TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION

'Twin Cities Public Television' ('''tpt''') is a nonprofit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, that operates the Twin Cities' two PBS member stations, 'KTCA-TV' (channel 2) and 'KTCI-TV' (channel 17). It produces programs for regional and national television broadcast, operates numerous Web sites, and produces rich media content for Web distribution.
The organization's mission is to "harness the power of television and other media for the public good."

Contents
History
Productions
The Minnesota Channel
Digital TV
Awards
1984
1985
1987
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
External link
Transmission Technical Data
References

History

Twin Cities Public Television was incorporated in 1955 as 'Twin City Area Educational Television'.
KTCA (channel 2) began broadcasting on September 16, 1957 as the first noncommercial station in the state. A second station, KTCI (channel 17), was launched on May 3, 1965. Channel 17 was originally assigned to the Tedesco Brothers in the early 1950s to be a commercial station, WCOW-TV (see KDWB) affiliated with the DuMont network, but this station never made it on the air. In 1967, KTCA became the first educational station in the United States to broadcast in color.
In 1974, the organization joined PBS. In 1977, it changed its corporate name to the current Twin Cities Public Television.
On September 16, 1999, the stations began their first digital television broadcasts. In 2000, KTCA and KTCI were rebranded '''tpt2''' and '''tpt17''' paving the way for the larger family of digital broadcast services to come. In August, 2003, '''tpt''' became the first broadcaster in Minnesota to launch a channel, '''tptHD''', fully devoted to high-definition programming. And on September 16, 2005 the organization launched a full time digital channel, '''tptMN''', devoted entirely to local and regional programs.
In December, 2005 the organization began distributing many of its productions online, making programs available through iTunes, Google Video, and Yahoo! Podcasts among others. Its Website, www.tpt.org, features streaming video as well as video podcasts. In 2007, '''tpt''' also plans to begin offering Video-On-Demand (VOD) thorough local cable providers.
KTCA's Nielsen ratings are among the highest of any PBS station in the country.

Productions

Twin Cities Public Television is one of the few public television organizations that regularly produces programs for the national PBS schedule. While not as prolific as some producers, '''tpt''' is known for high quality, high impact work with several national Emmy awards to its credit. Major productions include ''The New Medicine'' (2006)[1], ''Suze Orman: The Laws of Money, The Lessons of Life'' (2004),''The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimers'' (2004)[2], ''Benjamin Franklin'' (2003)[3], ''American High'' (2001), ''American Photography: A Century of Images'' (1999)[4], ''Jane Goodall: Reason for Hope'' (1999), ''Liberty! The American Revolution'' (1997)[5], ''Hoop Dreams'' (1995), ''Grant Wood's America'' (1985). In addition, '''tpt''' produced the children's science series ''Newton's Apple'' [6] for 15 seasons and followed that success with ''DragonflyTV'' [7], now in its 6th season. Other series included ''Right On The Money'' and ''Alive From Off Center.''
Twin Cities Public Television also regularly produces programs exclusively for and about Minnesota and the surrounding region. Its Friday night public-affairs program ''Almanac'' [8], has been aired weekly for more than 20 years. Other significant local productions include numerous concerts with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, ''Minnesota: A History of the Land'' (2005), ''North Star: Minnesota's Black Pioneers'' (2004)[9], the series ''Don't Believe The Hype'' (10 seasons), ''Seth Eastman: Painting the Dakota'' (2001), ''Death of the Dream: Farmhouses in the Heartland'' (2000), the series ''Tape's Rolling'', ''Wacipi-Powow'' (1995)[10], ''Lost Twin Cities'' (1995), ''The Dakota Conflict'' (1994), ''Iron Range: A People's History'' (1994), and ''How To Talk Minnesotan'' (1992).

The Minnesota Channel

In early 2003, '''tpt''' began setting aside time on '''tpt17''' for the "Minnesota Channel", an evening dedicated to local and regional related programming, frequently produced in partnership with other nonprofit and public service organizations. The service expanded from one to two evenings in 2004 and, on September 16, 2005, became a new full time digital channel, '''tptMN''' (digital channel 17-2, Comcast (Saint Paul) 243, Comcast (Minneapolis) 202, and Mediacom 102). "The Best of the MN Channel" can still be seen on '''tpt17''' on Saturday and Sunday nights. Since its inception, the MN Channel has co-produced more than 250 programs with more than 100 partner organizations: nonprofits, universities, governmental agencies and other public service organizations.
Among the programs broadcast on '''tpt17''' during the MN Channel timeslot are several targeting ethnic communities that now call Minnesota and the Twin Cities home and who are generally underserved by commercial media. Some of these shows are also broadcast on public access cable television channels in the region:

★ ''Zona Latina'' (Latino)

★ ''Kev Koom Siab'' (Hmong)

★ ''Geetmala'' (Hindi)

★ ''BelAhdan'' (Middle Eastern)

★ ''Journey to the East'' (Chinese)

★ ''Vietnamese News'' (Vietnamese)


The website www.mnchannel.org features information on programs and partners as well as streaming video and podcasts.

