Participating Organizations

In October 1962, the Connecticut Educational Television Corporation began broadcasting over station WEDH-TV (Channel 24) in black and white from the basement of the Trinity College Library in Hartford, Connecticut. In the beginning, motivated and eager individuals had a vision: to enrich people's lives through high-quality, non-commercial, educational programming. Institutions like Trinity College and the State of Connecticut supported this goal of reaching out to the community through public broadcasting.

The station broadcast its first local children’s programming a few weeks after it went on the air, followed a month later by a biweekly local series highlighting the world of arts, entertainment and public affairs in the state. A mobile truck arrived in 1967, color in 1968, auctions in 1972, and pledge in 1973. By 1974, three additional stations across the state had joined WEDH-TV and CPTV was born. The statewide network earned its first Emmy Award in 1977, received its first satellite transmission in 1979, and taped its first national pledge special in 1985.

The first public radio station in Connecticut signed on in June 1978, and soon Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR) joined CPTV to form what is now known as Connecticut Public Broadcasting. Initially airing primarily classical and radio music, WNPR now focuses on news and information. Together, the two community-supported, statewide public broadcasting networks are dedicated to serving Connecticut with a mix of educational, news, public affairs, children's and entertainment programming and services.

Today, CPTV and WNPR reach the entire state of Connecticut – an estimated 550,000 television viewers and more than 240,000 radio listeners each week. Connecticut Public Broadcasting is the state’s only locally owned media organization producing TV, radio, print and Internet content for distribution to Connecticut’s wide-ranging and diverse communities.