Owned by Permian Basin Public Telecommunications, Inc., the station maintains studios at the historic Ritz Theater in downtown Midland and a transmitter near Gardendale.

Public television came to the Permian Basin in 1986 when Odessa College started KOCV-TV from studios and a transmitter located on its campus.

However, in 2003, budget cuts mandated by the state of Texas led the college to discontinue support for the station and seek another licensee.

[5] Even though it delayed the launch, Odessa College opted to build its own tower on the campus to avoid having to pay fees to lease another facility.

[11] The move put the station's future, as well as its conversion to digital broadcasting and a planned partnership with the University of Texas Permian Basin, in jeopardy.

[19] On August 30, 2005, the ECISD board approved the transfer of KOCV-TV to a new community licensee, Permian Basin Public Telecommunications, Inc. (PBPT).

A high school quiz tournament debuted in 2007,[24] while a series titled Proud Heritage profiled West Texas ranching families.

[27] The transmitter facility itself continued to be at Odessa College until KPBT-TV began broadcasting its signal from a location near the KOSA-TV studios at Music City Mall in July 2012.

[31] In 2014, Basin PBS unveiled its plans for the facility, reconstructing the building's internal systems and renovating the façade to one similar to its 1950s appearance.

[30] Work began in 2016 to transform the Ritz into the broadcaster's new home, including leveling the sloped floor,[32] and Basin PBS moved in in 2019.

[34] In fiscal year 2022, Basin PBS generated $1.945 million in revenue, the largest share coming from an $840,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.