Wisconsin Public Television
Encyclopedia
Wisconsin Public Television is a state network
of public television stations operated primarily by the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
and the University of Wisconsin–Extension. It comprises all of the PBS member stations in the state outside of Milwaukee.
The state network is available via flagship station WHA-TV in Madison
and five major satellite stations throughout most of Wisconsin. As of April 5, 2009, all stations have converted to digital operations only. WPT is also available on most satellite and cable television
outlets. Several of the stations, such as Green Bay's WPNE, maintain broadcast studios on University of Wisconsin
campuses, which produce programming for the state network. The state network also has studio facilities at the University of Wisconsin–Stout, which produced the 1980s educational sci-fi fantasy series Storylords
for the state network.
Wisconsin Public Television is the main conduit of Educational television
and instructional television
programming produced by the ECB, which is aired through PBS, Annenberg Media, those stations serving portions of Wisconsin without a WPT station, and other educational television distributors.
, UW-Madison's radio station and the current flagship for the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio
.
In 1971, the state legislature created the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, activating five stations as satellites of WHA-TV 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. The stations adopted the on-air name of Wisconsin Public Television in 1986. Transmission and station identification is based out of ECB's Madison facility.
From 1960 to 2007, WHA-TV/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 no longer airs these broadcasts. http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/188213 The state network offers tape-delayed broadcasts of Badgers men's and women's hockey, women's basketball and volleyball throughout the year.
Notes:
s:
network also serves portions of the state where over-the-air reception for a regular station is hindered by area topography, and to fill in holes between full-power stations. All of the listed translators are owned by the WECB, and flash-cut
from analog to digital in the first two weeks of November 2008, including adding the subchannel services. Each translator has its virtual channel mapped via PSIP to the channel number of the closest full-power station to the translator.
programming is carried by MPTV flagship WMVS
(Channel 10) in Milwaukee, including Here and Now and In Wisconsin, while WDSE
(Channel 8) Superior
-Duluth
and WRPT
(Channel 31) Hibbing
air the shows in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. The two stations also air the state network's live teen issues program Teen Connection quarterly with WPT, along with political debates produced by the state network; in turn some Milwaukee Public Television
programming (such as Outdoor Wisconsin) and MPTV-produced debates air on WPT. Some of the state network's tape-delayed sports coverage airs in Milwaukee on WMVT
(Channel 36).
State network
A State Network in the United States broadcasting industry is a term which refers to a miniature television network serving an entire state or multiple states...
of public television stations operated primarily by the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
The Wisconsin Educational Communications Board ECB) is a state agency committed to ensuring that public radio and television programs and services are made available throughout Wisconsin, and that these programs and services reflect and respond to the educational and cultural needs of the state's...
and the University of Wisconsin–Extension. It comprises all of the PBS member stations in the state outside of Milwaukee.
The state network is available via flagship station WHA-TV in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
and five major satellite stations throughout most of Wisconsin. As of April 5, 2009, all stations have converted to digital operations only. WPT is also available on most satellite and cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
outlets. Several of the stations, such as Green Bay's WPNE, maintain broadcast studios on University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin System
The University of Wisconsin System is a university system of public universities in the state of Wisconsin. It is one of the largest public higher education systems in the country, enrolling more than 182,000 students each year and employing more than 32,000 faculty and staff statewide...
campuses, which produce programming for the state network. The state network also has studio facilities at the University of Wisconsin–Stout, which produced the 1980s educational sci-fi fantasy series Storylords
Storylords
Storylords is a low-budget live-action instructional television series shown on PBS in the United States. It was produced at the University of Wisconsin–Stout for the in 1984, and it continues to air on PBS member stations during instructional television blocks.-General summary:Storylords consists...
for the state network.
Wisconsin Public Television is the main conduit of Educational television
Educational television
Educational television is the use of television programs in the field of distance education. It may be in the form of individual television programs or dedicated specialty channels that is often associated with cable television in the United States as Public, educational, and government access ...
and instructional television
Instructional television
Instructional television is the use of television programs in the field of distance education. Educational television programs on instructional television may be less than one half hour long to help their integration into the classroom setting...
programming produced by the ECB, which is aired through PBS, Annenberg Media, those stations serving portions of Wisconsin without a WPT station, and other educational television distributors.
History
WPT's flagship station, WHA-TV, went on the air on May 3, 1954. It was named after WHAWHA (AM)
-External links:*Jeff Miller . *Randall Davidson. PortalWisconsin.org...
