A prominent feature of the Bethel skyline has been retired after roughly 50 years of service. KYUK’s iconic orange and white communications tower was originally intended to beam television programming, including local TV news, educational productions, and popular programs like Sesame Street, locally since at least as early as 1975. In more recent years, it carried FM radio programming as well.
In 2022, a helicopter swooped in to remove the damaged upper 80 feet of the formerly 260-foot tower. It remained operational until this summer, when crews disassembled it with a crane and erected a brand new silver tower next to where the old tower once stood.
The new 180-foot tower will be an essential component of local emergency and public safety operations, and it is built to host additional antennas or cellular equipment as needed. The tower aims to be an important asset in Bethel and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta for decades to come.
