American Public Television
Encyclopedia
American Public Television (APT) is the largest syndicator
of programming for public television
stations in the United States.
(with Julia Child
), Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
, and Washington Week in Review on a regional basis, before introduced nationwide by National Educational Television
(which would cede its network to PBS
in 1970).
EEN introduced Wall $treet Week
in November 1970 before PBS began distributing it nationwide in January 1972, as well as the unedited Monty Python's Flying Circus
to American audiences in 1975 (ABC
ran censored versions in late night previously), and brought The Three Tenors to public television audiences in 1991. The organization was known for a time as the Interregional Program Service in the 1980s, and American Program Service in the 1990s.
APT distributes more than 300 new program titles per year, including documentaries, talk shows, dramatic and comedic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. Shows regularly distributed by APT include The Open Mind, Rick Steves' Europe, Simply Ming
, America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated
, Richard Bangs’ Adventures with Purpose, Globe Trekker
(aka Pilot Guides in other countries), Doc Martin
, Rudy Maxa’s World, Sara’s Weeknight Meals and Scully: The World Show
.
APT distributes weeknight international news series BBC World News (programme) and Newsline
from NHK
.
APT has also distributed special pledge shows to public television, including programs such as Liza's at the Palace...!
, Anne of Green Gables
, Carreras Domingo Pavarotti, Celine Dion
: A New Day, Mike Douglas – Moments & Memories, Broadway: The Golden Age and Tony Bennett
Duets: The Making of an American Classic.
In 2001, APT was the first company to bring a high-definition series to public television with the premiere of Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa.
APT is also a primary owner of Create, which offers primarily crafts and travel programming from the APT, PBS and NETA libraries. Established in January 2006, many of Create's affiliates are PBS digital stations, and Create is also carried on cable through local agreements with public television stations. Shows regularly carried on Create include Lidia’s Italy, P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home, The Joy of Painting
, America’s Test Kitchen and Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie
.
APT is also a partner in the PBS World
, a 24-hour digital channel showing public TV non-fiction, science, nature, news, public affairs and documentaries.
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
of programming for public television
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
stations in the United States.
History
APT began in 1961 as the Eastern Educational Television Network (EEN); EEN was one of the first distributors of shows such as The French ChefThe French Chef
The French Chef is an influential television cooking show created by Julia Child, and produced and broadcast by WGBH Public television in Boston, Massachusetts, from February 11, 1963 to 1973. It was one of the first cooking shows on television...
(with Julia Child
Julia Child
Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which...
), Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
, and Washington Week in Review on a regional basis, before introduced nationwide by National Educational Television
National Educational Television
National Educational Television was an American non-commercial educational public television network in the United States from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970...
(which would cede its network to PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
in 1970).
EEN introduced Wall $treet Week
Wall $treet Week
Wall $treet Week was an investment news and information TV program that was broadcast weekly each Friday on Public Broadcasting Service in the United States. It had a host and guest experts participating in discussions on the stock market and focuses on forecasts...
in November 1970 before PBS began distributing it nationwide in January 1972, as well as the unedited Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
to American audiences in 1975 (ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
ran censored versions in late night previously), and brought The Three Tenors to public television audiences in 1991. The organization was known for a time as the Interregional Program Service in the 1980s, and American Program Service in the 1990s.
APT distributes more than 300 new program titles per year, including documentaries, talk shows, dramatic and comedic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. Shows regularly distributed by APT include The Open Mind, Rick Steves' Europe, Simply Ming
Simply Ming
Simply Ming is a television cooking show hosted by chef Ming Tsai, and is produced by WGBH, Boston and Ming East-West, LLC. Simply Ming is presented by American Public Television.-Overview:...
, America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated
America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen is a half-hour cooking show distributed to public television stations in the United States, also airing in Canada...
, Richard Bangs’ Adventures with Purpose, Globe Trekker
Globe Trekker
Globe Trekker is an adventure tourism television series produced by Pilot Productions. The British-based series was inspired by the Lonely Planet travelbooks and began airing in 1994...
(aka Pilot Guides in other countries), Doc Martin
Doc Martin
Doc Martin is a British television comedy drama series starring Martin Clunes in the title role. It was created by Mark Crowdy, Craig Ferguson and Dominic Minghella. The show is filmed on location in the fishing village of Port Isaac, Cornwall, United Kingdom, with filming of most interior scenes...
, Rudy Maxa’s World, Sara’s Weeknight Meals and Scully: The World Show
Scully: The World Show
Scully: The World Show is a Canadian talk show hosted by Robert Scully, who has interviewed some of the world's most prominent and famous personalities...
.
APT distributes weeknight international news series BBC World News (programme) and Newsline
Newsline (NHK)
NHK Newsline or simply referred as Newsline is the flagship news program, aired on Japanese International English language news and information TV channel NHK World TV. This program broadcasts on the hour, 24 hours a day for 10 or 30 minutes.-History:...
from NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
.
APT has also distributed special pledge shows to public television, including programs such as Liza's at the Palace...!
Liza's at the Palace...!
Liza's at The Palace...! was a concert presented by Liza Minnelli at the Palace Theatre on Broadway from December 3, 2008 through January 4, 2009....
, Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. Set in 1878, it was written as fiction for readers of all ages, but in recent decades has been considered a children's book...
, Carreras Domingo Pavarotti, Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
: A New Day, Mike Douglas – Moments & Memories, Broadway: The Golden Age and Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
Duets: The Making of an American Classic.
In 2001, APT was the first company to bring a high-definition series to public television with the premiere of Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa.
APT is also a primary owner of Create, which offers primarily crafts and travel programming from the APT, PBS and NETA libraries. Established in January 2006, many of Create's affiliates are PBS digital stations, and Create is also carried on cable through local agreements with public television stations. Shows regularly carried on Create include Lidia’s Italy, P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home, The Joy of Painting
The Joy of Painting
The Joy of Painting was an American television show hosted by painter Bob Ross that taught its viewers basic techniques for landscape oil painting. Although Bob Ross could complete a painting in half an hour, the intent of the show was not to teach viewers speed painting. Rather, he intended for...
, America’s Test Kitchen and Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie
Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie
Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie is a documentary television program focusing on food, the culture of food, cuisine, and gastronomy...
.
APT is also a partner in the PBS World
PBS World
PBS World is a 24-hour United States over-the-air digital subchannel showing public TV non-fiction, science, nature, news, public affairs and documentaries...
, a 24-hour digital channel showing public TV non-fiction, science, nature, news, public affairs and documentaries.