, UW-Madison's radio station and the current flagship for the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio is a network of 32 radio stations in the state of Wisconsin. WPR's network is divided into two distinct analog services, the Ideas Network and the NPR News and Classical Network, as well as the "HD2 Classical Service," a digital-only, full-time classical music service.-Ideas...
.
In 1971, the state legislature created the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, activating five stations as satellites of WHA-TV during the 1970s - WPNE in Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
in 1972; WHWC in Menomonie and WHLA in La Crosse in 1973; WHRM in Wausau in 1975 and WLEF in Park Falls in 1977. The stations adopted the on-air name of Wisconsin Public Television in 1986. Transmission and station identification is based out of ECB's Madison facility.
From 1960 to 2007, WHA-TV/WPT aired same-day tape-delayed coverage of some home games for Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
football and men's basketball, which was produced in association with UW
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
's athletic department. However, because of exclusivity agreements with the Big Ten Network that launched in September, 2007, WPT no longer airs these broadcasts. http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/188213 The state network offers tape-delayed broadcasts of Badgers men's and women's hockey, women's basketball and volleyball throughout the year.
Full-power stations
There are six full-power stations in the state network, in major cities throughout the state, and all are broadcast on UHF. On April 5, 2009, the state network ended analog service for all stations, and they map via PSIP to their former analog channel location.| Station | City of license City of license A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.... |
Channels Channel (broadcasting) In broadcasting, a channel is a range of frequencies assigned by a government for the operation of a particular radio station, television station or television channel. In common usage, the term also may be used to refer to the station operating on a particular frequency.-See also:*Broadcast... TV Virtual channel In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels.... / RF Digital terrestrial television Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals... |
First air date | Call letters meaning | ERP Effective radiated power In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains... |
HAAT Height above average terrain Height above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts... |
Facility ID Facility ID The facility ID number or FIN is a unique positive integer assigned by the United States Federal Communications Commission to each domestic and international broadcast station in its Common Database System . Licensees are required to provide the relevant station's FIN when filing reports and... |
Transmitter Coordinates |
| WHA-TV 1 | Madison Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.... |
21 (PSIP Program and System Information Protocol The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch... ) 20 (UHF Ultra high frequency Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres... ) |
May 3, 1954 | Taken from sister station WHA radio WHA (AM) -External links:*Jeff Miller . *Randall Davidson. PortalWisconsin.org... |
100 kW | 453 m | 6096 | 43°3′20.5"N 89°32′6.3"W |
| WHLA-TV | La Crosse La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485... |
31 (PSIP) 30 (UHF) |
March 17, 1975 | WHA LA Crosse | 307.5 kW | 344.6 m | 18780 | 43°48′18.3"N 91°22′5.2"W |
| WHRM-TV | Wausau Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city. The city is adjacent to the town of Wausau.According to the 2000 census, Wausau had a population of 38,426 people... |
20 (PSIP) 24 (UHF) |
January 20, 1976 | WHA Rib Mountain Rib Mountain Rib Mountain is a glacially-eroded monadnock in central Wisconsin, located in the Town of Rib Mountain in Marathon County... |
172 kW | 387 m | 73036 | 44°55′14.2"N 89°41′28.7"W |
| WHWC-TV 2 | Menomonie Menomonie, Wisconsin Two other spellings of the name appear elsewhere, see Menomonee and Menominee. For the town, see Menomonie .Menomonie is a city in and the county seat of Dunn County in the western part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The city's population was 16,264 as of the 2010 census... (Eau Claire Eau Claire, Wisconsin Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,... ) |
28 (PSIP) 27 (UHF) |
June 10, 1975 | WHA West Central Wisconsin |
291 kW | 350 m | 18793 | 45°2′49.2"N 91°51′47.3"W |
| WLEF-TV 3 | Park Falls Park Falls, Wisconsin Park Falls is a city in Price County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,793 at the 2000 census. Located in the woods of north central Wisconsin, primarily the Chequamegon National Forest, Park Falls is a small community divided by the North Fork of the Flambeau River, a popular... |
36 (PSIP) 36 (UHF) |
December 15, 1976 | W Lee E. Franks former WECB executive director |
50 kW | 244 m | 63046 | 45°56′42.1"N 90°16′23.6"W |
| WPNE-TV | Green Bay Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,... |
38 (PSIP) 42 (UHF) |
September 12, 1972 | W Public Broadcasting for NorthEastern Wisconsin |
200 kW | 375 m | 18798 | 44°24′34.6"N 88°0′6.7"W |
Notes:
- 1 - WHA-TV's signal is imported into the Milwaukee area via basic and digital cableDigital cableDigital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
systems to provide a second PBS choice for viewers alongside Milwaukee Public TelevisionMilwaukee Public TelevisionFor information on Channels 10 and 36 individually, see WMVS and WMVTMilwaukee Public Television is the branding name for the alliance between two Milwaukee based Public Broadcasting Service public television affiliates: WMVS, Channel 10, and WMVT, Channel 36...
