WITF-TV
Chambersburg | |
Links | |
---|---|
Public license information | |
Website | www |
WITF-TV (channel 33) is a
WITF-TV was established as the first public media outlet in the region in 1964 and was based in Hershey for its first 18 years of existence. It expanded into radio with WITF-FM in 1971 and moved to Harrisburg in 1982. The station's local initiatives include programs on topics of local interest as well as several collaborative ventures in statewide news and educational content.
History
In 1963, the Pennsylvania Educational Network proposed the introduction of a series of new noncommercial television allotments in the state: channel 3 at
South Central Educational filed its construction permit application in December 1963, specifying a location at
The Hudson Broadcasting Corporation, owner of Harrisburg radio station WCMB, held some equipment and a construction permit, unbuilt and unused, for channel 33 in Harrisburg. After reaching a purchase agreement with that firm, South Central Educational filed to move its proposed WITF-TV down from channel 65 to 33.[9] While this would prolong the time needed to put the new station to air by two months, it would reduce costs and improve coverage.[10] Technical difficulties pushed the start back a week, but at a third of authorized power, channel 33 began broadcasting on November 22, 1964.[11] The call letters had been chosen by portraitist Florence Starr Taylor to represent the phrase "it's top flight".[12]
Chambersburg was predicted to receive poor coverage from the Harrisburg transmitter, and a translator for Franklin County went into service in 1965, the predecessor to today's W20EU-D.[13] The station was quickly embraced by the community; April 1971 brought the launch of WITF-FM 89.5,[14] and by 1979, it had the third-highest percentage of supporting members of any public television station in the United States, with viewers contributing 32 percent of its budget.[15]: 5 The original transmission equipment was replaced in 1977 along with the commissioning of a new, taller tower, improving coverage and reducing the increasing number of faults attributable to its aging plant.[16]
After leasing space at the Hershey Community Center for 15 years, the Milton Hershey School Trust sold the building in 1979 to
Spurred by growth and technological changes, and with 50 more employees than it had in 1982, WITF launched a capital campaign in 2002 to build a new, $22.2 million public media center on a site in
In April 2023, WITF and Steinman Communications announced Steinman's plans to donate its LNP Media Group, which includes LNP newspaper based in Lancaster, to WITF, effective that June. The two groups plan to partner on a new nonprofit promoting civic engagement.[30]
Local programming and initiatives
WITF produces several local programs for the south-central Pennsylvania area, including a series on health (Transforming Health) and the annual Central PA Spelling Bee. Drawings for the
In 2018, WITF launched PA Post, a statewide news outlet; the creation of such was suggested as a potential use for funds received in the
Joining two other PBS stations, WITF helped launch the Public Media Educational Platform (which soon changed its name to the Information Equity Initiative) in 2021, with the goal of using datacasting to transmit educational programming to school students without sufficient broadband access. As part of the initiative, WITF has conducted pilots serving K-12 students and prison inmates.[35]
Technical information
Subchannels
The station's signal is
Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
---|---|---|---|---|
33.1 | 720p | 16:9 |
WITF | Main WITF-TV programming / PBS |
33.2 | 480i | WITFK | PBS Kids |
Translator
City of license | Call sign | Channel | ERP | HAAT
|
Facility ID | Transmitter coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chambersburg |
W20EU-D | 20 | 15 kW | 413 m (1,355 ft) | 73081 | 40°03′0.3″N 77°44′50.9″W / 40.050083°N 77.747472°W |
In August 1998, WITF-TV became the first television station in Pennsylvania to operate a digital signal.[36]
WITF-TV discontinued regular programming on its analog signal over
WITF agreed to share its spectrum with
References
- ^ a b "Digital TV Market Listing for WITF". RabbitEars.Info. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WITF-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Petition To Add New TV Channels Due April 1". Latrobe Bulletin. Latrobe, Pennsylvania. United Press International. February 22, 1963. p. 17. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Educational TV Council Is Organized". Lancaster New Era. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. May 9, 1963. p. 33. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. (Refers to a South Central Regional Broadcasting Council)
- ^ "$200,000 Goal Fixed For Educational TV". The York Dispatch. York, Pennsylvania. August 2, 1963. p. 24. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b FCC History Cards for WITF-TV