Digital TV

Twin Cities Public Television offers seven channels of digital programming 24 hours a day to viewers with a DTV receiver or subscription to local cable providers. The digital sub-channels are:

'''tpt2''' (digital channel 2-1, Comcast (Saint Paul) 2, Comcast (Minneapolis) 2, and Mediacom 101)

'''tptHD''' (digital channel 2-2, Comcast (Saint Paul) 240, Comcast (Minneapolis) 440, and Mediacom 802)

'''tpt17''' (digital channel 17-1, Comcast (Saint Paul) 17, Comcast (Minneapolis) 13, and Mediacom 13)

'''tptMN''' (digital channel 17-2, Comcast (Saint Paul) 243, Comcast (Minneapolis) 202, and Mediacom 102)

'''tptKids''' (digital channel 17-3, Comcast (Saint Paul) 242, Comcast (Minneapolis) 203, and Mediacom 103)

'''tptCreate''' (digital channel 17-4, Comcast (Saint Paul) 241, Comcast (Minneapolis) 204, and Mediacom 104)

and radar weather on '''tptWx''' (digital channel 17-5).

Awards

1984

Minnesota Productions:
MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour (segment)
Emmy Award
Outstanding Coverage of a Continuing News Story (News) (Brendan Henehan, correspondent)
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

1985

National Productions:
Grant Wood's America
Blue Ribbon, Fine Arts category
American Film and Video Festival

1987

Minnesota Productions:
Almanac
Best Discussion/Interview Program
CEN Program Awards (Central Education Network)

1989

Minnesota Productions:
MN Shorts
Regional Emmy
Screenplay Project
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
National Productions:
Newton's Apple
Daytime Emmy Award
Children's Program
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

1990

Minnesota Productions:
Almanac
Best Public Affairs Series
CEN Program Awards (Central Education Network)

1991

Minnesota Productions:
Television & Democracy
Regional Emmy
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
National Productions:
Alive From Off Center--"Le Dortoir"
International Emmy Award
Performing Arts Program
International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

1992

Minnesota Productions:
KTCA Reports
Regional Emmy Award
Outstanding Achievement for Informational Programming: Public Affairs Series
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Understanding Hate
Gold Plaque Award
TV Production:.Public Affairs/Political, Local
Chicago International Film Festival
The Problem With Reality: LAPD Inspects the Twin Cities
Finalist, Drama Category
Robert M. Bennett Award
(c/o the American Film Institute)
Arts on 2/ KTCA Reports / Showcase
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence, Non-Performing: Opening Sequence
Editor
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence, Non-Performing: Audio Director
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Arts on 2/Kev Koom Siab
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence, Non-Performing: Set Design
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Dudley Riggs' American Scream
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence, Non-Performing: Directing
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
We the People: Democratic Debate
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for Non-News Special Event Program Created for Television
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
KTCA Reports: Abortion in Minnesota
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for News Specials: Planned Coverage of a Single Event
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
How to Talk Minnesotan
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for a Single Entertainment Program
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Silver Plaque Award
TV Production: Variety/Entertainment, Local
Chicago International Film Festival
Diary
Gold Hugo Award
TV Production: Television Series, Local
Chicago International Film Festival
Diary/ Native American Minnesotans
Finalist Award, Profiles/Community Portraits
International Film and TV Festival of New York
Arts on 2
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement, Informational Programming: Magazine Program Series
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Gold Award
Cultural Documentary
Local Program Awards
Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
Portrait
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement, Informational Programming: Conversation Program Series
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Questions of Racism
2nd Place, Television Feature
Minnesota Page One Awards
Society of Professional Journalists, Minnesota Chapter
Kev Koom Siab
Special Achievement, Public Affairs
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Silver Award
Community Service/Outreach Campaign
Local Program Awards
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
KMOJ: Heart and Soul
Best Cultural Documentary
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Inside Mayo Clinic
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for a Documentary of Cultural Significance
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
The Artist & the Wolves
2nd Place, Merit Award
Commercial Documentary
Montana Film & Video Festival

1993

Minnesota Productions:
Arts on 2 (Episode #104)
Best Cultural Documentary Program
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Arts on 2/Curious George Goes to Hell
Screening, Shorts Program segment
Sundance Film Festival
The Problem With Reality: LAPD Inspects the Twin Cities
Special Achievement Award, Cultural Performance
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
The Artist & the Wolves
Best Cultural Documentary Program
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
How to Talk Minnesotan
Videokiosk Screening
Golden Rose Competition (Rose D'Or de Montreux)
Apart and Together (AKA: Roundtable on Race)
Silver Plaque
Chicago International Film Festival
Understanding Hate
Regional Emmy
Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence, Non-Performing: Art Direction
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Diary
Gold Award
TV Production: Local Television Program
Houston International Film Festival
Can We All Get Along?
Finalist Certificate
TV Production: Public Affairs Program
Houston International Film Festival
National Productions:
Newton's Apple
National Education Association Award

