Maryland Public Television
Programming | |
---|---|
Subchannels | |
Affiliations | PBS |
Ownership | |
Owner | Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission |
History | |
First air date | October 5, 1969 |
Links | |
Website | www |
Maryland Public Television(MPT) is the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)memberstate network for theU.S. stateofMaryland.It operates under the auspices of theMaryland Public Broadcasting Commission,an agency of theMaryland state governmentthat holds thelicensesfor all PBS member stations licensed in the state.
Studios are located in theunincorporatedcommunity ofOwings Millsin northwesternBaltimore County.MPT operates six full-power transmitters that cover nearly all of the state, plusWashington, D.C.,and parts ofVirginia,West Virginia,Delaware,andPennsylvania.
History
[edit]WMPB (licensedtoBaltimore) first signed on in 1969 as the first station of the Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting; it gainedsatellite stationsinSalisbury,Hagerstown,andAnnapolisbetween 1971 and 1975, resulting in a formation of a statewide public television network. The network adopted its current name in 1984. Maryland Instructional Television (Maryland ITV), a division of the State Department of Education, was also housed at the network until 1991. On July 4, 1987, WFPT (licensed toFrederick) signed on to fill coverage gaps in the outer Washington market, while WGPT inOaklandbegan operations to cover the extreme west of the state, much of which previously had no local television service at all.
About 1999, the network launched an afternoonBritcomprogramming block,Afternoon Tea,replacing children's programming. By 2009, MPT was airing kids' programming during the day on its MPT Select channel.[1]
In September 2015, as part of budget cuts, MPT outsourced itsmaster controloperations to Public Media Management—a joint venture ofBostonPBS memberWGBHandSony Corporation.[2]
Productions
[edit]Current regional productions
[edit]- Chesapeake Collectibles:[3]weekly series featuring people and their collectibles
- Maryland Farm & Harvest:[4]weekly series helping Marylanders learn more about agriculture
- Chesapeake Bay Week:[5]week long series of programs in April dedicated to theChesapeake Bay
- Direct Connection:[6]public affairscall-in show focusing on discussion and analysis of politics and the news
- Outdoors Maryland:[7]outdoors show highlighting theMid-Atlanticregion's diversity and beauty
- State Circle:[8]news and analysis program detailing Maryland's General Assembly proceedings
- Ways to Pay for College:[9]annual special on finding money for higher education
- Artworks:[10]regional arts updates and specials highlighting Maryland's culture and history
- Destination Maryland[11]discover attractions and hidden gems that make Maryland an ultimate destination.
- Made in Maryland[12]From the people to product design and delivery, find out about what's made in Maryland
Nationally distributed productions
[edit]- The McLaughlin Group:(2019–2020) a weekly political affairs round table
- Steven Raichlen's Project Smoke & Project Fire:(2015–2019) outdoor cooking series withSteven Raichlen.
- MotorWeek:(1981–present) automotive magazine featuring new automotive technology and model reviews
- Great Performances: Star-Spangled Spectacular:Music special commemorating 200th Anniversary ofFSK'sNational Anthem
- F.S. Key and the Song That Built America
- Planet Forward:A special on energy, climate, and sustainability
- For Love of Liberty:series telling the story of America's black servicemen
- Music of Ireland: Welcome Home
- National Geographic Bee
- Veterans Day: A Musical Tribute
- Space Racers:an animated children's television series about space and science
- My Greek Table with Diane Kochilas:a cooking show focused on Greek cuisine hosted byDiane Kochilas
- To Dine For with Kate Sullivan:features stories of creators and dreamers at their favorite restaurantKate Sullivan
Regional documentaries and specials
[edit]- Racing Rivals: Log Canoes of Chesapeake Bay(2024)
- Water's Edge: Black Watermen of the Chesapeake(2023)
- Kent County’s Storied Landscape: Place Past & Present(2023)
- Discovering the Dove(2023)
- Eatin' Blue Catfish: Chesapeake Style(2023)
- Chesapeake Decoys: The Nature of Waterfowl Art(2022)
- Creatures of the Chesapeake(2021)
- Chesapeake Beacons(2020)
- Chesapeake & Delaware Canal: Gateway to the World(2019)
- Eatin’ The Chesapeake: The Five Feasts(2018)
- Eatin' Oysters: Chesapeake Style!(2017) who's eating & shuckingoysters,why they love them, and where to find the best.