's stations; the station was carried on Time WarnerTime WarnerTime Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
systems until January 2009. It also serves as one of two de facto PBS member stations via cable for the Rockford, IllinoisRockford, IllinoisRockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
market south of Madison, sharing that market with Chicago's WTTWWTTWWTTW channel 11 is one of three Public Broadcasting Service member public television stations serving the Chicago, Illinois market; the others are WYCC and WYIN. WTTW began broadcasting on September 6, 1955 and it is owned and operated by Window to the World Communications, Inc., a not-for-profit...
. - 2 - WHWC serves the Wisconsin side of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul television market, and is carried by some cable systems in southeastern Minnesota, providing a second PBS choice to viewers in addition to Twin Cities Public TelevisionTwin Cities Public TelevisionTwin Cities Public Television is a non-profit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, that operates the Twin Cities' two Public Broadcasting Service member Public television stations, KTCA-TV and KTCI-TV...
's stations. - 3 - WLEF's analog signal was terminated on February 3, 2009, with WLEF-DT moving from Channel 47 back to Channel 36.
Digital television
The state network carries three digital subchannelDigital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
s:
| Channel | Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|
| ##.1 | WPT-HD High-definition television High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD... |
Main WPT programming / PBS |
| ##.2 | WPT2 | Wisconsin Channel (WIS) Also streams online (Windows Media Windows Media Player Windows Media Player is a media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices... ). |
##.3  |
WPT3 | Create |
- In some areas where local cable and satellite receive the state network directly via a fiber optic connection from WPT, all three services air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on those systems.
- The programming schedule of all three channels over-the-air depends on the main WPT schedule; on late nights without overnight instructional programming, WPT goes off the airOff-the-airIn telecommunication, the term off-air or off-the-air has the following meanings:# In radio communications systems, pertaining to a radio station or television station that is completely shut down, i.e. that is not transmitting any signal, not even an un-modulated carrier wave...
at 1 a.m. and signs back on at 6 a.m. However, after a January 2010 transmitter problem took down WPNE and commercial station WBAY-TVWBAY-TVWBAY-TV is the ABC television affiliate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, broadcasting on UHF digital channel 23 from a transmitter located in the town of Ledgeview, Wisconsin, and master control based in its building in downtown Green Bay...
in Green Bay for two weeks, WPT switched from turning off their transmitters to mainly airing a network station identificationStation identificationStation identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
card with an outline map of the network's service in the state during off-the-air hours. - A PBS KidsPBS KidsPBS Kids is the brand for children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States founded in 1993. As with all PBS programming, PBS Kids programming is non-commercial. It is aimed at children ages 2 to 10...
subchannel previously aired on WPT's .2 subchannels until 2007, when PBS discontinued the service; subsequently the Wisconsin Channel launched in its place, along with a modified children's programming schedule across all of WPT's services.
Network translator stations
A translatorBroadcast relay station
A broadcast relay station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator , rebroadcaster , or repeater is a broadcast transmitter which relays, repeats, or reflects the signal of another radio station or television station, usually to an area not covered by the signal of the originating station...
network also serves portions of the state where over-the-air reception for a regular station is hindered by area topography, and to fill in holes between full-power stations. All of the listed translators are owned by the WECB, and flash-cut
Flash-cut
A flash-cut, also called flash-cutover, is an immediate change in a complex system, with no phase-in period.Some telephone area codes were split immediately, rather than being phased in with a permissive dialing period. An example is telephone area code 213, which was split into 213 and 714 all at...
from analog to digital in the first two weeks of November 2008, including adding the subchannel services. Each translator has its virtual channel mapped via PSIP to the channel number of the closest full-power station to the translator.
