WYBE
Encyclopedia
WYBE, channel 35, is an independent, non-commercial educational
(NCE) public television station located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, USA
. Owned and operated by Independence Public Media of Philadelphia (also known as Independence Media), WYBE's transmitter and offices are located at 8200 Ridge Avenue in the Roxborough
section of Philadelphia. The station's MiND: Media Independence service is additionally carried in the New York City
media market by religious station WFME-TV
over their 66.4 digital subchannel
(and reciprocates by carrying WFME-DT over their 35.66 subchannel), and is also available online at www.mindtv.org.
WYBE broadcasts a wide array of programming, such as those featuring independent filmmakers (Through the Lens, Philadelphia Stories, etc.); international programming from countries such as India, Japan, France, China, Greece, the United Kingdom, and Germany; programming for the LGBT
community (Gay USA); and public affairs and current events programming (Democracy Now, GRITtv
).
starting in 1957, which later moved its city of license and frequency to channel 12 in nearby Wilmington, Delaware
in 1963. For several years afterward, WHYY continued to operate channel 35, under the call letters WUHY-TV, carrying alternate Educational programming on school days; that station closed down in 1975, and the channel 35 frequency remained dormant until WYBE opened on June 1, 1990.
From 1998 until 2004, the organization was led by Sherri Hope Culver, formerly of the New Jersey Network
(NJN). During this period, WYBE moved into a new facility; shifted from analog to digital television, and focused on original productions, such as Culture Trek (a series of three specials, followed US teenagers as they pursued projects with local teens in Costa Rica, Ireland, and Jamaica), The Neighbors Project, The Tolerance Project (which addressed race, sexual orientation and religion) The station also featured a nightly talk show, Philly Live, which was later restructured into five different talk shows: Gente (Hispanic), Shades of Opinion (African-American), Asian Outlook, Global Lens and Out Loud (LGBT). Most of WYBE's programs are syndicated programs from American Public Television
and NETA
. Several of these programs won national Telly Awards
, Emmy nominations and a special screening at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
. The WYBE World Heritage Council Initiative supports Philadelphia's diverse ethnic communities, funded by the William Penn Foundation
.
Since 2005, WYBE was led by Howard Blumenthal, who also served simultaneously as Executive Director of NJN from 2009-2010.
network, which is seen on selected television stations and cable systems, as well as on satellite and the internet.
MiND is among the largest public television stations unaffiliated with Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS).
Digital Subchannels>
Channel
Name
Programming
35.1
MiND
Main community-oriented programming
35.2
NHK World
Public television from Japan (in English)
35.3
France24
France24
35.4
RT
Russia Today
35.66
WFME-TV
Simulcast of programming from Family Radio
's station in the New York area
The station formerly operated their digital signal at only 25% power until March 2010, when WYBE's power was increased fully to their FCC-authorized ERP power.
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...
(NCE) public television station located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Owned and operated by Independence Public Media of Philadelphia (also known as Independence Media), WYBE's transmitter and offices are located at 8200 Ridge Avenue in the Roxborough
Roxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Roxborough is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is bordered to the southwest, along the Schuylkill River, by the neighborhood of Manayunk, along the northeast by the Wissahickon Creek section of Fairmount Park, and to...
section of Philadelphia. The station's MiND: Media Independence service is additionally carried in the 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...
media market by religious station WFME-TV
WFME-TV
WFME-TV is a religious television station in West Milford, New Jersey, broadcasting ethnic and religious programming locally on digital channel 29 . The station is owned by Family Radio, a Christian broadcast ministry based in Oakland, California...
over their 66.4 digital subchannel
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...
(and reciprocates by carrying WFME-DT over their 35.66 subchannel), and is also available online at www.mindtv.org.
WYBE broadcasts a wide array of programming, such as those featuring independent filmmakers (Through the Lens, Philadelphia Stories, etc.); international programming from countries such as India, Japan, France, China, Greece, the United Kingdom, and Germany; programming for the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community (Gay USA); and public affairs and current events programming (Democracy Now, GRITtv
GRITtv
GRITtv is a television show hosted and founded by Laura Flanders. GRITtv is broadcast from New York City on Free Speech TV via Dish network and on public television stations nationwide, as well as online...
).
History
Channel 35 in Philadelphia was previously occupied by WHYY-TVWHYY-TV
For the former channel 12 in Wilmington, see WVUE .WHYY-TV, channel 12, is a non-commercial educational television station licensed to Wilmington, Delaware, USA...
starting in 1957, which later moved its city of license and frequency to channel 12 in nearby Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
in 1963. For several years afterward, WHYY continued to operate channel 35, under the call letters WUHY-TV, carrying alternate Educational programming on school days; that station closed down in 1975, and the channel 35 frequency remained dormant until WYBE opened on June 1, 1990.
