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https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20130&cosponId=14497
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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: April 8, 2014 12:21 PM
From: Representative Dan Frankel
To: All House members
Subject: 60th Anniversary of WQED Pittsburgh
 
In the near future, I will introduce a resolution recognizing the 60th Anniversary of WQED Pittsburgh, the nation’s first community-supported television station. It is my sincere hope you will join me in this effort.

WQED went live for the first time on April 1, 1954, broadcasting on a previously unused television station in Pittsburgh – VHF Channel 13. A year earlier, in April 1953, the station was incorporated. Its call letters (WQED) have significant meaning – “W,” the mandatory designation for the region and “QED” for the Latin “Quod erat demonstrandum,” meaning “that which was to be demonstrated.” On Monday, April 5, 1954, Fred Rogers and his program titled “Children’s Corner” began to appear on WQED, eventually becoming “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” to millions of children throughout the country. In 1955, WQED inaugurated instructional programs for children in Pittsburgh schools – the first station in the country to telecast classes to elementary school students.

Over the years, WQED has branched out to several different endeavors. WQEX-TV/Channel 16 debuted on September 14, 1959, broadcasting highly specialized programs to meet the needs of select audiences, mainly business and industry. Just over a decade later, WQED began its successful foray into print, establishing Pittsburgh Magazine on July 1, 1970. In 1973, Classical WQED-FM 89.3 was founded as the region’s only 24-hour classical radio station.

Today, WQED is an educational public media giant with four television programming streams, three radio stations, and serves as host to numerous local and national television and radio productions. Throughout its history, WQED has partnered with hundreds of local community organizations in the Pittsburgh region toward improvements in education, arts and culture, community health, economics, and important local issues through its form of engaging civic journalism. All of this is in keeping with the organization’s mission – changing lives by creating and sharing outstanding public media that educates, entertains, and inspires.

In recognition of the invaluable impact WQED has made on Western Pennsylvania, I will be introducing a resolution commemorating the 60th anniversary of the station and calling attention to the great work WQED Multimedia continues to do on behalf of its citizenry. I invite all members to co-sponsor this legislation.



Introduced as HR814