WTVS

Last updated

WTVS
Detroit PBS logo 2024.svg
Channels
BrandingDetroit PBS
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerDetroit Public Media
WRCJ-FM
History
First air date
October 3, 1955(68 years ago) (1955-10-03)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 56 (UHF, 1955–2009)
  • Digital: 43 (UHF, 2000–2020)
NET (1955–1970)
Call sign meaning
"Television for Southeast Michigan"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 16817
ERP 345 kW
HAAT 323 m (1,060 ft)
Transmitter coordinates 42°26′52.5″N83°10′23.1″W / 42.447917°N 83.173083°W / 42.447917; -83.173083
Links
Public license information
Website www.detroitpbs.org

WTVS (channel 56) is a PBS member television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, owned by Detroit Public Media. Its main studios are located at the Riley Broadcast Center and HD Studios on Clover Court in Wixom, [2] with an additional studio at the Maccabees Building in Midtown Detroit. [3] The station's transmitter is located at 8 Mile and Meyers Road in Oak Park (on a tower shared with independent station WMYD, channel 20, and CBS owned-and-operated station WWJ-TV, channel 62). Detroit Public Media partners with the Stanley and Judith Frankel Family Foundation in the management of classical and jazz music station WRCJ-FM (90.9).

Contents

History

The station first signed on the air on October 3, 1955, as the 17th educational station to go on air. [4] WTVS began broadcasting in color in 1968. The studios were originally located at 9345 Lawton in Detroit, along with the studios of WRCJ; WTVS moved to the former WJBK studio facility in the New Center area of Detroit in 1971. [5] [6] WTVS vacated the facility in the 1990s, and the building would be used for its fixed satellite services [7] [8] until 2009, when it was sold to the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit; [6] it is currently being reconstructed for use as headquarters for the non-profit Midnight Golf Program. [9]

Prior to the digital TV switchover, WTVS transmitted its analog signal from a 1,000-foot (305 m) tower located near the intersection of 11 Mile and Inkster Roads in Southfield, along with the analog signal of WMYD (channel 20) and then-CW O&O WKBD-TV (channel 50). Today, only WKBD-TV (now an independent station) and Ion Television affiliate WPXD-TV (channel 31) broadcast from that tower.

WTVS broadcasts its digital signal from a tower shared with WWJ-TV and WMYD near 8 Mile and Meyers Roads at a height of 1,073 feet (327 m).

On January 11, 2016, Detroit Public Television announced a partnership with WKAR, the PBS station serving Mid-Michigan operated by Michigan State University, in which they will jointly operate a 24-hour children's television service to be carried by both stations. [10] The partnership culminated in the establishment of the Michigan Learning Channel in 2021 which is carried by all six PBS member organizations throughout Michigan. [11]

In 2023, Detroit Public Television sold its headquarters in Wixom, Michigan, and temporarily relocated to another site in the area. On April 16, 2024, the broadcaster announced that it had purchased the 234 Piquette Avenue building in Detroit, and would convert it into a new $30 million campus expected to open in 2026. Concurrently, the organization announced that it had been renamed Detroit Public Media, and that WTVS would be rebranded as Detroit PBS. [12]

Controversy

In 2005, WTVS declined to air the controversial Postcards from Buster episode "Sugartime!", even after the show's Boston-based producing station, WGBH, converted it to the status of being specifically shown to individual stations. [13] [14] The decision was made after PBS received a complaint from then-newly appointed Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, who was upset its storyline, in which the main character, Buster Baxter, pays a visit to Hinesburg, Vermont, to learn how maple sugar is made, and interacts with several children who have lesbian parents. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] The controversy surrounding the episode let to it being removed from PBS Kids Go!'s national broadcast schedule.

