 WKYU-TV would not only compete with locally based Kentucky Educational Television (KET) station WKGB-TV (channel 53), but also be a source for locally produced public affairs programming focusing solely on the south-central Kentucky area.The station signed on the air for the first time on January 15, 1989.Upon signing on, it became the second PBS member station within Kentucky that was not aligned with the statewide PBS member network KET.