- Search for the USS Scorpion:(2017) Search for the Commodore Barney's Flotilla
- The Chesapeake Bay Summit:(2016–2024) ModeratorFrank Sesnoand a panel discuss the status of theChesapeake Bay
- Conowingo Dam: Power on the Susquehanna(2016) the dam's unique story and place in Maryland history
- Eatin' Crabcakes: The Best I Ever Had:(2011) the ultimate crab cake treasure hunt
- Potomac by Air:(2015) explores incredible natural and man-made history along our nation's river
- Eatin' Crabs Chesapeake Style:(2008) a rollicking foray into the world of theblue crab,from dockside to table.
- Distinctive Homes of the Chesapeake:(2013) opening the door to Maryland's magnificent homes surrounding the Chesapeake Bay
- The Chesapeake Bay Bridge: Spanning the Bay(2014) an exciting look back at the monumental creation of theChesapeake Bay Bridge
Past productions
[edit]- A.M. Weather(1978–1995): a 15-minute daily program featuring detailed forecasts presented byNOAAmeteorologists
- Baking with Julia(1996–1998) a cooking series withJulia Child(PBS)
- Barbecue University(2003–2006) outdoor cooking series withSteven Raichlen.
- Bob the Vid Tech(1993–2010), children's specials and interstitials.
- Coastal Cooking with John Shields(2005), 13 programs hosted by John Shields, distributed byAmerican Public Television
- Consumer Survival Kit(1970s), national PBS series.
- Cooking in America withPierre Franey(1991), series of 13 shows.
- Cooking With Master Chefs(1993), 16 shows hosted byJulia Child.
- Cuisine Rapide(1990), series of 13 cooking shows hosted by chefPierre Franey.
- Dessert Circus(1997), a cooking series featuringJacques Torres.
- Hodgepodge Lodge(1970s), a nature show for children hosted byJean Worthley.
- Jewish Cooking in America withJoan Nathan(1998–2002) (PBS)
- Julia Child: Lessons With Master Chefs(2000–2011) (PBS)
- Kratts' Creatures,(1996) children's series with theKratt Brothers(PBS)
- Lynn Fischer's Healthy Indulgences(late 1990s), 26 shows hosted by Lynn Fischer.[13]
- Maryland State of Mind(1994–2001), 28-episode series hosted byNPR'sScott Simon,showcasing the 13 schools of theUniversity System of Maryland.
- MPT Salutes Vietnam Veterans:[14]Maryland Public Television salutes the men and women who served in theVietnamera
- Newsnight Maryland,a locally produced news program that reviews the stories happening in the state of Maryland.
- On Nature's Trail(1978), a television show featured Elmer andJean Worthleyobserving and discussing plants growing at different locations inBaltimore County, Maryland.
- On Stage at Wolf Trap(1980s), concert series.
- Of Earth and Man(1970s), educational series.
- Our Town:[15]a collection of documentaries showcasing different towns across Maryland
- Primal Grill(2008–2011) outdoor cooking series withSteven Raichlen.
- The Transformation Age: Surviving a Technology Revolution withRobert X. Cringely(2007), 1 hour documentary on technology and business. A co-production with theRobert H. Smith School of Business.[16]
- To the Contrary(1992–2011) Persephone Productions (PBS)
- Volvo Ocean Race:sailing race around the world with host Gary Jobson
- Wall $treet Week with Louis Rukeyser(1972–2002), MPT's signature long running financial information program
- Wall $treet Week (with Fortune)(2002–2005), which succeeded the original program after the departure of Louis Rukeyser
- Weeknight Alive!(1980s), arts series
- Wimzie's House,children's series, presenting station only
- Your Money & Business:[17]consumer-oriented business magazine
- Zoboomafoo(1999–2001) children's series with theKratt Brothersand PBS in the United States;Canadianproduction handled byCinar(now part ofWildBrain).
