KTVQ
Sample's acquisitions of KXLF-TV in Butte 1961 and KRTV in Great Falls in 1969 formed the basis of the Montana Television Network; KOOK radio was sold off in 1973, and channel 2 changed its call sign to KTVQ.[4] The turnaround time was short considering that Robert S. Howard, who owned Scripps-associated radio and newspaper holdings in Utah and Idaho, had also applied for channel 2,[5] but his firm dropped its bid and cleared the way for The Montana Network.[10] In December 1956, Joseph Sample acquired majority control of KOOK radio and television from its previous ownership, headed by Charles L. Crist, a state representative.[11] A year later, KOOK broke ground on a new radio and television center in downtown Billings, which was completed in 1959;[12] three homes were moved off the property before construction began.In 1961, he acquired KXLF in Butte;[9] in 1969, he purchased KRTV in Great Falls, giving his Garryowen Broadcasting coverage of half the state's population.[29] The order of the newscast was changed to put the local inserts first,[30] and MTN's long-running Today in Montana—which also originated in Great Falls—added news and weather segments aired from Billings.[31] Despite the use of longer interview segments and in-depth reports, Phillips's style was often seen as too big-city for Montanans; Vic Bracht of The Billings Gazette cited an "arrogance factor" that became known even to people who did not watch MTN.