Alabama Public Television
Alabama Public Television is a state network of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member non-commercial educational Public television stations serving the US state of Alabama. The television stations are licensed by the Alabama Educational Television Commission, which was created by the Alabama state legislature in 1953. The broadcast signals of the nine stations cover almost all of the state, as well as parts of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. The network produces its own TV news and public affairs programming and broadcasts content produced by the state's universities for online education and course credit as well.
The network's offices and network operations center are located in Birmingham. Until 2011, APT also operated a studio in Montgomery (the state capital) for pledge drives and programs covering the state government; state budget cuts forced the network to close the studio.[1] The AETC has operated a public radio station, WLRH 89.3 FM, in Huntsville, since 1977.
History
Alabama was one of the earliest states to enter educational television broadcasting when the state created the Alabama Educational Television Commission in 1953. After two years of preparation, it signed on the nation's ninth Educational television station, WTIQ (now WCIQ) for Talladega, though the city of license was Munford. The transmitter was located atop Cheaha Mountain. When WBIQ in Birmingham came online in April, Alabama became the first state in the nation with an educational television network. Alabama Educational Television made its first broadcast as a network shortly after WBIQ signed on. Twenty-five other states have started public television networks, all based on Alabama's model. The network changed its name to Alabama Public Television in the late 1960s.
Today APT's mission continues to be focused mainly on education. It provides educational services to the people of Alabama online, on air from three digital and one analog channel, and through outreach services to educators and service provides statewide.
WAIQ in Andalusia (now WDIQ in Dozier) went on the air in August 1956, bringing APT to south Alabama for the first time before being reassigned to Montgomery in December 1962. WAIQ was the first APT station to broadcast a digital signal as Channel 14 in 2003, but it was later changed to physical (RF) TV channel 27 on account of Montgomery station WSFA. Station WALA-TV in Mobile donated its former transmitter in Spanish Fort to APT in 1964, allowing WEIQ to bring the network to Mobile and Baldwin counties in November. WEIQ's power was increased during the 1980s.
In 1976, the FCC delayed renewal of AETC's licenses due to APT's refusal to air programs pertaining to the Vietnam War or the African-American community. APT management feared that airing these types of programs would have put the network's future in jeopardy, due to potential losses of funding from outraged (politically conservative) public officials. Therefore, APT followed orders by state officials not to air certain programming during the 1960s and 1970s. However, it has taken a more independent stance over the last 30 years.
In August 2004, APT began datacasting on its digital broadcast signals to distribute digital multimedia content to ten elementary and secondary schools, in a pilot program.
For longer than a quarter century, Alabama Public Television aired a public affairs program, For the Record, which took a very aggressive approach to covering state government. The longest-running program of its kind on a PBS affiliate or regional or state network, it aired nightly for many years beginning in the late 1970s, but was reduced to its weekly slot in 2007 due to budget cuts. Capitol Journal, which covered the Alabama Legislature's activities, succeeded FTR, but was cancelled when the Montgomery studio closed in July 2011.
APT began broadcasting a high definition channel (APT HD) in 2005. In December 2006 it launched a how-to channel featuring established cooking, gardening, decorating, crafts and sewing programs on APT Create. A family learning channel, APT IQ, began airing in March 2007.
Stations
As of 2009, the Alabama Public Television stations are:
Notes:
- 1. Virtual channel (PSIP).
- 2. WCIQ used the callsign WEDM (EDucational Munford) from January to March 1955,[2] and then WTIQ (the T standing for Talladega) to 1959.[3] Also, the station's city of license was previously Munford (near Cheaha Mountain), and later, Mount Cheaha State Park, where the station's transmitter (and mountain) is located. For unknown reasons, Nielsen Media Research (and therefore the FCC) considers the station to be a part of the Atlanta, Georgia media market.[4]
- 3. WDIQ used the callsign WAIQ (the A standing for Andalusia) from its 1956 sign-on to 1961.[5] This station's city of license was Andalusia from its 1956 sign-on to 1962.[6]
- 4. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says WEIQ signed on November 6, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on November 18.
- 5. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says WFIQ signed on August 16, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on August 9.
- 6. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says WHIQ signed on November 8, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on November 15.
