WPBT

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WPBT
Miami / Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Branding	Channel 2
Channels	2 (VHF) analog, 2.1 WPBT HD1 2.2 WPBT HD2 2.3 WPBT HD3 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	PBS
Owner	Community Television Foundation of South Florida
Founded	August 12, 1955
Call letters meaning	Public Broadcasting Television
Former callsigns	WTHS-TV (1955-1979) (shared with WPBT at least in the 1970s)
Former affiliations	NET (1955-1970)
Website	www.channel2.org/

WPBT is the callsign of a public television station in Miami, Florida, serving the South Florida region. WPBT, Florida’s first public television station, organized in November 1953, is owned and operated by the Community Television Foundation of South Florida, Inc., a private, nonprofit multi-media organization that serves the communities of South Florida, reaching 1.5 million families weekly from Martin County to the Florida Keys.

During the 1960s and 1970s, WPBT shared time with another educational station, WTHS, which was owned by the Dade County School Board. WPBT is a PBS member station.

Contents 1 WPBT timeline 1.1 1955 1.2 1967 1.3 1970s 1.4 1980s 1.5 1990s 1.6 2000s 2 See also 3 Logos 4 External links

[edit] WPBT timeline

[edit] 1955

August

WPBT goes on the air on August 12 with donated equipment, antenna and transmitter, as well as an all-volunteer staff, and without any government funding.

[edit] 1967

June

Pagliacci, produced in association with the Miami Opera Guild, is the first local color production aired on WPBT.

[edit] 1970s

1976

November

Jack Horkheimer's Star Gazer (formerly Star Hustler) interstitial segments debuted. This five-minute program, which features key constellations and stars to look for each week, was first seen only on Florida PBS stations. Star Gazer is generally seen on PBS stations before sign-off. However, as PBS stations began broadcasting 24/7 and had less time to fit it in, WPBT began offering a one-minute capsule version of Star Gazer.

1977 - 1979

WPBT produces 39 episodes of ¿Qué Pasa, USA?, a bilingual comedy series that still airs on PBS stations today. Several cast members went on to star in popular telenovelas in Latin America, and heartthrob Esteban “Rocky” Echeverria who later changed his name to Steven Bauer, was nominated for a Golden Globe for his 1983 performance in the motion picture Scarface.

1979

January

Nightly Business Report premieres on WPBT as a 15-minute summary of national and local stock market and business news.

[edit] 1980s

1981

October

Nightly Business Report goes national and is transmitted via a satellite uplink to 260 public television stations across America.

1982

January

Hosted by Eamonn Andrews in London, international game show Top Of The World is produced by WPBT in association with Thames Television and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, becoming the first television series to be linked by satellite to the three continents of North America, Australia and Europe. The victor of the championship game won a 1924 Rolls-Royce.

November

WPBT program The Me Nobody Knows wins the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Award for the Best Children’s Programming.

1983

March

WPBT original production, American Journey Live, is the first nationwide combination (during PBS prime time) of a live one-hour program to contain satellite feeds from cities across North America and conducts a public opinion survey in which viewers phone in “yes” or “no” votes. The Me Nobody Knows wins another honor when it is awarded the IRIS Award at the NATPE Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1984

August

American Journey Live is nominated by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for an Emmy in Best Documentary category for Outstanding Information, Cultural or Historical Programming and is also nominated for and wins an Emmy for Best Cinematography.

October

The WPBT-originally produced Diva In Concert wins the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s First Place award in the Performance Programming category.

1985

May

The WPBT-produced program, Star Hustler, premieres nationally with 200 public television stations carrying the series.

1988

January

An International Film & TV Festival of New York Finalist Award is presented to the WPBT production Alabasters And Night Blues.

1989

Star Hustler is aired internationally.

[edit] 1990s

1990

September

A Telly Award is given to Run, River Run, a co-production of WPBT and the South Florida Water Management District.

December

Sunfest '90 is awarded a Suncoast Regional Emmy for Outstanding Musical Special. The program featured performances at Palm Beach County’s music, art and water festival.

