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WMHT (TV)
Encyclopedia
WMHT is the call sign for a television station
and radio station
in Schenectady, New York
owned and operated by WMHT Educational Telecommunications (formerly known as Mohawk-Hudson Council on Educational Television, Inc.) A non-profit corporation. Its transmitter is located in the Helderberg Mountains in Albany County, New York
.
The Mohawk-Hudson Council on Educational Television was formed in 1961, through the financial support from television station WRGB
, its then-parent General Electric
and many Capital District supporters and local businesses. In the beginning, Mohawk-Hudson produced educational programs on WRGB; however, due to tight scheduling on WRGB, The council decided to form a non-commercial educational
television station of its own. WMHT signed on the air on March 26, 1962 on UHF channel 17 as the Capital District
's first public television station and the second in the state of New York. From the outset the station was affiliate
d with National Educational Television
(NET) and became one of Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) charter affiliates after the two stations merged in 1970. In 1972, WMHT expanded into FM radio
by launching the first non-commercial
classical music station in the United States (a format that continues to this day).
In 1987, WMHT purchased the assets of independent station WUSV channel 45
and made it a secondary programming service under the calls WMHX. Due to financial difficulties, WMHT shut WMHX down in 1991 and returned it to the air three years later under the calls WMHQ. In the late 1990s, WMHQ's commercial licence became attractive and WMHT sold it to the Tribune Company
for $18.5 million in 1999 with the station becoming WB affiliate WEWB that September (it today is CW
affiliate WCWN
, owned by Freedom Communications
). The money from this sale allowed WMHT to expand into digital television and build a new state-of-the-art studio in Troy
to replace their original facilities in Rotterdam.
WMHT-DT signed on in 2003 on channel 34, becoming the second digital television signal in the Capital Region (third if counting WCDC-DT
). Currently there are three subchannels
on WMHT-DT:
Also, W42AE in Poughkeepsie
, owned by Dutchess Community College, repeats WMHT except for several hours a week when classes are in session.
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
and radio station
WMHT-FM
WMHT-FM is the callsign of a classical music and NPR radio station licenced to Schenectady, New York, broadcasting on 89.1 MHz with 11 kW ERP from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland, New York...
in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
owned and operated by WMHT Educational Telecommunications (formerly known as Mohawk-Hudson Council on Educational Television, Inc.) A non-profit corporation. Its transmitter is located in the Helderberg Mountains in Albany County, New York
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
.
The Mohawk-Hudson Council on Educational Television was formed in 1961, through the financial support from television station WRGB
WRGB
WRGB, channel 6, is a television station located in Schenectady, New York, USA. WRGB is owned by Freedom Communications, and is the CBS affiliate for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy television market...
, its then-parent General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
and many Capital District supporters and local businesses. In the beginning, Mohawk-Hudson produced educational programs on WRGB; however, due to tight scheduling on WRGB, The council decided to form a 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...
television station of its own. WMHT signed on the air on March 26, 1962 on UHF channel 17 as the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
's first public television station and the second in the state of New York. From the outset the station was affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
d with National Educational Television
National Educational Television
National Educational Television was an American non-commercial educational public television network in the United States from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970...
(NET) and became one of Public Broadcasting Service
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) charter affiliates after the two stations merged in 1970. In 1972, WMHT expanded into FM radio
WMHT-FM
WMHT-FM is the callsign of a classical music and NPR radio station licenced to Schenectady, New York, broadcasting on 89.1 MHz with 11 kW ERP from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland, New York...
by launching the first non-commercial
Non-commercial
Non-commercial refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis...
classical music station in the United States (a format that continues to this day).
In 1987, WMHT purchased the assets of independent station WUSV channel 45
WCWN
WCWN is the CW-affiliated television station for New York State's Capital District and Western New England. Licensed to Schenectady, New York, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 43 from a transmitter southwest of New Scotland's Voorheesville section...
and made it a secondary programming service under the calls WMHX. Due to financial difficulties, WMHT shut WMHX down in 1991 and returned it to the air three years later under the calls WMHQ. In the late 1990s, WMHQ's commercial licence became attractive and WMHT sold it to the Tribune Company
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
for $18.5 million in 1999 with the station becoming WB affiliate WEWB that September (it today is CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate WCWN
WCWN
WCWN is the CW-affiliated television station for New York State's Capital District and Western New England. Licensed to Schenectady, New York, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 43 from a transmitter southwest of New Scotland's Voorheesville section...
, owned by Freedom Communications
Freedom Communications
Freedom Communications, Inc. is a media conglomerate in the United States. It owns approximately 100 daily and weekly newspapers in the US, with a combined daily circulation of nearly one million subscribers, and also operates over seventy local news websites...
). The money from this sale allowed WMHT to expand into digital television and build a new state-of-the-art studio in Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
to replace their original facilities in Rotterdam.
Digital TV & transition
WMHT switched-off its analog signal at 12 Noon on April 16, 2009.WMHT-DT signed on in 2003 on channel 34, becoming the second digital television signal in the Capital Region (third if counting WCDC-DT
WTEN
WTEN is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Capital District of New York State and Western New England that is licensed to Albany. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 26 from a transmitter southwest of the Voorheesville section of New Scotland...
). Currently there are three subchannels
Digital 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...
on WMHT-DT:
| Virtual Channel |
Video | Aspect Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,... |
Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17.1 | 1080i 1080i 1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels... |
16:9 16:9 16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ... |
Main WHMT programming / PBS 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.... HD |
| 17.2 | 480i 480i 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC... |
4:3 | ThinkBright ThinkBright ThinkBright TV is a PBS television digital subchannel serving New York State except New York City. Its programming includes educational series, lifelong learning, arts and culture, children's shows and public affairs coverage with a focus on New York's people, places and heritage.ThinkBright & Well... |
| 17.3 | 480i 480i 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC... |
4:3 | PBS World PBS World PBS World is a 24-hour United States over-the-air digital subchannel showing public TV non-fiction, science, nature, news, public affairs and documentaries... |
Outlying translators
- W04AJ Glens FallsGlens Falls, New YorkGlens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
- W04BD SchoharieSchoharie (town), New YorkSchoharie is a town in Schoharie County, New York. The population was 3,299 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a native word for driftwood.The Town of Schoharie has a village, also called Schoharie...
Also, W42AE in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (town), New York
Poughkeepsie is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 42,777 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the native term, "Uppu-qui-ipis-in," which means "reed-covered hut by the water."...
, owned by Dutchess Community College, repeats WMHT except for several hours a week when classes are in session.