WPBT
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida | |
|---|---|
| Branding | South Florida Public Media |
| Slogan | Explore Your Possibilities |
| Channels |
Digital: 18 (UHF) Virtual: 2 (PSIP) |
| Subchannels |
2.1 Miami HD 2.2 Create 2.3 V-me |
| Affiliations | PBS (1970-Present) |
| Owner | Community Television Foundation of South Florida, Inc. |
| Founded | November 1953 |
| First air date | August 12, 1955 |
| Call letters' meaning |
Public Broadcasting Television |
| Former callsigns | WTHS-TV (1955–1979, timeshare partner) |
| Former channel number(s) |
Analog: 2 (1955–2009) |
| Former affiliations | NET (1955–1970) |
| Transmitter power | 1000 kW |
| Height | 309 m |
| Facility ID | 13456 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 25°57′30.9″N 80°12′43.3″W / 25.958583°N 80.212028°W |
| Website | WPBT2 Facebook |
WPBT2 is a PBS member public television station that serves the entire South Florida region, and even including portions of the Treasure Coast, the only television station to serve the entire metropolis. The station is owned and operated by the Community Television Foundation of South Florida, a private nonprofit multi-media organization that serves the communities of South Florida, reaching 1.5 million families weekly from Martin County to the Florida Keys. Some of WPBT's notable national programs include Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer, ¿Qué Pasa, USA?, and the Nightly Business Report. Programs for local consumption include Check, Please! South Florida, a restaurant review show based on a program created by Chicago station WTTW.
History
WPBT2 is Florida's oldest public television station and was organized in November 1953. WPBT signed on for the first time August 12, 1955 as a shared-time facility with the Dade County Board of Public Instruction's station, WTHS-TV. Originally, DCBPI would broadcast educational programming for five hours in the daytime as WTHS, then the CTF would broadcast two hours of programming in the evenings as WPBT.[1][2]
Gradually, CTF began broadcasting longer hours, especially after the school board signed on WSEC-TV (channel 17) as a secondary station. CTF's hours increased further after the formation of PBS in 1970. In 1979, the Dade County School Board gave up its portion of channel 2 and the license of WTHS to the Federal Communications Commission. The board moved WTHS' programming inventory to channel 17, which changed its calls to WLRN-TV.
In 2010, WPBT2 took a new look on "2 HD", along with its children's program KidVision.
Digital television
WPBT2's digital channel is multiplexed:
| Virtual Channel |
Video | Aspect | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | Main WPBT programming / PBS |
| 2.2 | 480i | 4:3 | The Florida Channel (weekdays from 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.) Create (weekdays from 6:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. and all day weekends) World (daily, usually overnights) |
| 2.3 | V-me |
Original Productions
WPBT2 is involved in producing several original and local programs. Currently there are three public affairs shows being broadcast on the channel: Issues, Viewpoint and Pulse. Issues is a weekly half-hour public affairs and news program hosted by Helen Ferre that addresses issues in the local community. Viewpoint is a monthly program hosted by Steve Gushee addressing religion and ethics. Pulse is the newest public affairs program hosted by Jessy Schuster which addresses Caribbean and Caribbean-American issues. In 2011, WPBT premiered its newest original production, Haiti Journal, which covers current affairs in Haiti.
WPBT also has produced two nature series called Wild Florida and Changing Seas. Wild Florida, was a television series hosted by Hunter Reno, who explored Florida’s ecosystems and wildlife. Changing Seas is a television series narrated by Peter Thomas, which explores the world's oceans along with leading experts who study our planet's 'last frontier'.[3]
WPBT also produces several documentaries about the South Florida area. Projects in development include: Stranahan House, Florida’s State Parks, Into the Wild, and Lost in Florida.
uVu
Launched in 2007, uVu (pronounced you view) is a South Florida community video website hosted by WPBT. uVu consists of user-generated video along with content created and submitted to the site by community groups and cultural/educational institutions. Re-purposed broadcast content, previously aired on WPBT, is also available for viewing and sharing in clip format.
In April 2009, uVu was relaunched with a redesigned website and new URL. Along with video hosting the site now includes personal blogs, profiles and message boards. A relaunch party was held at the WPBT2 studios on April 2 and invited organizations from around South Florida and individuals who work closely with uVu.
In October 2007 WPBT2 launched a weekly companion TV show called uVu TV on on digital subchannel 2.2. uVu TV travels around the South Florida community highlighting local organizations, places or activities.
See also
References
- ↑ 1972 Broadcasting Yearbook TV Markets defined – The Broadcasting Guide to Spot Planning – Broadcasting
- ↑ Ruling of U.S. Court of Appeals, Tele-Media Corporation v. Federal Communications Commission" (1983) – appeal of FCC ruling of 1977
- ↑ "Changing Seas" Media Kit
External links
- WPBT2 Homepage
- uVu
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WPBT
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WPBT-TV
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