Dakota News Now improves over-the-air signal for KSFY & KDLT viewers

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Television viewers across many parts of eastern South Dakota will notice a drastic improvement in their over-the-air channel options.

Over the past several months, engineers at Dakota News Now and Gray Media Group have been working on a complex system to improve the signal strength and coverage of KSFY and KDLT.

This was accomplished by adding the KSFY signal to KDLT transmission towers in Aberdeen, Plankinton, Mitchell, Huron, Watertown, Brookings and Springfield. The KDLT signal was added to the KSFY tower in Pierre.

This means viewers using an antenna, who were only able to see KSFY, will now be able to see KDLT (NBC) and Antenna TV programming. In addition, viewers who were only able to see KDLT can now see KSFY (ABC), CW, and MeTV programming.

The changes will be noticeable in areas surrounding the communities of Aberdeen, Pierre, Plankinton, Watertown, Brookings, Mitchell and Springfield.

“Our team has been working hard to make these changes a reality,” Dakota News Now President & General Manager Jim Berman said. “We are happy to be able to improve our signal across the region. We’re particularly thrilled to be able to restore that signal in the Aberdeen area.”

KSFY was forced to take down its tower in Aberdeen in 2016 after concerns about the safety of the structure.

Viewers may have to do a rescan of their television to pick up the additional channels. Viewers who watch KSFY, KDLT or their affiliated channels through a cable or satellite provider will not notice any changes.

Last month, Dakota News Now announced plans for a news bureau in Pierre.

The bureau is a shared partnership with KOTA Territory News and Black Hills Fox in Rapid City. Both stations, as well as KSFY and KDLT are owned by Gray Media Group, INC.

The Pierre News Bureau should be operational by June.

Signal improvements and the Pierre newsroom were two of the commitments made by Gray Media Group as it sought approval from the FCC to purchase KDLT and merge operations with KSFY.

The two organizations combined news operations on January 13, using the new brand DAKOTA NEWS NOW. Together, the stations also added two additional hours of news each weekday.