1991

August

The WPBT production of Blackbirds In The Sun, a documentary profiling an elite squadron of fighter pilots based at Key West Naval Air Station in Boca Chica, airs on PBS.

October

At the Louis Wolfson II Media History Center Film and Video Awards, the WPBT production of Voyage To A Dream is recognized.

December

WPBT original production, Dreams of Freedom, receives a Suncoast Regional Emmy for Outstanding Human Interest Story.

1992

December

Sunfest ’91: Sun-Ripened Rhythm is honored with a regional Suncoast Emmy for Outstanding Musical Special. New Florida receives three Suncoast Regional Emmys for Outstanding Photography for its segment, "Card Sound", Outstanding Animation, and Outstanding Entertainment Series.

May

KidVision, Channel 2’s children’s programming platform is created and wins a PBS Advertising & Promotion Award.

1993

June

New Florida is awarded a Corporation for Public Broadcasting Public Television Local Program Award for a "Down’s Syndrome" segment. Surviving The Hurricane, a one-hour documentary from WPBT Productions, airs nationally on public television stations.

September

WPBT original series, Death By Chocolate, debuts on The Learning Channel.

December

New Florida is honored with a Suncoast Regional Emmy for the segments "Drug Farm" and "GANG". Surviving The Hurricane receives a Suncoast Regional Emmy for Outstanding Directing.

1994

January

Nightly Business Report celebrates 15 years on the air. Sunshine Cuisine, produced by WPBT Productions, makes its national debut on public television.

June

The Burger Meister, produced by WPBT Productions for The Learning Channel, makes its national debut.

December

New Florida segments "Hemingway’s Key West", "The Last Cowboy", "Tropical Deco", and "Manatees" are awarded Suncoast Regional Emmys. Songs For Fun is honored as Outstanding Children’s Program/Special at the Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards.

1995

January

NHK, the television network of Japan, contracts with WPBT Productions for 40 episodes of Sunshine Cuisine.

February

Morning Business Report is expanded to feed every 15-miutes. Business News Brief is carried on 135 stations, reaching about 75% of U.S. households.

April

Nightly Business Report launches a new look to better reflect its focus on international business news and the expanding interests of its viewers. Now called Nightly Business Report, it remains the most-watched daily business news program on broadcast or cable television. Nightly Business Report receives a Silver Cindy Award from the Association of Visual Communications for "How To Invest In Mutual Funds". The WPBT Productions series, FLA!, makes its national series debut on The Travel Channel.

1999

December

Israel’s Forgotten Heroes receives an Emmy Award, a Wolfson Award, and a Telly Award. Havana: Portrait of Yesteryear receives an Aurora Arts Award, a Suncoast Regional Emmy nomination and is a New York Festival Finalist.

[edit] 2000s

2000

September

Flight of Pedro Pan receives a Wolfson Award, a Telly Award, an Aurora Arts Award­ Platinum Best of Show and is a New York Festival Finalist.

2001

February

WPBT airs a live one-hour call-in special of its weekly public affairs series, Issues, following the broadcast of Frontline: Saving Elian and welcomes local journalists and community leaders to the program to respond to viewer questions.

October

WPBT original production South Of Brooklyn receives a Telly Award.

2002

June

WPBT produces its first High Definition short film, Florida Bay & The Blackwater Event. South Of Brooklyn receives an Aurora Arts Award and a Wolfson Award.

2003

January

New Florida launches its statewide distribution and broadcast partnership with Florida public television stations, airing the weekly magazine series throughout the state.

2003

Jose Marti: Legacy of Freedom receives the “Best of Show” Aurora Award and the 2003 PBS Development Award for Special Achievement. The WPBT original production of Tradicion: A Holiday Celebration receives a Telly Award, a Regional Emmy Nomination and a Communicator Award ­ Honorable Mention.

November

WPBT hosts South Florida’s first Speaking of Women’s Health Conference; sold out with over 800 women in attendance.

