Wisconsin Public Television

Infobox Network
network_name = Wisconsin Public Television

network_type = Terrestrial state public broadcasting network
airdate = May 3, 1954
slogan = "A place to grow through learning"
broadcast_area = Wisconsin, United States
Portions of Minnesota, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Northern Illinois
owner = Wisconsin Educational Communications Board,
University of Wisconsin-Extension
past_names = Wisconsin Educational Television (1954-1986)
digital = 6 full-power television stations
analog = 6 full-power television stations,
6 translator stations
subchannels = .1 PBS (WPT)
.2 PBS (Wisconsin Channel)
.3 PBS (WPT Create)
.4 PBS (WPT Kids)
.5 (WPT HD)
affiliation = PBS
website = [http://www.wpt.org WPT.org]

Wisconsin Public Television is a network of non-commercial and non-profit PBS stations that are mostly run by the Educational Communications Board and University of Wisconsin Extension.

The network is available via WHA and its five major satelite stations throughout most of Wisconsin. Those satelites also carry separate digital television signals. WPT is also available on most satellite and cable outlets.

Wisconsin Public Television is also the main conduit of educational and instructional programming produced by the Educational Communications Board, which is also aired through some stations serving other portions of the state without a WPT station, and also nationwide through PBS, Annenberg Media, and other educational distributors. For more information about ECB instructional programming and state distribution of their programming, refer to the article about that organization.

History

WPT's flagship station, WHA-TV, went on the air on May 3, 1954. It was named after WHA, the radio station (and current Wisconsin Public Radio flagship for their Ideas Network) owned by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and was one of the stations considered to be the oldest radio station regularly broadcasting.

In 1971, the state legislature created the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, activating five stations during the 1970s--WPNE in Green Bay in 1972; WHWC in Menomonie and WHLA in La Crosse in 1973; WHRM in Wausau in 1975 and WLEF in Park Falls in 1977--as satellites of WHA-TV. The stations adopted the on-air name of Wisconsin Public Television in 1986. Network transmission and station identification is based out of ECB's Madison facility on the Beltline.From 1960 to 2007, WPT aired same-day tape-delayed coverage of some home games for Wisconsin Badgers football and men's basketball, which was produced in association with UW's athletic department. However, because of exclusivity agreements with the Big Ten Network that launched in September, 2007, WPT was no longer able to air these athletic broadcasts [http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/188213] . The network still offers tape-delayed broadcasts of Badgers men's and women's hockey, women's basketball and volleyball throughout the year [http://www.wpt.org/sports] .

tations

Full-Power Stations

There are six full-power stations in the network, spread throughout the major cities within the state, and all are on UHF;

Network programming in Milwaukee and Superior-Duluth

WPT's public affairs programming is carried by MPTV flagship WMVS (Channel 10) in Milwaukee, including "Here and Now" and "In Wisconsin", while WDSE (Channel 8) airs the shows in Superior-Duluth. The two stations also air the network's live teen issues program "Teen Connection" quarterly with WPT, along with any political debates produced by the network; in turn some Milwaukee Public Television programming (such as "Outdoor Wisconsin") and MPTV-produced debates air on WPT. Some of the network's tape-delayed sports coverage airs in Milwaukee on WMVT (Channel 36).

See also

* Wisconsin Public Radio
* Public Broadcasting Service
* Educational Communications Board

External links

* [http://www.wpt.org Wisconsin Public Television Website]
*TVQ|WHA-TV
*TVQ|WHLA
*TVQ|WHRM
*TVQ|WHWC
*TVQ|WLEF
*TVQ|WPNE
*TVQ|W18CU
*TVQ|W22CI
*TVQ|W24CL
*TVQ|W45CD
*TVQ|W47CO
*TVQ|W48DB