The station signed on the air on September 23, 1968, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, as one of ten charter stations of the KET network. All of the network's satellites were strategically located to serve as much of the state as possible.
Digital television
The station's digital television companion signal, WKPI-DT, along with the digital companions of thirteen other KET stations signed on the air in May 2002.
Analog-to-digital conversion
On April 16, 2009, WKPI-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 22, as part of the mandatory analog-to-digital television transition of 2009. The deadline was moved from February 17 to June 12 of that year as part of the DTV Delay Act. However, all KET stations completed the transition on April 16. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF, channel 24. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 22.
WKPI-TV currently holds a construction permit to reallocate its digital signal onto UHF channel 23. This is part of the network's participation in the 2016–17 FCC Spectrum incentive auction. The station must relocate its digital signal to its new allocation no later than the time period within September 2019 and/or early October 2019.
Availability
Over-the-air
The WKPI-TV digital signal covers southern portions of its home market, the Charleston–Huntington, West Virginia market, the far western portion of the Bluefield–Beckley, West Virginia market, northern portions of the Tri-Cities market, and the far eastern reaches of the Lexington market. The signal coverage includes areas from Hyden, Kentucky to near Richlands, Virginia, and from Duffield, Virginia to the Louisa, Kentucky area. Other cities within the range include Chapmanville and Williamson, West Virginia; Big Stone Gap, Virginia; and Jenkins, Kentucky. As it is with most other KET stations, over-the-air signal covers some of the same areas as those of some of KET's other stations. In WKPI's case, it overlaps with WKAS/Ashland and WKHA/Hazard, as well as low-powered translator W28DD-D in Louisa. In fact, WKPI's over-the-air signal also reaches the Hazard area; thus WKPI serves as a backup KET satellite for the Hazard area should WKHA experience difficulties. Certain areas of the station's West Virginia sector of the coverage area is also within range of West Virginia Public Broadcasting flagship WVPB-TV's signal from Huntington, West Virginia, as well as that of WVPB affiliate WSWP-TV in Bluefield.
Cable availability
KET's statewide cable coverage includes several locally owned cable systems in eastern Kentucky, including Inter-Mountain Cable and Big Sandy TV Cable. It is also carried on Suddenlink cable systems in Pikeville, Kentucky and Logan, West Virginia.