December

KidVision receives the Governor’s Award from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Suncoast Chapter.

2004

January

Nightly Business Report is cited on its 25th anniversary with the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. WPBT presents its originally-produced Alzheimer’s Answers, a special live edition of Issues & Viewpoint, immediately following The Forgetting (a national PBS documentary) and offers a panel of experts available to answer viewer phone calls and e-mails.

February

WPBT receives three Silver Angel Awards from Excellence in Media for Local Television, recognizing its local original productions of The Flying Days of Riddle Field, Tradicion: A Holiday Celebration; and Miami Beach Walking Tour.

September

WPBT begins production on its first long-form High Definition documentary, Anatomy Of A Hurricane.

December

WPBT receives five regional Emmy Awards: New Florida receives four and the fifth goes to The 20th Anniversary Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant.

2005

March

Nightly Business Report joins the national line-up of PBS news and public affairs programs (previously distributed by American Public Television).

May

WPBT broadcasts its original production, Surviving The Storm in partnership with WFOR/CBS4 and Nightly Business Report, co-hosted by WFOR Director of Meteorology Bryan Norcross and New Florida host Hunter Reno.

August

WPBT celebrates 50 years of broadcast history.

November

WPBT original production The Holiday Table airs nationally on PBS stations.

2006

January

WPBT premieres the first edition of its new quarterly series, State Of The Arts, showcasing the South Florida arts scene.

March

WPBT original production Mi Colombia premieres on WPBT. State Of The Arts: King Tut Special premieres on WPBT, in conjunction with the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit at the Museum of Art-Fort Lauderdale.

May

WPBT premieres Wild Florida, an original new wildlife series that explores Florida’s remarkable, unique ecosystem and the animals that inhabit it. WPBT premieres the second episode of its quarterly series, State Of The Arts, showcasing the South Florida arts scene.

June

WPBT original production Leyendas: Legends Of Cuban Music premieres on WPBT.

September

WPBT original production Wild Florida launches as a statewide series on public television stations throughout Florida, and is scheduled for national distribution in January 2007. WPBT original production Florida RoadTrip premieres on WPBT and is scheduled to air on public television stations statewide in January 2007, with national distribution targeted for April 2007. Produced by Raven Moon Entertainment, Gina D’s Kids Club is distributed nationally to public television stations by WPBT. The third episode of WPBT’s quarterly arts series State Of The Arts changes its name to Art 360 and premieres on WPBT.

October

WPBT presents the ITVS-produced documentary Mi Mambo, spotlighting the Harbor Music Conservatory in East Harlem, New York.

[edit] See also

• Nightly Business Report
• ¿Qué Pasa, USA?

[edit] Logos

[edit] External links

• WPBT Homepage
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WPBT

WPBT Original Series & Specials

• Star Gazer
• Issues
• Viewpoint
• New Florida
• Wild Florida
• ART 360
• KidVision
• South of Brooklyn
• The Flying Days of Riddle Field
• Miami Beach Walking Tour
• Surviving the Storm
• Anatomy of a Hurricane
• Florida Roadtrip

WPBT Original Hispanic Programming

• Que Pasa USA?
• Cafe con Leche
• Cafe con Leche 2
• Tradicion: A Holiday Celebration
• La Cocina Cubana
• Mi Colombia
• Leyendas: The Legends of Cuban Music

PBS Member Stations in the state of Florida
WPBT 2 (Miami) - WEDU 3 (Tampa) - WUFT 5 (Gainesville) - WJCT 7 (Jacksonville) - WFSU 11 / WFSG 56 (Tallahassee / Panama City) - WCEU 15 (Daytona Beach) - WUSF 16 (Tampa) - WLRN 17 (Miami) - WSRE 23 (Pensacola) - WMFE 24 (Orlando) - WGCU 30 (Fort Myers) - WXEL 42 (West Palm Beach) - WBCC 68 (Cocoa)
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, MyNetworkTV, NBC, Religious, Spanish and Other stations in the state of Florida