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WTVS [23]
Channel Res. Aspect Short nameProgramming
56.1 1080i 16:9 WTVS-HD PBS
56.2D-KIDS PBS Kids
56.3 480i D-CREAT Create
56.4D-WORLD World
56.5D-MLCMichigan Learning Channel

Analog-to-digital conversion

WTVS became the first public broadcaster in the state of Michigan to offer a digital high-definition feed, launching their simulcast on UHF 43 in October 2000 (exact date not yet known). The station shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 56, at noon on April 16, 2009; the switchover occurred after a presentation of the national anthems of Canada ("O Canada") and the United States ("The Star-Spangled Banner"). [24] WTVS management cited repeated failures of the station's 28-year-old analog transmitter as the reason for ceasing its analog signal on April 16 rather than the June 12 transition date for full-power stations (the analog transmitter had failed seven times between January 1 and April 16 alone). The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 43, [25] using virtual channel 56.

On October 12, 2009, WTVS upgraded to a new 600 kW transmitter, tripling its effective radiated power and vastly increasing the coverage area of its signal. [26]

On January 13, 2017, WTVS re-organized its digital subchannels when it added PBS Kids as a full-time 24/7 subchannel on 56.2, with PBS World moving to 56.4. This was in part of WTVS' larger plan of launching a statewide PBS Kids subchannel network in partnership with other PBS member stations within the state of Michigan, such as Lansing's WKAR-TV and Flint's WCMZ-TV.

On March 8, 2017, WTVS announced it would be moving its digital broadcast frequency from UHF Channel 43 to UHF channel 20 (currently occupied by WHNE-LD Channel 14), which was assigned VHF channel 3 as a replacement frequency. [27]

Cable coverage

WTVS is carried on most cable television providers in Southeast Michigan, Southwestern Ontario and parts of the British Columbia Southern Interior (WTVS is carried in that province despite the existence of KCTS-TV in Seattle, the PBS member station commonly found in that province). WTVS is one of five Detroit television stations available in Canada on cable through Shaw Broadcast Services and on satellite provider Shaw Direct; it began to be distributed by Cancom (now Shaw Broadcast Services) in 1983 as the PBS station signal for Canadian cable television systems too distant to receive a border station over-the-air. Since then, it had developed a strong base of Canadian viewer support in all provinces and territories.

See also

Related Research Articles

WCFE-TV is a PBS member television station licensed to Plattsburgh, New York, United States, serving the Champlain Valley and Greater Montreal areas. Owned by the Mountain Lake Public Telecommunications Council, the station maintains studios at One Sesame Street in Plattsburgh, and its transmitter is located atop Lyon Mountain, between Plattsburgh and nearby Malone. WCFE-TV is branded as Mountain Lake PBS; this name was adopted to reflect Plattsburgh's location between the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama Public Television</span> PBS member network serving Alabama, United States

Alabama Public Television (APT) is a state network of PBS member television stations serving the U.S. state of Alabama. It is operated by the Alabama Educational Television Commission (AETC), an agency of the Alabama state government which holds the licenses for all of the PBS member stations licensed in the state. 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 public affairs, cultural, natural history, and documentary programming; broadcast and online education programs for classroom use and teacher professional development; and electronic field trips serving K-12 students.

WTVI is a PBS member television station in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, owned by Central Piedmont Community College. The station's studios are located in the Chantilly-Commonwealth section of east Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in the unincorporated area of Newell in northeastern Mecklenburg County. It is the only public television station in North Carolina that is not operated by PBS North Carolina, and is one of three PBS member stations serving the Charlotte metropolitan area, along with PBS North Carolina's WUNG-TV in Concord and South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV)'s WNSC-TV in Rock Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMYD</span> CW affiliate in Detroit, Michigan

WMYD is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with The CW. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV. The two stations share studios at Broadcast House on 10 Mile Road in Southfield; WMYD's transmitter is located on Eight Mile Road in Oak Park.

WGVU-TV is a PBS member television station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It operates a full-time satellite station, WGVK in Kalamazoo. The two stations are owned by Grand Valley State University, and maintain studios in the Meijer Public Broadcast Center, located in the Eberhard Center on the GVSU Pew Campus in downtown Grand Rapids. WGVU's transmitter is located near the GVSU main campus in Allendale, while WGVK's transmitter is based in Kalamazoo's Westwood neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTIU</span> PBS member station in Bloomington, Indiana

WTIU, virtual channel 30, is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television station serving Indianapolis, Indiana, United States that is licensed to Bloomington. Owned by Indiana University, it is a sister station to National Public Radio (NPR) member WFIU. The two stations share studios on the Indiana University campus on East 7th Street in Bloomington; WTIU's transmitter is located on Sare Road on the city's southeast side.