- 7. WIIQ signed on this date according to the Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook and some other sources. However, the Television and Cable Factbook says WIIQ signed on for the first time on September 13, 1970. WIIQ can be seen over the air in some areas of East Central Mississippi. (Ironically, Nielsen Marketing Research places the station as part of the Meridian Television market which covers two counties in West Central Alabama. The WIIQ tower is located in Marengo County, Alabama. Marengo County is assigned to the Montgomery television market.)
- 8. WBIQ and WCIQ returned to their original VHF channel assignments at the end of the digital switchover as the corresponding UHF DTV installations are on channels which went out-of-band after 2009. There have also been issues with inability (or prohibitive cost) to provide coverage to the original WBIQ viewing area on these higher frequencies.[7]
Coverage areas
Station |
Signal Reach |
WAIQ |
Montgomery and the southern portion of the geographical center of the state |
WBIQ |
Birmingham and the northern portion of the geographical center of Alabama, and the west central counties of the state including the city of Tuscaloosa |
WCIQ |
Talladega, Anniston, Gadsden and Auburn, and the east central portion of the state to the western outskirts of Metro Atlanta; also provides secondary signal for Birmingham |
WDIQ |
The south central portion of the state to Interstate 10 in the Florida Panhandle |
WEIQ |
Mobile and Baldwin counties along Alabama's Gulf Coast and several counties to the north as well as parts of southeastern Mississippi and the far western Florida Panhandle |
WFIQ |
Florence and the northwestern portion of the state and some counties in southern central Tennessee and northeastern Mississippi; secondary signal for Decatur |
WGIQ |
Dothan and most of the southeastern portion of the state and some parts of southwestern Georgia; closest APTV signal to Phenix City |
WHIQ |
Huntsville, Decatur and most of the north central and northeastern portion of the state as well as some counties in southern central Tennessee; secondary signal for Gadsden |
WIIQ |
Much of southwestern Alabama in the region known as the "Black Belt" as well as Meridian and some counties in eastern central Mississippi; secondary signal for Tuscaloosa and Selma |
Digital television
Sub-channel |
Programming |
x.1 |
Main APT programming / PBS |
x.2 |
APT IQ |
x.3 |
APT Create |
After analog shutdown
Although the DTV Delay Act extended the mandatory deadline to June 12, 2009, APT ended all analog service as originally scheduled on February 17, 2009.[8]
- WAIQ, WEIQ, WFIQ, WGIQ, WHIQ, and WIIQ remained on their respective, pre-transition channel numbers (27, 41, 22, 44, 24, and 19);[9][10][11][12][13][14]
- WBIQ and WCIQ returned to channels (10 and 7);[15][16]
- WDIQ moved its digital broadcasts to channel 10.[17]
Using PSIP to display virtual channels for each APT station corresponding to their former analog channels.
On July 29, 2010, WBIQ receive a construction permit to move its digital channel from channel 10 to channel 39.[18]
Previous logos
See also
References
External links
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Stations |
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See also Huntsville, Montgomery and Atlanta TV
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Local stations |
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Cable channels |
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See also: Panama City TV • Montgomery TV • Biloxi TV • Hattiesburg TV
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Stations |
WRBL (3.1 CBS, 3.2 Me-TV, 3.3 AccuWX) • W06BH (6.1 Religious) • WCIQ 7 / WGIQ 43 (x.1 PBS / APT, x.2 APT IQ, x.3 Create) • WTVM (9.1 ABC, 9.2 AccuWX) • WYBU (16.1 CTN) • WACS (25.1 PBS / GPB, 25.2 GPB Kids, 25.3 GPB Knowledge) • WJSP (28.1 PBS / GPB, 28.2 GPB Kids, 28.3 GPB Knowledge) • WLTZ (38.1 NBC, 38.2 The CW) • WXTX (54.1 Fox / MNTV, 54.2 This TV)
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Defunct |
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Georgia broadcast television areas by city: Albany • Atlanta • Augusta • Chattanooga, TN • Columbus • GSP/AVL, SC/NC • Jacksonville, FL • Macon • Savannah • Tallahassee, FL