Stations
[edit]The MPT stations are:
Station | City of license[a] | Facility ID | ERP | HAAT | Transmitter coordinates | First air date | Public license information | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WMPT | Annapolis | 22 (21) | 65942 | 1000 kW | 284 m (932 ft) | 39°0′36.7″N76°36′31.8″W/ 39.010194°N 76.608833°W | September 22, 1975[b] | |
WMPB | Baltimore | 67 (22) | 65944 | 90 kW | 307 m (1,007 ft) | 39°26′49.9″N76°46′47.2″W/ 39.447194°N 76.779778°W | October 5, 1969[c] | |
WFPT | Frederick | 62 (28) | 40626 | 71.3 kW | 156 m (512 ft) | 39°15′38″N77°18′43.6″W/ 39.26056°N 77.312111°W | July 4, 1987[d] | |
WWPB | Hagerstown | 31 (29) | 65943 | 700 kW | 375 m (1,230 ft) | 39°39′4″N77°58′14″W/ 39.65111°N 77.97056°W | October 5, 1974[e] | |
WGPT | Oakland | 36 (26) | 40619 | 200 kW | 283 m (928 ft) | 39°24′14.3″N79°17′36.1″W/ 39.403972°N 79.293361°W | July 4, 1987[f] | |
WCPB | Salisbury | 28 (16) | 40618 | 320 kW | 154 m (505 ft) | 38°23′9″N75°35′31″W/ 38.38583°N 75.59194°W | March 18, 1971 |
- ^Aside from their transmitters, the MPT stations (except WMPB) do not maintain any physical presence in their cities of license.
- ^WMPT used the callsign WAPB from 1975 to July 4, 1984.
- ^WMPB used the callsign WETM during its construction permit from 1967 to 1968.[18]
- ^First licensed in 1979 astranslatorW62AY and replaced by a full-powered license from the same transmitter site.[19]
- ^WWPB used the -TV suffix in its callsign from 1974 to October 15, 1976.[20]
- ^First licensed in 1979 as translator W36AB and replaced by a full-powered license from the same transmitter site.[21]
WGPT is assigned to thePittsburgh, Pennsylvaniamarket and electsmust-carrystatus on satellite providers there. For the purposes of pay-television carriage, WMPT and WMPB are assigned to the Baltimore market, while WFPT and WWPB are assigned to Washington–Hagerstown and WCPB to Salisbury.[22]
Technical information
[edit]The stations' signals aremultiplexed:
Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WMPT | WMPB | ||||
22.1 | 67.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | MPT-HD | Main MPT programming /PBS |
22.2 | 67.2 | 480i | MPT-2 | MPT2 (7:30 p.m.–11:30 p.m.) /Create | |
22.3 | 67.3 | MPTKIDS | PBS Kids | ||
22.4 | 67.4 | NHK-WLD | NHK World | ||
54.1 | 54.11 | 720p | 16.9 | CWWNUV | The CW(WNUV) |
Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
---|---|---|---|---|
xx.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | MPT-HD | Main MPT programming /PBS |
xx.2 | 720p | MPT-2 | MPT2 (7:30 p.m.–11:30 p.m.) /Create | |
xx.3 | 480i | MPTKIDS | PBS Kids | |
xx.4 | NHK-WLD | NHK World |
Analog-to-digital conversion
[edit]MPT's stations ended regular programming on their analog signals on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United Statestransitioned from analog to digital broadcastsunder federal mandate. The stations' digital channel allocations post-transition are as follows:[26]
- WMPB shut down its analog signal, overUHFchannel 67; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 29,[27]usingvirtual channel67.
- WMPT ended programming on its analog signal, over UHF channel 22; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 42,[28]using virtual channel 22. As part of theSAFER Act,WMPT kept its analog signal on the air until June 26 to inform viewers of the digital television transition through a loop ofpublic service announcementsfrom theNational Association of Broadcasters.[29]
- WCPB shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 28; the station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 56, which was among the high band UHF channels (52–69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to its analog-era UHF channel 28.[30]
- WWPB shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 31; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 44,[31]using virtual channel 31.
- WGPT shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 36; the station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 54, which was among the high band UHF channels (52–69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to its analog-era UHF channel 36.[32]
- WFPT shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 62; the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 28,[33]using virtual channel 62.
Spectrum reallocation
[edit]As a part of therepackingprocess following the2016–2017 FCC incentive auction,channels 38 through 51 were removed from television broadcasting. None of MPT's stations sold their allocations, but five of them moved channels within the UHF band: WMPT moved to channel 21, WMPB to channel 22, WWPB to channel 29, WGPT to channel 26, and WCPT to channel 16.[34]
ATSC 3.0
[edit]MPT joined the Baltimore market'sATSC 3.0lighthouse station, hosted atWNUV,on June 24, 2021.[35]In return, WMPT and WMPB hosts WNUV's main channel (54.1) to preserve coverage for existing ATSC 1.0 TV sets.[36]
Awards
[edit]For 2022, MPT earned four Capital Emmy Awards out of 20 nominations across 13 categories in the region's 65th newly renamed Capital Emmy Awards ceremony held in June 2023.[37] Winners includedOutdoors Maryland, Maryland Farm & Harvest,andArtworks.