| Call sign Call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations... |
Location | Translator channel Broadcast relay station A broadcast relay station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator , rebroadcaster , or repeater is a broadcast transmitter which relays, repeats, or reflects the signal of another radio station or television station, usually to an area not covered by the signal of the originating station... (ATSC ATSC ATSC standards are a set of standards developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee for digital television transmission over terrestrial, cable, and satellite networks.... ) |
PSIP station/channel |
| W18CU-D | Sister Bay Sister Bay, Wisconsin Sister Bay is a village in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 886 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sister Bay is located at .... |
18 | WPNE 38 |
| W22CI-D | Bloomington Bloomington, Wisconsin Bloomington is a village in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 701 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Bloomington.-Geography:Bloomington is located at .... |
22 | WHLA 31 |
| W24CL-D | Grantsburg Grantsburg, Wisconsin Grantsburg is a village in Burnett County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,369 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Grantsburg.-Claim to fame:... |
24 | WHWC 28 |
| W45CD-D | Fence Fence, Wisconsin Fence is a town in Florence County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 231 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Fence is located in the town.-Geography:... |
45 | WHWC 28 |
| W47CO-D | River Falls River Falls, Wisconsin River Falls is a city in Pierce and St. Croix counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 15,000 at the 2010 census, making it the second largest city in the Twin Cities Wisconsin suburbs, which is the eighth largest metropolitan area in the state... |
47 | WHWC 28 |
| W48DB-D | Coloma Coloma, Wisconsin Coloma is a village in Waushara County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 461 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Coloma.- History :... |
48 | WHRM 20 |
Network programming in Milwaukee and Superior-Duluth
WPT's public affairsPublic affairs (broadcasting)
Public affairs, a broadcasting industry term, refers to television programs which focuses on matters of politics and public policy. Among commercial broadcasters, such programs are often only to satisfy Federal Communications Commission regulatory expectations and are not scheduled in prime time...
programming is carried by MPTV flagship WMVS
WMVS
WMVS is a public television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its signal covers most of southeastern Wisconsin, including the cities of Racine, Kenosha, Sheboygan, and Waukesha....
(Channel 10) in Milwaukee, including Here and Now and In Wisconsin, while WDSE
WDSE-TV
WDSE is an educational television station in Duluth, Minnesota, serving portions of Minnesota and Wisconsin as a PBS member station on channel 8, with studios located on campus at the University of Minnesota Duluth. WDSE is a "border station" serving residents of both North East Minnesota and North...
(Channel 8) Superior
Superior, Wisconsin
Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...
-Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
and WRPT
WDSE-TV
WDSE is an educational television station in Duluth, Minnesota, serving portions of Minnesota and Wisconsin as a PBS member station on channel 8, with studios located on campus at the University of Minnesota Duluth. WDSE is a "border station" serving residents of both North East Minnesota and North...
(Channel 31) Hibbing
Hibbing, Minnesota
Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,361 at the 2010 census. The city was built on the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range. At the edge of town is the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. U.S...
air the shows in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. The two stations also air the state network's live teen issues program Teen Connection quarterly with WPT, along with political debates produced by the state network; in turn some Milwaukee Public Television
Milwaukee Public Television
For information on Channels 10 and 36 individually, see WMVS and WMVTMilwaukee Public Television is the branding name for the alliance between two Milwaukee based Public Broadcasting Service public television affiliates: WMVS, Channel 10, and WMVT, Channel 36...
programming (such as Outdoor Wisconsin) and MPTV-produced debates air on WPT. Some of the state network's tape-delayed sports coverage airs in Milwaukee on WMVT
WMVT
WMVT is a public television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its signal covers most of southeastern Wisconsin, including the cities of Racine, Kenosha, Sheboygan, and Waukesha....
(Channel 36).
See also
- Wisconsin Public RadioWisconsin Public RadioWisconsin Public Radio is a network of 32 radio stations in the state of Wisconsin. WPR's network is divided into two distinct analog services, the Ideas Network and the NPR News and Classical Network, as well as the "HD2 Classical Service," a digital-only, full-time classical music service.-Ideas...
- Public Broadcasting ServicePublic Broadcasting ServiceThe 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....
- Wisconsin Educational Communications BoardWisconsin Educational Communications BoardThe Wisconsin Educational Communications Board ECB) is a state agency committed to ensuring that public radio and television programs and services are made available throughout Wisconsin, and that these programs and services reflect and respond to the educational and cultural needs of the state's...