Alaska Rural Communications Service

The Alaska Rural Communications Service (ARCS), previously known as The Alaska Satellite Television Project (ASTP), prior to that, Rural Alaska Television Network (RATNET) is a statewide network of low-powered television stations, serving 235 communities throughout the Alaskan Bush areas. The network is based in Anchorage, Alaska, and is operated by Alaska Public Broadcasting, a joint venture of Alaska Public Media and Alaska's public broadcasters. Programming is beamed via satellite to the rural transmitters owned by the Alaska state government.

Programming on ARCS is a selection of shows from the four commercial broadcast networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox) and syndication, via the Anchorage stations; plus PBS programming from KAKM and other PBS members in the state; occasionally, ARCS produces some of its own programming (including local sports coverage). Anchorage stations provide their programming to ARCS free of charge with the condition that advertising is allowed to remain.

There is currently no CW programming available on ARCS (nor did it air programming from The WB), and though in the past the network carried MyNetworkTV programming from KYES-TV (and previously, UPN), it has not since its 2009 conversion from a network to an all-repeat programming service; it did carry other syndicated programming from that station, mainly on weekends, until KYES-TV took over the CBS affiliation from KTVA on August 1, 2020 (KYES-TV's former programming shifted to KYES-DT4 and will continue to air on ARCS on weekends).

Even though much of ARCS' programming contains commercials, the operation of ARCS is partially funded by donations from its viewers, just like member stations of PBS, as well as those of the Christian-based Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Although many of ARCS' stations are in analog, the network is in the process of converting all of its stations to digital broadcasting as they prepare for the FCC mandated digital television transition scheduled for July 13, 2021 for low-power TV stations as well as translator stations. The network will flash cut its transmitters once the transition is complete, shutting down its analog transmissions and switching on their digital transmitters at the same time. This has also allowed ARCS to add new subchannels, including 360 North, First Nations Experience, and UAF TV via Alaska Public Media's KAKM-TV.[1]