MPT earned seven regional Emmys at National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for 2021 out of 22 nominations across 16 categories.[38]Winners includedDestination Maryland, Creatures of the Chesapeake, Maryland Farm & Harvest, Outdoors Maryland,andArtesanas.
For 2020 MPT won seven regional Emmys at National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Winners includedChesapeake Beacons, Maryland Farm & Harvest,andMaryland Mystery Lady.[38]
For 2008, MPT received 14Emmy Awardnominations from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). MPT received Emmys forEatin' Crabs Chesapeake Style,two awards forBob the Vid Tech: The Mystery of the Missing Pizzaand one forArtWorks: Manuel Barrueco Special.[38]
For 2007, the station received 11 nominations and won 1 National Capitol Emmy including 3 nominations for their regionalThe Warseries and 5 nominations forOutdoors Maryland.Motorweekalso received the Board of Governors Award.[38]
MPT received two 2008 CINE Golden Eagle Awards forThe Transformation Age: Surviving a Technology Revolution with Robert X. Cringely,a coproduction of MPT/University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business, andLethal Landscapes: Canvases of the Combat Artist.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^Katy June-Friesen (January 12, 2009)."Many stations packaging their own kids' channels".Current. Archived fromthe originalon January 23, 2016.RetrievedDecember 9,2010.
- ^"More downsizing at MPT as master control function shifts to Boston".The Baltimore Sun.RetrievedSeptember 8,2015.
- ^"Welcome to Chesapeake Collectibles".Maryland Public Television. January 10, 2013.RetrievedAugust 11,2013.
- ^"Maryland Farm and Harvest".Maryland Public Television. January 10, 2013.RetrievedAugust 11,2013.
- ^"Chesapeake Bay Week".Maryland Public Television.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"About Direct Connection".Maryland Public Television.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"Outdoors Maryland".Maryland Public Television. Archived fromthe originalon August 25, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"State Circle".Maryland Public Television. Archived fromthe originalon September 7, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"Ways to Pay for College".Maryland Public Television.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"Artworks".Maryland Public Television.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"Destination Maryland".Maryland Public Television.
- ^"Made in Maryland".Maryland Public Television.
- ^"About Lynn Fischer".
- ^"Vietnam Veterans".Maryland Public Television.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"Our Town".Maryland Public Television.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"The Transformation Age".Robert H. Smith School of Business.
- ^"Your Money & Business".Maryland Public Television.RetrievedSeptember 4,2013.
- ^"FCC History Cards for WMPB".
- ^"DW62AY Facility Data".FCCData.
- ^"FCC History Cards for WWPB"(PDF).
- ^"DW36AB Facility Data".FCCData.
- ^"Must-Carry or Retransmission Consent Election"(PDF).FCC OPIF.
- ^"RabbitEars TV Query for WMPT".rabbitears.info.
- ^"RabbitEars TV Query for WMPB".rabbitears.info.
- ^"RabbitEars TV Query for WCPB".rabbitears.info.
- "RabbitEars TV Query for WFPT".rabbitears.info.
- "RabbitEars TV Query for WGPT".rabbitears.info.
- "RabbitEars TV Query for WWPB".rabbitears.info.
- ^"DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on August 29, 2013.RetrievedMarch 24,2012.
- ^"CDBS Print".Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"CDBS Print".Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program"(PDF).Federal Communications Commission. June 12, 2009.RetrievedJune 14,2024.
- ^"CDBS Print".Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"CDBS Print".Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"CDBS Print".Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"CDBS Print".Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"Repack Channel Assignments".RabbitEars.
- ^"Modification of a License for DTV Application (NextGen) (LMS File No. 136496)".FCC LMS.
- ^"DTV Legal STA Application (File No. 136473)".FCC LMS.
- ^Emmys, Capital (June 27, 2023)."Congratulations to the 65th Capital Emmy Awards Recipients!".Capital Emmys.
- ^abcd"Emmy Archive | National Capital Emmys".Capital Emmys.