WPSU-TV
Encyclopedia
WPSU-TV is the Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) member Public television station for the Allegheny
area of Pennsylvania
that is licensed to Clearfield
. It broadcasts a high definition
digital signal on UHF channel 15 from its transmitter located seven miles north of Clearfield on McGeorge Road in Lawrence Township
. Owned by Pennsylvania State University
, as a part of Penn State Public Broadcasting
, its production facility is located along Innovation Park Boulevard outside of State College
. It reaches some 500,000 households in west-central and central Pennsylvania
and southern New York
, as well as a few households in western Pennsylvania. Many rural Pennsylvanians rely on cable television
in order to get any signal other than WPSU-TV. The station's signal is very strong; it is easily viewable over-the-air as far away as Warren, Williamsport
and Bradford. The station is a typical PBS station, airing a large amount of PBS shows as well as some of its own original programming.
WPSU-FM
is PSU's NPR and classical music
radio station
. Additionally, WKPS FM "The Lion 90.7FM" is Penn State's student radio station, while WPSE AM is its commercial radio station.
Even though it was one of the smallest public television stations in the country, WPSX was an innovator. In 1978, it partnered with several Pennsylvania cable systems to create PENNARAMA, forerunner of Pennsylvania Cable Network
. In 1980, it worked with the state Department of Education to experiment with the use of videodisc
in the classroom.
In 1994, WPSX merged its operations with WPSU-FM, Penn State's NPR
station, to form Penn State Public Broadcasting. In the summer of 2005, it changed its call letters to WPSU-TV to match its radio sister, and moved to a new studio in the Outreach Building at Innovation Park
. The WPSX callsign has been reassigned to the radio station's Kane
station.
signals. They have been heavily involved with testing of new ways to distribute these signals to "difficult" reception areas and received an experimental permit from the FCC in 2003. Initial tests demonstrated that while a large UHF 15 transmitter at the location of WPSU's original low-VHF
broadcast tower would encounter localised problems with terrain shielding which interfere with UHF reception in State College (and relocation of the main transmitter would have interfered with the station's ability to serve the other two communities), addition of a small (50 kW) precisely-synchronised digital TV transmitter operating in State College itself on the same frequency as the main UHF 15 signal could provide a viable improvement to digital reception.
This work was to serve as the basis for a pair of ATSC
standards issued in 2004 to provide design guidance for the implementation of distributed transmission system
s:
These standards were later employed by other broadcasters, such as New York City
's Metropolitan Television Alliance
, as a starting point from which to conduct tests in 2007. This testing will be crucial to other stations throughout the country, as well as the FCC for guidelines pertaining to this type of broadcasting.
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) member Public television station for the Allegheny
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
area of 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...
that is licensed to Clearfield
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,631 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clearfield County.-Geography:Clearfield is located at ....
. It broadcasts a high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
digital signal on UHF channel 15 from its transmitter located seven miles north of Clearfield on McGeorge Road in Lawrence Township
Lawrence Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence Township is a township in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,712 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
. Owned by Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
, as a part of Penn State Public Broadcasting
Penn State Public Broadcasting
Penn State Public Broadcasting may refer to:* WPSU *WPSU-TV...
, its production facility is located along Innovation Park Boulevard outside of State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. It reaches some 500,000 households in west-central and central 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...
and southern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, as well as a few households in western Pennsylvania. Many rural Pennsylvanians rely on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
in order to get any signal other than WPSU-TV. The station's signal is very strong; it is easily viewable over-the-air as far away as Warren, Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
and Bradford. The station is a typical PBS station, airing a large amount of PBS shows as well as some of its own original programming.
WPSU-FM
WPSU-FM
WPSU is a National Public Radio member radio station owned by Pennsylvania State University as a part of Penn State Public Broadcasting. It reaches some 500,000 households in central Pennsylvania and southern New York, as well as a few households in western Pennsylvania. The station is rebroadcast...
is PSU's NPR and classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
. Additionally, WKPS FM "The Lion 90.7FM" is Penn State's student radio station, while WPSE AM is its commercial radio station.
