Maryland Public Television
Encyclopedia
Maryland Public Television (MPT) (formerly the Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting) is a non-profit, state-licensed Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) non-commercial educational
public television state network
which serves U.S.
state of Maryland
. Its six transmitters cover nearly all of the state, plus Washington, D.C.
and parts of Virginia
, West Virginia
, Delaware
and Pennsylvania
.
MPT's local and regional television credits include several state-focused programs on civic and public affairs, as well as a variety of original performance, documentary, and entertainment offerings for the citizens of Maryland. Beyond broadcasting, MPT creates instructional videos, develops training, and builds Internet sites that serve tens of thousands of students, teachers, and child-care providers annually. The centerpiece of MPT's service to Maryland educators, students, and families is Thinkport, a Web site that offers online teaching resources, professional development opportunities and digital technology tools to assist educators.
Maryland Public Television has earned awards ranging from television Emmys
for its quality productions to government citations for its volunteerism and educational accomplishments. Since 1969, MPT has broadcast an analog signal from transmission towers throughout Maryland, and now provides digital transmission as well. In February 2000, the stations's first digital signal began from MPT's transmitter in the Annapolis/Crownsville area. MPT has been led by Robert J. Shuman, president and chief executive officer, since 1996. It operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission and benefits from the support of an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, the MPT Foundation, Inc. (formerly known as the Maryland Public Broadcasting Foundation, Inc.)
Notes:
and Dish Network
feeds. WMPT is available on many cable systems in the Washington area, as well as the Washington DirecTV and Dish Network feeds.
on June 12, 2009:
Through the use of PSIP
, digital television receivers display virtual channel
s for each MPT station corresponding to their previous analog channel numbers.
MPT received two 2008 CINE Golden Eagle Awards for The Transformation Age: Surviving a Technology Revolution with Robert X. Cringely, a coproduction of MPT/University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business, and Lethal Landscapes: Canvases of the Combat Artist.
For 2007, the station received 11 nominations and won 1 National Capitol Emmy including 3 nominations for their regional "The War" series and 5 nominations for Outdoors Maryland. Motorweek
also received the Board of Governors Award.
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....
(PBS) non-commercial educational
Non-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
public television state network
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...
which serves U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Its six transmitters cover nearly all of the state, plus Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and parts of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
MPT's local and regional television credits include several state-focused programs on civic and public affairs, as well as a variety of original performance, documentary, and entertainment offerings for the citizens of Maryland. Beyond broadcasting, MPT creates instructional videos, develops training, and builds Internet sites that serve tens of thousands of students, teachers, and child-care providers annually. The centerpiece of MPT's service to Maryland educators, students, and families is Thinkport, a Web site that offers online teaching resources, professional development opportunities and digital technology tools to assist educators.
Maryland Public Television has earned awards ranging from television Emmys
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for its quality productions to government citations for its volunteerism and educational accomplishments. Since 1969, MPT has broadcast an analog signal from transmission towers throughout Maryland, and now provides digital transmission as well. In February 2000, the stations's first digital signal began from MPT's transmitter in the Annapolis/Crownsville area. MPT has been led by Robert J. Shuman, president and chief executive officer, since 1996. It operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission and benefits from the support of an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, the MPT Foundation, Inc. (formerly known as the Maryland Public Broadcasting Foundation, Inc.)
Productions
Current Regional Productions
- ArtWorks: regional arts series and specials highlighting culture and history of Maryland
- Chesapeake Bay Week: week long series of programs dedicated to the Chesapeake Bay
- Direct Connection: public affairs call-in show focusing on discussion and analysis of politics and the news
- Outdoors Maryland: outdoors show highlighting the Mid-AtlanticMid-Atlantic StatesThe Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
region's diversity and beauty - State Circle: news and analysis program detailing Maryland's General Assembly proceedings
- You Can Afford College: annual special on finding money for higher education
- Your Money & Business: consumer-oriented business magazine
Nationally Distributed Productions
- Planet ForwardPlanet ForwardPlanet Forward is a and PBS television special that launched in March 2009 and had a broadcast premiere April 15, 2009. Created and hosted by Frank Sesno, the project focuses on creating an online public forum where people from across the globe can discuss topics involving energy solutions and the...
: A special on energy, climate and sustainability - For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots
- MotorWeekMotorWeekMotorWeek is an American automotive television series. The program premiered in 1981 and is hosted by auto expertJohn H. Davis, who is also the series’ creator and executive producer...
: (1981-present PBSPublic 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....
) automotive magazine featuring new automotive technology and model reviews - Music of Ireland: Welcome Home
- National Geographic BeeNational Geographic BeeThe National Geographic Bee is an annual geography contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The bee, held every year since 1989, is open to students in the fourth through eighth grade in participating American schools.The entities represented at the national level are all fifty U.S....
