WPDS-LP
Encyclopedia
WPDS-LD is the low-power Educational-access television channel owned and operated by the school board
of Pinellas County, Florida
, broadcasting educational programming for schoolchildren, plus board meetings and classic movies.
In addition to UHF channel 14 (which can be tuned in from most parts of Pinellas County), WPDS can be seen in Pinellas County on cable channel 14 on Knology
and digital channel 614 on Bright House
.
The station originally had its start in the early-1980s as a cable TV-only channel. In 1990, it opened a low-powered UHF channel on channel 14, to reach viewers without cable service. Initially as W14AW, it changed its calls to WPDS-LP in 1996. The station flash-cut
ted to digital
in late 2009 as WPDS-LD, using the same transmitter location and wattage.
While the station is owned by "Pinellas County Schools", the station's calls are named after "Pinellas District Schools", which is the name used on public school buses in Pinellas County. All public school buses in Florida are named similarly.
The station's studios and transmitters are located at the School Board headquarters in downtown Largo
.
Digital channels>
Channel
Name
Programming
14.1
WPDS-LD1
main WPDS-LD programming
14.2
WPDS-LD2
PCS Arts Channel
(featuring arts-related programming, including simulcasts of Classic Arts Showcase
; not available on cable)
14.3
WPDS-LD3
KTC 148 - The Knology Teen Channel
(featuring programming for teenagers; also seen on Knology digital channel 148)
14.4
WPDS-LD4
PCS News & Teacher Training
(news about the school board and its schools, plus instructional programming for teachers and instructional personnel; not available on cable)
). It was later used in Indianapolis
from 1984 to 1985 as the first call letters used by present-day Fox
affiliate, WXIN
.
Pinellas County Schools
Pinellas County Schools is a school district serving Pinellas County, Florida, USA and based in Largo.-Organization:Pinellas County Schools has about 102,000 students and more than 13,000 employees. Dixie M. Hollins was the county's first superintendent of schools...
of Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...
, broadcasting educational programming for schoolchildren, plus board meetings and classic movies.
In addition to UHF channel 14 (which can be tuned in from most parts of Pinellas County), WPDS can be seen in Pinellas County on cable channel 14 on Knology
Knology
Knology Inc. is a cable company that formed in 1994 by ITC Holding Company, Inc, a telecommunications holding company in West Point, Georgia that also founded Internet service provider Mindspring. In late 1994, shortly after Knology's inception, two employees made a $600,000 investment to make...
and digital channel 614 on Bright House
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
.
The station originally had its start in the early-1980s as a cable TV-only channel. In 1990, it opened a low-powered UHF channel on channel 14, to reach viewers without cable service. Initially as W14AW, it changed its calls to WPDS-LP in 1996. The station flash-cut
Flash-cut
A flash-cut, also called flash-cutover, is an immediate change in a complex system, with no phase-in period.Some telephone area codes were split immediately, rather than being phased in with a permissive dialing period. An example is telephone area code 213, which was split into 213 and 714 all at...
ted to digital
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
in late 2009 as WPDS-LD, using the same transmitter location and wattage.
While the station is owned by "Pinellas County Schools", the station's calls are named after "Pinellas District Schools", which is the name used on public school buses in Pinellas County. All public school buses in Florida are named similarly.
The station's studios and transmitters are located at the School Board headquarters in downtown Largo
Largo, Florida
Largo is the third largest city in Pinellas County, Florida, USA and is part of the Tampa Bay Area. Centrally located, it is the crossroads of the county. As of the 2000 census, the City had a total population of 69,371. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was...
.
Digital television
The station's digital channel is multiplexed:(featuring arts-related programming, including simulcasts of Classic Arts Showcase
Classic Arts Showcase
Classic Arts Showcase is a television channel in the United States promoting the fine arts. The television program content includes prepared media and recorded live performances...
; not available on cable)
(featuring programming for teenagers; also seen on Knology digital channel 148)
(news about the school board and its schools, plus instructional programming for teachers and instructional personnel; not available on cable)
Trivia
The WPDS calls were originally used in the Tampa Bay area in the early-1980s by an easy-listening station "WPDS-FM", "Paradise 93" (now WFLZ-FMWFLZ-FM
WFLZ-FM is a CHR/Pop station broadcasting in the Tampa Bay area, Florida, USA. Before the 1990s, the station played the oldies format before switching to Top 40 to compete against local CHR Q105. The station became 93.3 , and later was re-imaged to 93.3 FLZ...
). It was later used in Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
from 1984 to 1985 as the first call letters used by present-day Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate, WXIN
WXIN (TV)
WXIN, channel 59, is the Fox affiliated television station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 45, using its former analog channel 59 as its virtual channel via PSIP...
.