See also: Montgomery TV • Birmingham TV • Dothan TV
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Metro Atlanta |
WSB-TV (2.1 ABC, 2.2 Me-TV) · WAGA-TV (5.1 Fox) · WGTV (8.1 PBS/GPB, 8.2 Kids, 8.3 Knowledge) · WXIA-TV (11.1 NBC, 11.2 WIZ) · WPXA-TV (14.1 ION, 14.2 Qubo, 14.3 ION Life) · WPCH-TV (17.1 ind.) · WPBA (30.1 PBS) · WUVG-DT (34.1 Uni., 34.2 TF) · WATL (36.1 MyNet., 36.2 Bounce, 36.3 Ant.) · WGCL-TV (46.1 CBS) · WATC-DT (57.1 ind./relg., 57.2 family) · WHSG-TV (63.1 TBN, 63.2 Church, 63.3 JCTV, 63.4 Enlace, 63.5 Smile) · WUPA (69.1 CW)
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Low-power |
WUVM-LP 4 (AzA) · WYGA-LD (16.1 Mex., 16.3 RTV) · WSKC-CD (22.1 MBC) · W23DN 23 (HSN) · WTBS-LD/LP 26 (26.1 F24, 26.2 LWN, 26.3 Tuff, 26.4 JTV, 26.5 Oldie, 26.6 MOXiE, 26.7 Tr3́s, 26.8 Untamed, 26.9 CS, 26.10 Vida · WANN-LD (32.1 Zap2it/Biz, 32.2 Tr3́s, 32.3 this, 32.4 MOXiE, 32.5 Oldie, 32.6 LATV, 32.7 Tuff, 32.8 MV/Legacy, 32.9 Vida, 32.10 F24, 32.21 WGST-AM 640, 32.22 WUBL FM 94.9, 32.23 WKLS FM 96.1, 32.24 WWLG FM 96.7, 32.25 WWVA-FM 105.7, 32.26 WBZY FM 105.3, 32.27 WXJO AM 1120) · WIRE-CD (40.1/2/3 ads, 40.4 3ABN) · WTHC-LD (42.1 tourist) · WKTB-CD (47.1 Telemundo, 47.2 KTN/KBS, 47.3 Arirang, 47.4 MC-TV) · WXID-LP 49 (silent) · WDTA-LD (53.1 DS)
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Outlying areas |
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Local cable
channels |
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Defunct |
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ATSC-M/H Mobile DTV
encrypted channels
are italicized |
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Georgia broadcast television areas by city: Albany • Atlanta • Augusta • Chattanooga, TN • Columbus • GSP/AVL, SC/NC • Jacksonville, FL • Macon • Savannah • Tallahassee, FL
See also Huntsville and Birmingham TV
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Local stations |
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Adjacent locals |
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
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Stations |
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See also: Columbus TV • Birmingham TV • Dothan TV • Pensacola/Mobile TV • Meridian TV • Hattiesburg TV
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Local Stations |
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Adjacent locals |
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
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Defunct stations |
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Tennessee Broadcast television: Chattanooga • Huntsville, AL • Jackson • Knoxville • Memphis • Nashville • Paducah, KY • Tri-Cities
See also: Atlanta TV • Birmingham TV • Tupelo TV
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Stations |
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See also: Jackson TV • Hattiesburg TV • Tupelo TV • Montgomery TV • Birmingham TV
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Local stations |
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Adjacent locals |
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
Jackson, MS: WLBT (3.1 NBC, 3.2 local weather, 3.3 This TV) • WJTV (12.1 CBS, 12.2 local weather, 12.3 RTV) •
WAPT (16.1 ABC, 16.2 weather radar)
Memphis, TN: WREG (3.1 CBS, 3.2 news and weather, 3.3 Antenna TV) • WMC (5.1 NBC, 5.2 local weather, 5.3 This TV) • WHBQ (13.1 Fox)
Other areas: WDBB (18.1 The CW, 18.2 The Country Network Tuscaloosa, AL) • WCFT (33.1 ABC, 33.2 local weather; Tuscaloosa, AL) • WFIQ (36.1 PBS/APT, 36.2 APT IQ, 36.3 Create Florence, AL)
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See also: Jackson TN TV • Greenwood TV
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See also: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, ION, MyNetworkTV, NBC, PBS and Other stations in Alabama
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Radio syndicators |
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Terrestrial television |
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Cable and satellite |
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Regional networks |
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Local non-commercial
independents |
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