WKAR-TV is a PBS member television station licensed to East Lansing, Michigan, United States, serving central southern Michigan. The station is owned by Michigan State University (MSU) and operated as part of WKAR Public Media, along with NPR members WKAR and WKAR-FM (90.5). The three stations share studios in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, at the southeast corner of Wilson and Red Cedar Roads on the MSU campus in East Lansing; WKAR-TV's transmitter is located on Kinawa Road in Meridian Charter Township between East Lansing and Williamston.

WDCQ-TV, branded Delta College Public Media, is a PBS member television station licensed to Bad Axe, Michigan, United States, serving the Flint–Tri-Cities television market. The station is owned by Delta College in University Center, an unincorporated community in Frankenlust Township in southwestern Bay County. WDCQ-TV's transmitter is located in Quanicassee, in northwestern Tuscola County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCMU-TV</span> PBS member station in Mount Pleasant, Michigan

WCMU-TV is a PBS member television station in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States, owned by Central Michigan University. The station's studios are located on the CMU campus in Mount Pleasant, and its transmitter is located 3 miles (5 km) west of Barryton, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFQX-TV</span> Fox/CW affiliate in Cadillac, Michigan

WFQX-TV is a television station licensed to Cadillac, Michigan, United States, serving the northern Lower and eastern Upper peninsulas of Michigan as an affiliate of Fox and The CW Plus. It is owned by Cadillac Telecasting Company, which maintains a shared services agreement (SSA) with 910 Media Group, owner of Cadillac-licensed CBS affiliate WWTV, channel 9, for the provision of certain services. Both stations share studios on Broadcast Way in Cadillac, while WFQX-TV's transmitter is located on 130th Avenue in unincorporated Osceola County, just northeast of Tustin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLAE-TV</span> Educational independent TV station in New Orleans

WLAE-TV is an educational independent television station in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The station is owned by the Educational Broadcasting Foundation, a partnership between the Willwoods Community and the Louisiana Educational Television Authority. WLAE's studios are located on Howard Avenue in New Orleans, and its transmitter is located on Paris Road/Highway 47.

WCNY-TV is a PBS member television station in Syracuse, New York, United States. Owned by The Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York, Inc. it is sister to classical music radio station WCNY-FM (91.3). The two stations share studios on West Fayette Street in Syracuse's Near Westside neighborhood and transmitter facilities in Pompey, New York.

WGTE-TV is a PBS member television station in Toledo, Ohio, United States. It is owned by the Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio alongside NPR member WGTE-FM (91.3). The two stations share studios on South Detroit Avenue in Toledo; WGTE-TV's transmitter is located on Corduroy Road in Oregon, Ohio.

WBRA-TV is a PBS member television station in Roanoke, Virginia, United States, owned by Blue Ridge Public Television, Inc. The station's studios are located on McNeil Drive in southwest Roanoke, and its transmitter is located on Poor Mountain in unincorporated southwestern Roanoke County.

WCMZ-TV, virtual and UHF digital channel 28, was a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television station licensed to Flint, Michigan, United States. It was a satellite station of Mount Pleasant-licensed WCMU-TV which is owned by Central Michigan University (CMU). WCMZ-TV's transmitter was located off Kipp Road near M-15, just south east of the village of Goodrich in southeastern Genesee County, which is now used by former sister radio station WFUM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNMU (TV)</span> PBS member station in Marquette, Michigan

WNMU is a PBS member television station licensed to Marquette, Michigan, United States, serving the Central and Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is owned by Northern Michigan University alongside NPR member WNMU-FM (90.1). Both outlets share studios at the Edgar L. Harden Learning Resource Center on the university's campus in Marquette; the television station's transmitter is located in Ely Township southwest of Ishpeming.

