WETA-TV
Encyclopedia : W : WE : WET : WETA-TV
WETA-TV is the PBS station serving the Washington, D.C. area. Its studios are located in Arlington, Virginia. WETA produces many nationally syndicated programs for PBS including The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Washington Week and .
History
In 1952, the FCC allocated 242 channels for non-commercial use across the U.S.. Channel 26 was allocated for use in Washington, DC. In 1953, the Greater Washington Educational Television Association was formed to develop programming for channel 26. Elizabeth Campbell, thought by many to be the major force in founding WETA was elected president of the association in 1957.
In the early days, the GWETA did not have enough funding to operate on allocated channel 26, so instead they produced educational programming for WTTG. Finally, in October 2, 1961, the GWETA was granted a license by the FCC to activate channel 26. Until WETA moved to Howard University in 1964, WETA operated from Yorktown High School. The transmitter was moved to Bethesda, MD. The move brought an upgrade to production value and signal strength. In 1967, WETA produced Washington Week in Review, its first nationally syndicated program for non-commercial educational stations. Around 1970, the Greater Washington Educational Television Association changed their name to the Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association to reflect the oversight of the new WETA-FM.
In the 1990s, WETA established itself as a leader in new developing forms of communication. In 1992, WETA broadcast the first over-the-air HDTV signal in the U.S. In 1995, WETA launched weta.org, becoming one of the first PBS stations in the country to have a website. In 1997, WETA tested its new full-power HDTV transmitter, and began to showcase it to the public in 1999. In 2002, WETA became one of the first stations to offer digital subchannels, which include WETA Prime, WETA Plus, and WETA Kids. In January 2006, WETA replaced the subchannels lineup with WETA Create, WETA Family and WETA World, after the closure of national services PBS You and PBS Kids.
WETA has always been a powerful force in the communities which it serves. In 1995, WETA acquired CapAccess, an interactive computer network. From that acquisition, WETA helped connect public schools, public libraries and local government agencies to the internet. WETA's community efforts continue to this day. Since 2003, WETA has sponsored a toll-free phone service for The Metropolitan Washington Ear, Inc.'s dial-in newspaper and magazine service, providing news for the blind, visually impaired and print-handicapped.
Recently, WETA has produced Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered, hosted by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson as part of an effort to provide a balanced perspective. WETA continues to be regarded as a positive force in the Washington, D.C., area.
External links
| Broadcast Television in the Washington, D.C. market [(Nielsen DMA #8)] | ||
|---|---|---|
| WRC 4 (NBC) - WTTG 5 (Fox) - WJLA 7 (ABC) - WUSA 9 (CBS) - WAZT-CA 10 / WAZC-LP 16 / WAZF-CA 28 / WAZW-CA 48 (TBN) - WFDC 14 (UNV) - W15AD 15/W17AL 17/W41AO 41/W48AA 48/W69AC 69 (PBS/WVPB) - WDCA 20 (UPN/MNTV) - WDDN 23 (DAY) - WHAG 25 (NBC) - WETA 26 (PBS) - WWPB 31/WFPT 62 (PBS/MPB) - WHUT 32 (PBS) - WVPY 42 (PBS) - WMDO 47 (TFR) - WWTD 49 (Ind) - WDCW 50 (The WB/The CW) - WNVC 56 (Ind) - WIAV 58 (AV/Ind) - WWPX 60/WPXW 66 (i) - WZDC 64 (TMD) - WJAL 68 (Ind) | ||
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Digital only
WNVT 30 (Ind) | ||
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Local cable television channels
News Channel 8 - TV-3 Winchester (ABC) | ||
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