Media in Missoula, Montana facts for kids

Missoula, Montana, has been a really important place for news and entertainment in the state of Montana since it became a city in 1885. It all started with a weekly newspaper called the Missoula and Cedar Creek Pioneer.

Missoula's Media Market

A "media market" is like a special area where people watch the same TV channels or listen to the same radio stations. It's how companies figure out where to advertise. Missoula has the biggest TV media market in Montana. This means more people watch TV channels from Missoula than from any other city in Montana.

TV and Radio Reach

Even though Billings is the biggest city in Montana, Missoula's TV market covers a huge area. Since 2002, it has been the largest in the state. This market includes several counties:

• Missoula County
• Ravalli County
• Granite County
• Mineral County
• Lake County
• Flathead County
• Sanders County

In 2011, this area had over 113,000 homes that watched TV! That's a lot of people getting their news and shows from Missoula.

Local Newspapers

Missoula is also home to some important newspapers:

• The Missoulian: This is Montana's third-largest daily newspaper. It brings news to people every day.
• The Missoula Independent: This was the state's largest "alternative weekly" newspaper. It offered different kinds of news and stories each week.