Digital programming
The station's signal is multiplexed.| Channel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 3.1 | main WPSU-TV programming / PBS HD |
| 3.2 | Create |
| 3.3 | 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... |
History
The station signed on for the first time on March 1, 1965 as WPSX-TV. It received its full license on June 17 as the 101st public television station in the United States. Within two years, it went from broadcasting only a few hours a day during the week to being on the air from 8:30 am to 11:30 pm seven days a week.Even though it was one of the smallest public television stations in the country, WPSX was an innovator. In 1978, it partnered with several Pennsylvania cable systems to create PENNARAMA, forerunner of Pennsylvania Cable Network
Pennsylvania Cable Network
PCN is a Government-access television cable television network dedicated to 24-hour coverage of government and public affairs in the commonwealth...
. In 1980, it worked with the state Department of Education to experiment with the use of videodisc
Videodisc
Videodisc is a general term for a laser- or stylus-readable random-access circular disc that contains both audio and analog video signals recorded in an analog form...
in the classroom.
In 1994, WPSX merged its operations with WPSU-FM, Penn State's NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
station, to form Penn State Public Broadcasting. In the summer of 2005, it changed its call letters to WPSU-TV to match its radio sister, and moved to a new studio in the Outreach Building at Innovation Park
Innovation Park
Innovation Park may refer to:* Innovation Park * Innovation Park * Innovation Park...
. The WPSX callsign has been reassigned to the radio station's Kane
Kane, Pennsylvania
Kane is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, east by south of Erie. It was founded in 1863 by Civil War general Thomas L. Kane at an elevated site 2210 feet above sea level. In the early part of the twentieth century, Kane had large glassworks, bottle works, lumber mills, and manufactures of...
station.
Current
- The WPSU-TV Alphabet Cooking Show
- Center Court with Rene Portland
- Centre County Report
- Children and Autism: Time is Brain
- The Grange Fair: An American Tradition
- Great Teachers - Making a Difference
- Houses of Worship
- Huddle Up Nittany Lion Fans
- Legendary Lighthouses (1998) Driftwood 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....
- Our Town
- PA Energy
- The Pennsylvania Game
- Pennsylvania Inside Out
- Raise the Song: The History of Penn State
- Scholastic ScrimmageScholastic ScrimmageScholastic Scrimmage is a high school quiz bowl game show airing on WLVT-TV and WPSU-TV , and is hosted by Karen Walton and David Price respectively....
- Small Ball: A Little League Story
- Swift: Eyes Through Time
- To the Best of My Knowledge
- Tracks Across the Sky
- Weather World
- What Matters
- Your Health
Distributed transmission
WPSU-TV is one of the leading innovators of distributed transmission of digital televisionDigital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
signals. They have been heavily involved with testing of new ways to distribute these signals to "difficult" reception areas and received an experimental permit from the FCC in 2003. Initial tests demonstrated that while a large UHF 15 transmitter at the location of WPSU's original low-VHF
Band I
Band I is the name of a radio frequency range within the very high frequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum.Band I ranges from 47 to 88 MHz, and it is primarily used for radio and television broadcasting....
broadcast tower would encounter localised problems with terrain shielding which interfere with UHF reception in State College (and relocation of the main transmitter would have interfered with the station's ability to serve the other two communities), addition of a small (50 kW) precisely-synchronised digital TV transmitter operating in State College itself on the same frequency as the main UHF 15 signal could provide a viable improvement to digital reception.
This work was to serve as the basis for a pair of ATSC
ATSC
ATSC standards are a set of standards developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee for digital television transmission over terrestrial, cable, and satellite networks....
standards issued in 2004 to provide design guidance for the implementation of distributed transmission system
Distributed transmission system
In North American digital terrestrial television broadcasting, a distributed transmission system is a form of single-frequency network in which a single broadcast signal is fed via microwave, landline, or communications satellite to multiple synchronised terrestrial radio transmitter sites...
s:
- A/110A, "Synchronization Standard for Distributed Transmission, Revision A"
- A/111, "Design of Synchronized Multiple Transmitter Networks"
These standards were later employed by other broadcasters, such as New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Metropolitan Television Alliance
Metropolitan Television Alliance
The Metropolitan Television Alliance, LLC was organized in the wake of the loss of the transmission facilities atop the World Trade Center in 2001. Its mission is to identify, design and build a facility suitable for the long term requirements of its member stations to meet their over-the-air...
, as a starting point from which to conduct tests in 2007. This testing will be crucial to other stations throughout the country, as well as the FCC for guidelines pertaining to this type of broadcasting.