
| 620 | ESPNHD | Preferred Cable |
| 621 | ESPN2HD | Preferred Cable |
| 622 | FSNHD | Preferred Cable |
| 623 | VERSUS/GOLF HD | Preferred Cable |
| 627 | USA HD | Preferred Cable |
| 628 | Universal HD | Preferred Cable |
| 629 | TNT HD | Preferred Cable |
| 630 | HD Theater | Preferred Cable |
| 640 | HDNet | Preferred Cable |
| 641 | HDNet Movies | Preferred Cable |
| 642 | MOJO | Preferred Cable |
| 643 | MHD | Preferred Cable |
| 644 | National Geographic Channel HD | Preferred Cable |
| 645 | TBS HD | Preferred Cable |
| 646 | A&E HD | Preferred Cable |
| 647 | History Channel HD | Preferred Cable |
| 648 | Discovery Channel HD | Preferred Cable |
| 649 | Animal Planet HD | Preferred Cable |
| 650 | HBO HD East | HBO |
| 651 | HBO HD West | HBO |
| 655 | Sci-fi Channel HD | Preferred Cable |
| 656 | ABC Family Channel HD | Preferred Cable |
| 657 | Disney Channel HD | Preferred Cable |
| 660 | Cinemax HD East | Cinemax |
| 661 | Cinemax HD West | Cinemax |
| 662 | TLC HD | Preferred Cable |
| 663 | Food Network HD | Preferred Cable |
| 664 | HGTV HD | Preferred Cable |
| 670 | Starz HD East | Starz/Encore |
| 671 | Starz HD West | Starz/Encore |
| 672 | CNN HD | Preferred Cable |
| 680 | Showtime HD East | Showtime |
| 690 | TMC HD East | Showtime |
Channels 800-999
| Ch # | Name | Package
|
|---|---|---|
| 800 | In Demand Previews | Limited Basic |
| 801-808 | In Demand SD/HD PPV | PPV |
| 835 | In Demand Previews | Limited Basic |
| Ch # | Station | Package |
|---|---|---|
| 900's | Music Choice | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 901 | SOUNDS OF THE SEASON | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 902 | TODAY'S COUNTRY | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 903 | CLASSIC COUNTRY | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 904 | BLUEGRASS | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 905 | HIP HOP AND R&B | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 906 | R&B | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 907 | SOUL | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 908 | HITS | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 909 | RAP | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 910 | METAL | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 911 | ROCK | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 912 | ARENA ROCK | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 913 | CLASSIC ROCK | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 914 | ADULT ALTERNATIVE | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 915 | ALTERNATIVE | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 916 | RETRO-ACTIVE | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 917 | ELECTRONICA | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 918 | DANCE | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 919 | LITE HITS | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 920 | ADULT TOP 40 | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 921 | HIT LIST | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 922 | KIDZ ONLY! | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 923 | PARTY FAVORITES | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 924 | SHOWCASE | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 925 | '90S | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 926 | '80S | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 927 | '70S | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 928 | SOLID GOLD OLDIES | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 929 | SMOOTH JAZZ | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 930 | JAZZ | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 931 | BLUES | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 932 | REGGAE | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 933 | SOUNDSCAPES | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 934 | EASY LISTENING | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 935 | BIG BAND & SWING | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 936 | SINGERS & STANDARDS | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 937 | SHOW TUNES | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 938 | CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 939 | GOSPEL | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 940 | CLASSICAL MASTERPIECES | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 941 | LIGHT CLASSICAL | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 942 | POP LATINO | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 943 | MUSICA URBANA | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 944 | SALSA Y MERENGUE | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 945 | MEXICANA | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 946 | ROCK EN ESPANOL | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 947 | AMERICANA | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
| 948 | OPERA | Basic Cable with Digital Receiver |
Family Package
Former Midcontinent Channels
- MoviePlex was a part of expanded basic cable service until April 4, 2007
- TRIO folded on January 1, 2006
- VH1 UNO
- CNNSI Folded on May 15, 2002
- INHD2 Folded on January 1, 2005
- Hot Choice dropped on December 5, 2007
- Fresh! dropped on December 5, 2007
- Playboy TV dropped on December 5, 2007
- 901-946 DMX (music) Music Channels
See also
List of Local TV Channels Produced By Midcontinent Communications
External links
References