KVZK-TV

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KVZK-2 is the local PBS member station for Pago Pago and American Samoa, broadcasting in NTSC on VHF channel 2.

KVZK-2 is owned by the Government of American Samoa, which also operates KVZK-4 and KVZK-5, offering programming from ABC, CBS and, before KKHJ-LP's acquisition, NBC.

Despite the odd call-letter arrangement, KVZK-2 is, in fact, a valid United States call sign.

As an insular area of the United States, television in American Samoa was originally regulated by the Department of the Interior instead of the Federal Communications Commission and will continue to be so when operated by the American Samoan Government. However, other TV stations not operated by the American Samoan Government that would later be licensed in American Samoa would be placed under the jurisdiction of the FCC.

KVZK-2 was American Samoa's first television station. It began broadcasting in black and white in 1964. Its broadcasts transitioned to color in 1969. The station, and 5 others at the same site on Mount Alava were designed to broadcast instructional material to the American Samoa Schools, many of which were located in almost inaccessible villages. The materials were produced by imported stateside teachers who prepared their instructional broadcasts in a 4-studio television center in Pago Pago. The project brought increased literacy and opened educational opportunities for the Samoan students, and was maintained for several years. Eventually, however, differences about educational theory, budget, and politics, brought the end of the comprehensive instructional program, with the remaining two stations now offering U.S. television reruns and some local programming.

External links

• American Samoa Department of Public Information website
• KVZK at PBS.org
• Fybush.com: Article on American Samoa broadcasting towers