- Primal Grill (2008—) outdoor cooking series with Steven RaichlenSteven RaichlenSteven Raichlen is an American chef, writer, author, and TV host.-Early life:Born March 11 in Japan and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Raichlen graduated in 1975 from Reed College with a Bachelor of Arts in French literature. He received a Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship to study medieval...
. - Veteran's Day: A Musical Tribute
- Volvo Ocean RaceVolvo Ocean RaceThe Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
: sailing race around the world
Past productions
- A.M. WeatherA.M. WeatherA.M. Weather was a 15-minute daily program featuring detailed forecasts presented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologists. The show aired fifteen minutes before or after the hour from Maryland Public Television and was broadcast on PBS affiliates throughout the United...
: a 15-minute daily program featuring detailed forecasts presented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
meteorologists - Baking with JuliaBaking With JuliaBaking With Julia is an American television cooking program produced by Julia Child and the name of the book which accompanied the series. Each episode featured one pastry chef or baker who demonstrates professional techniques that can be performed in a home kitchen...
(1996-1999) a cooking series with Julia ChildJulia ChildJulia 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...
PBS - Barbecue University (2003–2006) outdoor cooking series with Steven RaichlenSteven RaichlenSteven Raichlen is an American chef, writer, author, and TV host.-Early life:Born March 11 in Japan and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Raichlen graduated in 1975 from Reed College with a Bachelor of Arts in French literature. He received a Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship to study medieval...
. - Bob the Vid Tech (1993–2010), children's specials and interstitials.
- Coastal Cooking with John Shields (2005), 13 programs hosted by John Shields, distributed by American Public Television
- Consumer Survival Kit (1970s), national PBS series.
- Cooking in America with Pierre Franey (1991), series of 13 shows.
- Cooking With Master Chefs (1990s), 13 shows hosted by Julia Child.
- Cuisine Rapide (1990), series of 13 cooking shows hosted by chef Pierre Franey.
- Dessert Circus (1997), a cooking series featuring Jacques TorresJacques TorresJacques Torres, known as “Mr. Chocolate,” is a master pastry chef. Torres is a prominent member of the FCI community, leading the Pastry Arts as well as holding pastry demonstrations.- Biography :...
. - Hodgepodge LodgeHodgepodge LodgeHodgepodge Lodge was a children's television show produced by Maryland Public Broadcasting and shown on a number of PBS stations from 1970 to 1977, hosted by Miss Jean Worthley. It featured the quiet Miss Jean introducing elementary age children to wild animals and other nature topics Hodgepodge...
(1970s), a nature show for children hosted by Jean WorthleyJean WorthleyJean Reese Worthley is a naturalist. She was the host of Maryland Public Broadcasting's children's nature show Hodgepodge Lodge and co-host of On Nature's Trail. She is also the author of The Complete Family Nature Guide which was published in 1976. Mrs. Worthley, wife of the late botanist Elmer...
. - Jewish Cooking in America with Joan Nathan (1998-2002) PBSPublic 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....
- Julia Child: Lessons With Master Chefs (2000-2011) PBSPublic 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....
- Kratt's Creatures, (1995-1998) children's series with the Kratt Brothers PBS
- Lynn Fischer's Healthy Indulgences (late 1990s), 26 shows hosted by Lynn fischer.
- Maryland State of Mind (1994–2001), 28 episode series hosted by NPR's Scott Simon, showcasing the 13 schools of the University System of Maryland.
- Newsnight Maryland, a locally-produced news program that reviews the stories happening in the state of Maryland; hosted by journalists Bob Althage and Camilla Carr
- On Nature's TrailOn Nature's TrailOn Nature's Trail was a television show produced by the Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting in Owings Mills, Maryland in 1978. The show featured Elmer and Jean Worthley observing and discussing plants growing at different locations in Baltimore County, Maryland...
(1978), a television show featured Elmer and Jean WorthleyJean WorthleyJean Reese Worthley is a naturalist. She was the host of Maryland Public Broadcasting's children's nature show Hodgepodge Lodge and co-host of On Nature's Trail. She is also the author of The Complete Family Nature Guide which was published in 1976. Mrs. Worthley, wife of the late botanist Elmer...
observing and discussing plants growing at different locations in Baltimore County, MarylandBaltimore County, MarylandBaltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
. - Of Earth and Man (1970s), educational series.
- The Transformation Age: Surviving a Technology Revolution with Robert X. Cringely (2007), 1 hour documentary on technology and business. A co-production with the Robert H Smith School of Business.
- To the Contrary (1992-2011) Persephone Productions PBSPublic 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....
- Wall $treet Week with Louis RukeyserWall $treet WeekWall $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...