From 1998 until 2004, the organization was led by Sherri Hope Culver, formerly of the New Jersey Network
New Jersey Network
The New Jersey Network, or NJN, was a network of public television and radio stations serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. NJN was a member of the Public Broadcasting Service for television and the National Public Radio for radio, broadcasting their programming as well as producing and...
(NJN). During this period, WYBE moved into a new facility; shifted from analog to digital television, and focused on original productions, such as Culture Trek (a series of three specials, followed US teenagers as they pursued projects with local teens in Costa Rica, Ireland, and Jamaica), The Neighbors Project, The Tolerance Project (which addressed race, sexual orientation and religion) The station also featured a nightly talk show, Philly Live, which was later restructured into five different talk shows: Gente (Hispanic), Shades of Opinion (African-American), Asian Outlook, Global Lens and Out Loud (LGBT). Most of WYBE's programs are syndicated programs from American Public Television
American Public Television
American Public Television is the largest syndicator of programming for public television stations in the United States.-History:...
and NETA
NETA
NETA is an abbreviation that may refer to:*the International Electrical Testing Association NETA serves the electrical testing industry by establishing standards; publishing specifications; accrediting independent, third-party, electrical testing companies; certifying test technicians; and...
. Several of these programs won national Telly Awards
Telly Awards
The Telly Award is an award presented by the namesake, New York City-based organization. The stated purpose of the award is to "honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web." The...
, Emmy nominations and a special screening at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
The Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by TLA Entertainment Group in 1995. The event is the third largest of its kind in the US, and the largest on the East Coast....
. The WYBE World Heritage Council Initiative supports Philadelphia's diverse ethnic communities, funded by the William Penn Foundation
William Penn Foundation
The William Penn Foundation is a grant-making foundation established in 1945 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by businessman Otto Haas and his wife Phoebe....
.
Since 2005, WYBE was led by Howard Blumenthal, who also served simultaneously as Executive Director of NJN from 2009-2010.
MiND: Media Independence
On May 15, 2008, the station was relaunched as MiND: Media Independence, which emphasised on short-form programs, often with a "public media for the public good" perspective. MiND became the first broadcast station in the US whose program stream was simultaneously available online and on broadcast television worldwide, in a form of an internet simulcast of its broadcast signal, and a library of programs available on-demand. Some MiND programs are also available on the MHz WorldviewMHz Worldview
MHz WorldView is an independent, non-commercial Public television network that broadcasts newscasts and other programs from around the world. It is owned and operated by Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation who also run MHz Networks....
network, which is seen on selected television stations and cable systems, as well as on satellite and the internet.
MiND is among the largest public television stations unaffiliated with 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).
Digital television
RT
-Computers:* Ralink Technology, a Wi-Fi chipset manufacturer from Taiwan* Ray tracing * Ray tracing * Register transfer, a description of digital circuits* Request Tracker, an open-source ticketing system...
Russia Today
Russia Today may refer to:* Russia Today, an English language 24-hour television news channel from Russia. It was launched in 2005 and is not related to an online news service of the similar name operated by EIN News...
WFME-TV
WFME-TV is a religious television station in West Milford, New Jersey, broadcasting ethnic and religious programming locally on digital channel 29 . The station is owned by Family Radio, a Christian broadcast ministry based in Oakland, California...
Family Radio
Family Radio, also known by its licensee name Family Stations Inc., is a Christian radio network based in Oakland, California, USA, founded by Lloyd Lindquist, Richard H. Palmquist and Harold Camping...
's station in the New York area
The station formerly operated their digital signal at only 25% power until March 2010, when WYBE's power was increased fully to their FCC-authorized ERP power.
Programming firsts
- WYBE's predecessor, WUHY-TV, was the first station in the world to show Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, in a week of test broadcasts in July 1969. A slightly-retooled version of the show had its national premiere on National Educational TelevisionNational Educational TelevisionNational Educational Television was an American non-commercial educational public television network in the United States from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970...
(NET) four months later, in November 1969. (http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Sesame_Street_Test_Show_1)
- WYBE was also first to air Australian drama, Water Rats, the Australian children's series, The ShapiesThe ShapiesThe Shapies is an Australian Computer animation children's television series. Produced by Light Knights Productions, it first aired on 7 July 2002, on the Australian Nine Network and on PBS Kids in the United States...
and the Irish drama, Ros na RúnRos na RúnRos na Rún is an Irish soap opera produced for Irish language TV channel TG4. It broadcasts for 35 weeks of the year, airing 2 episodes each week.It airs in Ireland, Scotland and the United States.-Show history:...
.