WFWA is a PBS member television station in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. Owned by Fort Wayne Public Television, Inc., the station maintains studios at the Dr. Rudy and Rhonda Kachmann Teleplex on the campus of Purdue University Fort Wayne, and its transmitter is located at its former studio facility on Butler Road in Fort Wayne.

WYIN, branded on-air as Lakeshore PBS, is a secondary PBS member television station licensed to Gary, Indiana, United States, serving the Chicago area. It is owned by Northwest Indiana Public Broadcasting, Inc., as a sister station to NPR member WLPR-FM (89.1). Both stations share studios on Indiana Place in Merrillville, while WYIN's transmitter is located near Lake Dalecarlia. WYIN is one of two PBS member stations in the Chicago television market, alongside Chicago-licensed WTTW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi Public Broadcasting</span> Public broadcaster of the state of Mississippi, United States

Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) is the public broadcasting network serving the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is owned by the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television (MAET), an agency of the state government that holds the licenses for all of the PBS and NPR member stations in the state. MPB's headquarters is located on Ridgewood Road in northeast Jackson. The public broadcaster was established as Mississippi Educational Television.

WKMJ-TV is a PBS member television station in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is the flagship station for KET2, the second television service of Kentucky Educational Television (KET), which is owned by the Kentucky Authority for Educational Television.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WTVS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "Contact Us." WTVS. Retrieved on December 8, 2012. "Contact Us Riley Broadcast Center and High Definition Studios 1 Clover Court Wixom, MI 48393-2247"
  3. ↑ "Detroit Public TV opens Midtown studio." Model D . Tuesday March 22, 2011. Retrieved on December 8, 2012.
  4. ↑ "New Tvs Take Air In Roanoke, Detroit" (PDF). Broadcasting-Telecasting. October 10, 1955. p. 95. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  5. ↑ Information on WTVS' former New Center building
  6. 1 2 Timothy Boscarino, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Cleveland. Elizabeth. Intermediate School (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2019
  7. ↑ "Driving Directions." WTVS. Retrieved on December 8, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions." WTVS. February 4, 2005. Retrieved on December 8, 2012. "Detroit Public Television 7441 Second Avenue Detroit, MI 48202"
  9. ↑ "Former long-vacant historic WJBK building to become Midnight Golf headquarters". September 1, 2022.
  10. ↑ "WKAR to stay on air, launch 24/7 children's channel with Detroit Public TV". MLive.com. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Michigan Learning Channel launches on WNMU-TV". Upper Michigan's Source. WLUC-TV. February 9, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  12. ↑ Dixon, Jennifer (April 16, 2024). "Detroit Public Television returns to its roots in city with 50,000-square-foot building". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  13. ↑ Smith, Lynn (February 11, 2005). "Children's Show Faces PBS Inquiry". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  14. ↑ Walsh, David (February 4, 2005). "PBS Officials Cave in to Bush Administration Over Children's Program". World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  15. ↑ Salamon, Julie (January 27, 2005). "Culture Wars Pull Buster Into the Fray". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  16. ↑ Salamon, Julie (February 5, 2005). "A Child Learns a Harsh Lesson in Politics". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ Moore, Frazier (February 11, 2005). "Fallout Continues Over Lesbian-Inclusive 'Postcards From Buster' Episode". Advocate. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  18. ↑ Stasi, Linda (March 21, 2005). "No Bunny Needs to Worry About Lesbian 'Postcards'". New York Post. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  19. ↑ Smith, Lynn (March 14, 2005). "By Nixing Show, PBS Spotlights Gay Family". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  20. ↑ Ryan, Maureen (February 3, 2005). "'Boy, That's a Lot of Moms'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  21. ↑ Moore, Frazier (February 9, 2005). "What's the Big Deal About 'Buster'?". Today. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  22. ↑ Gaylord, Peggy R. (March 23, 2005). "Buster Exposed to Two Pairs of Moms". Umaffirm. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  23. ↑ RabbitEars TV Query for WTVS
  24. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Detroit broadcasters go digital PART 1 OF 3". YouTube .
  25. ↑ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  26. ↑ WTVS Detroit Public TV Digital TV information page
  27. ↑ "RabbitEars.Info".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.