(1972–2002), MPT's signature long running financial information program- Wall $treet Week (with Fortune)Wall $treet WeekWall $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...
(2002–2005), the moribund program which replaced Louis Rukeyser
- Wall $treet Week (with Fortune)
- Weeknight Alive! (1980's), arts series
- Wimzie's HouseWimzie's HouseWimzie's House is a Canadian children's television program which ran on YTV from 1995 to 1996, and in the United States on Public Broadcasting Service from October 1, 1997 to August 31, 2001. The show has also aired at least as early as 1995 and through the late-1990s on CBC Television, and on...
, children's series - ZoboomafooZoboomafooZoboomafoo is an American children's television series that aired from January 25, 1998, to April 21, 2001, and is still shown today in syndication depending on the area, and it is regularly shown on PBS Kids Sprout. A total of 65 episodes were aired...
(1999-2001) children's series with the Kratt Brothers CinarÇinarÇınar is a district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey and also the name of downtown of Denizli city of Denizli Province of Turkey....
PBSPublic 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....
Stations
As of 2009, the MPT television stations are:| 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 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... |
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 |
| WMPB | Baltimore | 67 (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... ) 29 (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... ) |
October 5, 1969 | Maryland Public Broadcasting |
14 kW | 309 m | 65944 | 39°26′50"N 76°46′48"W |
| WMPT1 | Annapolis Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is... |
22 (PSIP) 42 (UHF) |
September 22, 1975 | Maryland Public Television |
150 kW | 289 m | 65942 | 39°0′36"N 76°36′33"W |
| WCPB | Salisbury Salisbury, Maryland -Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were... |
28 (PSIP) 28 (UHF) |
March 19712 | Coastal Public Broadcasting |
132 kW | 155 m | 40618 | 38°23′9"N 75°35′33"W |
| WWPB | Hagerstown Hagerstown, Maryland Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the... |
31 (PSIP) 44 (UHF) |
October 5, 1974 | Western Maryland Public Broadcasting |
209 kW | 359 m | 65943 | 39°39′4"N 77°58′15"W |
| WGPT | Oakland Oakland, Maryland Oakland is a town in the west-central part of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. With a population of 1,925 according to United States Census 2010 figures, it is the most populated community in Garrett County... |
36 (PSIP) 36 (UHF) |
July 4, 1987 | Garrett County Public Television |
45 kW | 291 m | 40619 | 39°24′14"N 79°17′37"W |
| WFPT | Frederick Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater... |
62 (PSIP) 28 (UHF) |
July 4, 1987 | Frederick Public Television |
30 kW | 159 m | 40626 | 39°15′37"N 77°18′44"W |
Notes:
- 1. WMPT used the callsign WAPB (the "A" standing for Annapolis) from its 1975 sign-on until July 4, 1984.
- 2. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says WCPB signed on March 21, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on March 18.
Cable and satellite coverage
MPT is available on all Maryland cable systems. Additionally, WMPB is available on the Baltimore DirecTVDirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
and Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
feeds. WMPT is available on many cable systems in the Washington area, as well as the Washington DirecTV and Dish Network feeds.
Digital television
The station's digital signals are multiplexed:| Sub-channel | Programming |
|---|---|
| xx.1 | Main MPT programming / PBS |
| xx.2 | MPT 2, tailored to lifestyle, cultural and informational programming for older audiences |
| xx.3 |  V-me V-me V-me is a public television service in the United States, broadcasting only in Spanish. The 24-hour digital broadcast service was launched on March 5, 2007, and is currently available in over 75% of all U.S... |
Analog-to-digital conversion
After the analog television shutdownDTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
on June 12, 2009:
- WCPB and WGPT returned to channels 28 and 36, respectively;
- WMPB, WMPT, WWPB, and WFPT remained on their respective, pre-transition channel numbers (29, 42, 44, and 28).
Through the use of 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...
, digital television receivers display virtual channel
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....
s for each MPT station corresponding to their previous analog channel numbers.
Awards
For 2008, MPT received 14 Emmy Award nominations from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). MPT received Emmys for Eatin’ Crabs Chesapeake Style, two awards for Bob the Vid Tech: The Mystery of the Missing Pizza and one for ArtWorks: Manuel Barrueco Special.MPT received two 2008 CINE Golden Eagle Awards for The Transformation Age: Surviving a Technology Revolution with Robert X. Cringely, a coproduction of MPT/University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business, and Lethal Landscapes: Canvases of the Combat Artist.
For 2007, the station received 11 nominations and won 1 National Capitol Emmy including 3 nominations for their regional "The War" series and 5 nominations for Outdoors Maryland. Motorweek
MotorWeek
MotorWeek is an American automotive television series. The program premiered in 1981 and is hosted by auto expertJohn H. Davis, who is also the series’ creator and executive producer...
also received the Board of Governors Award.