- ^ "Details completed for educational tv outlet". Intelligencer Journal. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. November 5, 1963. p. 4. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Educational TV Grant". Standard-Speaker. Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 27, 1964. p. 2. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "ETV Start Held Up; Gain Lower Channel". The York Dispatch. York, Pennsylvania. August 26, 1964. p. 26, 19. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lower Cost, Later Start Is Predicted Now Area ETV Group Has Channel 33". The Gazette and Daily. York, Pennsylvania. August 27, 1964. p. 3. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "ETV Makes Debut; Praise Widespread". The York Dispatch. York, Pennsylvania. November 23, 1964. p. 34. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ritzel, Rebecca J. (January 25, 2002). "Discover a Lancaster treasure a new". Intelligencer Journal. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. p. Happenings 10. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "TV Translator Station Ready". Public Opinion. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. July 3, 1965. p. 4. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Miller, Barbara (April 5, 1981). "WITF-FM 89.5: Station Started 10 Years Ago Without A Turntable". Sunday-The Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 3C. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Elliott, Barbara (September 16, 1979). "WITF ripe for change; Studio site being chosen". Hershey Magazine. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 4, 5, 7. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WITF-TV Boosting Its Output". Elizabethtown Chronicle. Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. August 18, 1977. p. 9. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bunty, Bob (May 22, 1979). "Hershey Foods To Purchase Center". The Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 7. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Elliott, Barbara (August 21, 1979). "Search On For New Quarters With WITF-TV". The Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 19. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WITF-TV, FM To Move". The Evening Sun. Hanover, Pennsylvania. October 2, 1979. p. A-3. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Larson, Robert F. (October 14, 1979). "Perspective: Harrisburg move". Hershey Magazine. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 2, 14. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Elliott, Barbara (May 8, 1980). "WITF Will Stay; Area Satellites Sought". The Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 1, 2. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Budget Slashes Short Circuit WITF Build Plans". The Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. February 25, 1981. p. 1, 2. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Welker, Jane (June 7, 1981). "WITF, district still negotiating". Sunday-The Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 1A, 9A. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Whipple, Linda (November 14, 1982). "WITF In New Home: Public Service Communications Center Will Be Dedicated Nov. 21". Sunday News. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. p. B1, B5. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Kolus, Howard (November 22, 1982). "Stations Moved: Now It's 'WITF, Harrisburg'". The Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. p. 10. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Zamowski, Tatiana (May 29, 2003). "WITF appealing for bucks". The Sentinel. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. p. B6. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Holahan, Jane (November 15, 2003). "WITF to build new headquarters, fundraising campaign under way". Lancaster New Era. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. p. B1, B5. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WITF breaks ground on new Public Media Center". The Daily Item. Sunbury, Pennsylvania. July 24, 2005. p. C3. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Fox, Barry (March 11, 2007). "WITF has shiny new home". The Patriot-News. p. G12.
- ^ "WITF and LNP | LancasterOnline Forge New Model for Local News, Community Education and Civic Engagement in Central Pennsylvania". WITF. April 26, 2023.
- ^ Hatmaker, Julia (January 5, 2019). "What goes on behind the scenes of the Pa. Lottery? An insider guide to the drawings". PennLIVE. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Funk, Nancy (December 14, 1987). "PC Show Founder Running Program On 2-Coast Basis". Intelligencer Journal. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. p. Business Monday 1, 5. Retrieved June 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Sefton, Dru (February 10, 2017). "Spectrum auction nets nearly $35M for two Pennsylvania stations". Current. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "PA Post Combines with Spotlight PA to Create Largest Statewide News Organization in Pennsylvania". WITF Public Media. August 17, 2020. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (September 15, 2021). "New nonprofit will expand digital health and education offerings through datacasting". Current. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Fox, Barry (November 1, 1998). "WITF joins first to air digital TV". The Patriot-News. p. D11.
- ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. May 23, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2021.