The stations’ history
as they tell it
Most histories of the field shortchange the stories of the hundreds of grassroots struggles — often as ingenious as they were persistent — to create public TV and radio institutions around the country.
Alabama Public Television — one of the first public TV operations licensed to a state government
KCET in Los Angeles, located in a Hollywood studio lot where many B movies were made
KETC in St. Louis
KLRE-FM and KUAR-FM in Little Rock, Ark. — siblings licensed to the University of Arkansas, Little Rock
KLRN in San Antonio
KNME began life in a converted sorority house in Albuquerque, N.M.
KPBS in San Diego
KPFA in Berkeley — an innovator in listener-funded radio and advocate for staff/volunteer democracy within the Pacifica chain
KPLU in Seattle/Tacoma, Wash.
KSOR in Ashland, Ore. — a university-based radio service (Jefferson Public Radio) that serves a huge region of two states
KQED in San Francisco — a fertile producer in public TV's early days, now one of its most-watched stations
KUHT in Houston — the first public TV station, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in May 2003
KUNM in Albuquerque
KUOW-FM in Seattle
KSMQ-TV, established as a teaching tool in Austin, Minn.
KWCM/KSMN in Appleton, Minn.
Louisiana Public Broadcasting, based in Baton Rouge
Nebraska Educational Telecommunications — one of the most comprehensive state services
New Jersey Public Television & Radio (NJN)
Oklahoma's OETA — created in 1953 by the first state law instituting a public TV network
Ozarks Public Television (KOZK) in Springfield, Mo.
Pacifica Radio — a politically activist station chain traditionally devoted to peace and freedom
Prairie Public Broadcasting — the nonprofit statewide network in North Dakota
South Carolina ETV — multiple channels of both TV and radio
South Dakota Public Broadcasting
West Virginia's noncommercial TV and radio stations — timeline compiled by Jeff Miller
WAMU-FM at American University, Washington, D.C.
WBUR at Boston University — one of the strongest news/information stations in public radio, with a growing stable of national productions
WCPN in Cleveland — one of the earliest educational radio stations, which has recently merged with a public TV station
WETA in Washington, D.C. — a major production house for public TV with a showpiece role in the nation's capital, founded by Elizabeth Campbell
WFIU at Indiana University, Bloomington, which has celebrated its 50th anniversary
WGBH in Boston — the most prolific producer of national programming for PBS. There's also a site by and about the stations' many distinguished alumni.
WHA in Madison and Wisconsin Public Radio — WHA being probably the oldest public broadcasting station in the country, as described by Wisconsin Public Radio. A separate article by WPR's Randall Davidson is posted on Portal Wisconsin.
WHYY in Philadelphia
WILL at the University of Illinois — one of the earliest educational radio stations, and longtime home of NAEB, predecessor of NPR and PBS
WITF in Harrisburg, Pa., which has celebrated its 40th anniversary
WKSU-FM at Kent State University — a nationally prominent station serving the Cleveland area
WMHT-TV/FM in Albany/Schenctady
WNET in New York City, a flagship station of public TV that celebrated its 40th in 2002
WNYC in New York City — the giant AM/FM duo, which bought their freedom from the city government
WOI at Iowa State University — an early radio station with roots going back to 1912, shaped by the populist spirit of extension education
WOSU at Ohio State University, Columbus
WOUB at Ohio University, Athens
WPFW, Pacifica's outpost in Washington, D.C.
WPLN in Nashville — Nashville Public Radio, a rare station that originated in a city library system
WQED in Pittsburgh — one of the earliest freestanding community stations, with a history of high-quality program production
WRKF in Baton Rouge, La. — a latecomer to public radio, founded by the community in 1975
WRTI-FM in Philadelphia — Temple University's station, 50 years old in 2003
WSKG-FM/TV in Binghamton, N.Y.
WMVS/WMVT in Milwaukee
WSVH in Savannah, Ga.
WTTW in Chicago
WTVP in Peoria, Ill.
WUFT in Gainesville, Fla.
WVIA in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
WVIZ in Cleveland
WVPT in Harrisonburg, Va.
WVXU in Cincinnati — operator of X-Star, one of the few public radio networks operating across state lines
WYEP, community radio station in Pittsburgh
Histories of organizations other than stations
American Public Television — pubTV's oldest surviving program distributor, a descendant of the Eastern Educational Television Network
Eastern Public Radio — a regional net going back to 1958
National Federation of Community Broadcasters — a central force for grassroots radio
National Public Radio in Washington — major developer of the public radio sound and its biggest national programs, such as All Things Considered, which celebrated its 30th anniversary
Public Radio News Directors Inc.
Do you know of other extensive station histories
on the web? Please suggest link addresses to the web
current.org.
Web page updated Dec. 8, 2008
Current LLC, Takoma Park, Md.
