WQED (TV)

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WQED
city =
station_
station_slogan = Changes Lives
station_branding = WQED Pittsburgh
analog = 13 (VHF)
digital = 38 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = PBS
network =
founded =
airdate = April 1, 1954
location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
callsign_meaning = Quod Erat Demonstrandum
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = WQED Multimedia
licensee =
sister_stations = WQED-FM, WQEX
former_affiliations = NET (1954-1970)
effective_radiated_power = 316 kW (analog)
760 kW (digital)
12600 watts (post-transition)
HAAT = 210 m (analog)
213 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 41315
coordinates = coord|40|26|46.8|N|79|57|49.4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WQED
homepage = [http://www.wqed.org/ www.wqed.org]

WQED (channel 13, digital channel 38) is a PBS television station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established April 1, 1954, it was the first community-sponsored television station in the United States as well as the fifth public TV station. WQED also became the first station to telecast classes to elementary classrooms when Pittsburgh launched the Metropolitan School Service in 1955. WQED has produced many shows for PBS, such as "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" (which aired first run episodes from February 19, 1968 to August 31, 2001). Pittsburgh Magazine is also a publication of WQED.

Heyday

During its heyday in the 1970's and 1980's, WQED was a vital supplier of programming to the national PBS system. For 15 years, WQED produced the National Geographic Specials for the National Geographic Society. These programs, among others, and the craftspeople who produced them, won numerous Emmy Awards and other accolades, including Peabody Awards.

Over the years, talent like Michael Keaton, who worked behind the scenes on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", emerged from the station and went onto national fame.

During its heyday, WQED also supported a post production office and editing facility in Los Angeles. Known as QED/West, the satellite was the editing center for much of WQED's national programming.

Decline

During the beginning of the 1990's, WQED faltered on a national level as the rapidly changing media landscape shifted. The downturn was exacerbated by a scandal in which top executives were discovered to have been augmenting their personal revenues without informing the Board of Directors. This period was chronicled in the 2000 book, "Air Wars: The Fight to Reclaim Public Broadcasting" by Jerold M. Starr.

The problems continued with a failed attempt to sell WQEX outright in 1999; WQED still owns the station, but has had its non-commercial educational status removed in 2002 and is currently operating it as ShopNBC.

Family of Employees

WQED's employees are historically a tight knit group. Longtime sound man and Ohio University professor, John "Bear" Butler, maintains an active e-mail distribution list in which news about the members of WQED's community is updated regularly.

Digital TV

In 2009, WQED will remain on channel 13 when the analog to digital conversion is complete.http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf] This will make WQED the only full-powered station in the Pittsburgh market to move its digital signal back to its original analog channel position, thus not requiring it to use PSIP to broadcast with a virtual channel. Sister station WQEX will take over WQED's current digital position of channel 38, but will broadcast on virtual channel 16.

Original programming

Local

*"OnQ" — weekdays

tate

*"Eat Pennsylvania" (2006)

National

*"National Geographic Specials (1975-1991)
*"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"
*"The War That Made America" (2006)
*"Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" — in partnership with WGBH in Boston
*"Planet Earth" (1986) — in association with the National Academy of Sciences
*"The Infinite Voyage" (1987-1992) — in association with the National Academy of Sciences
*"Space Age" (1994?) — in association with the National Academy of Sciences

Chris Moore programs

*"Black Horizons" — weekly
*"Wylie Avenue Days" (1991)
*"In Country: A Vietnam Story" (2006)

Rick Sebak specials

Pittsburgh History Series

Nostalgia documentaries by Rick Sebak:
*"Kennywood Memories" (1988)
*"The Mon, The Al & The O" (1988)
*"Holy Pittsburgh!" (1989)
*"Flying Off The Bridge To Nowhere! And Other Tales Of Pittsburgh Bridges" (1990)
*"Things That Aren’t There Anymore" (1990)
*"Downtown Pittsburgh" (1992)
*"Stuff That’s Gone" (1994)
*"Houses Around Here" (1994)
*"The Strip Show" (1996)
*"North Side Story" (1997)
*"South Side" (1998)
*"Things That Are Still Here" (1999)
*"Something About Oakland (2000)
*"Pittsburgh A To Z" (2001)
*"Happy Holidays in Pittsburgh" (2002)
*"Things We've Made" (2003)
*"It's the Neighborhoods" (2004)
*"What Makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh" (2006)
*"Underground Pittsburgh" (2007)
*"Invented, Engineered, and Pioneered in Pittsburgh" (2008)

Pennsylvania programs

*"The Pennsylvania Road Show" (1992)
*"Pennsylvania Diners And Other Roadside Restaurants" (1993)

National programs

*"An Ice Cream Show" (1996)
*"Shore Things" (1996)
*"A Hot Dog Program" (1999)
*"Great Old Amusement Parks" (1999)
*"A Flea Market Documentary" (2001)
*"Sandwiches That You Will Like" (2002)
*"A Program About Unusual Buildings & Other Roadside Stuff" (2004)
*"A Cemetery Special" (2005)
*"To Market To Market To Buy A Fat Pig" (2007)

ee also

*WQED Multimedia
*WQEX

External links

* [http://www.wqed.org/ Official site]
*TVQ|WQED
*BIA|WQED|TV|TV
* [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04088/291370.stm A history from the] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
* [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-23-2007/0004630485&EDATE= "Changes Lives" Identity unveiled]