1994

Minnesota Productions:
The Madwoman & the Mask
Special Achievement in Creativity for Visual Interpretation
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Regional Emmy Award
Outstanding Achievement for Documentary Programs: Cultural Significance
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Get Over It
Gold Award
Local Program Awards
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Regional Emmy Award
Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence: Non-Performing: Camera, Non-News
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Certificate of Merit
Chicago International Film Festival
The Dakota Conflict
Honorable Mention
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Ohio State Award
The Ohio State Awards
Only in Minnesota
Best Cultural Documentary
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Videokiosk Screening
Golden Rose Competition (Rose D'Or de Montreux)
KTCA Reports: Violence Against Women
Honorable Mention
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Don't Believe the Hype
Gold Award
Local Program Awards
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Nokomis: Voices of Anishinabe Grandmothers
Finalist
International Film & TV Festival of New York
Gold Plaque
Chicago International Film Festival
Tape's Rolling!
Regional Emmy Award
Outstanding Achievement for Informational Programming: Public Affairs Series
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Iron Range: A People's History
Regional Emmy Award
Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence, Non-Performers: Audio
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
National Productions:
Hoop Dreams
Audience Award
Sundance Film Festival

1995

Minnesota Productions:
Africatrek
Regional Emmy Award
Documentary of Cultural Significance
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
Lost Twin Cities
Best Cultural Documentary
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Wacipi Powwow
Bronze Apple Award
National Educational Media Network (Formerly National Educational Film and Video Festival)
Arts on 2 (Episode #308)
Honorable Mention
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Arts on 2 (Episode #312)
Best Cultural Documentary
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Tape's Rolling/You Can't Schedule Death: The Ramsey County Medical Examiner
Best Informational Program
CEN Program Awards (Central Educational Network)
Don't Believe the Hype/Children and Violence
Regional Emmy Award
Informational Programming: Conversation Program Series
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region
National Productions:
Hoop Dreams
Academy Award Nomination
Best Editing
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
George Foster Peabody Award
Best Documentary
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Best Documentary
Los Angeles Film Critics Awards
Director's Guild of America Award
Producer's Guild of America Award
Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award
Newton's Apple
National Education Association Awards

1996

Minnesota Productions:
A Family Concert
Regional Emmy Award
Individual Excellence in Audio
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region

1997

Minnesota Productions:
NewsNight Minnesota
Silver Baton (Ken Stone, correspondent)
Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Journalism Award
National Productions:
Liberty! The American Revolution
George Foster Peabody Awards
Donna's Day, With Donna Erickson
Parent's Choice Gold Award
Newton's Apple
National Education Association Award
Newton’s Apple (Episode #1401)
Science Journalism Award for Television
American Association for the Advancement of Science

1999

National Productions:
Health Diary
Gracie Allen Award
Best Host (Siobhán Cleary)
American Women in Radio and Television
Freddie Award
Best Health Series
International Health and Medical Film Competition
American Photography: A Century of Images
Hors Concours screening
Banff Film Festival

2000

Minnesota Productions:
Death of the Dream
Regional Emmy Award
Documentary
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Videography
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Editing
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Composer
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Writing
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
National Productions:
Health Diary
Gracie Allen Award
Best Reality Program
American Women in Radio and Television
Right on the Money
Finalist
Network and Large Market TV category
Gerald Loeb Awards for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism
Transistorized!
Science Journalism Award for Television
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Continental Harmony
Eddie Award
Best Companion Content Tied to a National PBS Broadcast

2001

Minnesota Productions:
MNTV (“Grandfather’s Birthday”)
Regional Emmy Award
Entertainment
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Seth Eastman: Painting the Dakota
Regional Emmy Award
Documentary
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Audio
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Editing
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Original Score
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Writing
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Almanac
Regional Emmy Award
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
National Productions:
Continental Harmony
Golden Eagle Award
CINE Film & Video Competition
SXSW Web Award
TV/Movie category
South by Southwest
Health Diary
Gracie Allen Award
Best Reality Program
American Women in Radio and Television
Freddie Award Finalist
Best Health Series
International Health and Medical Film Competition

2002

Minnesota Productions:
Don't Believe the Hype/Changing Face of Minnesota
Regional Emmy Award
Children’s Program
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Don't Believe the Hype/Unity of the Arts
Regional Emmy Award
Children’s Program
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Almanac/Quiz Show
Regional Emmy Award
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Regional Emmy Award
Entertainment
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
National Productions:
NOVA/Dying to Be Thin
Golden Eagle Award
Science & Technology category
CINE Film & Video Competition
(Produced by tpt for the WGBH series)
DragonflyTV
World Silver Award
The New York Festivals
Right on the Money
Finalist
Network and Large Market TV category
Gerald Loeb Awards for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism
American High
SXSW Web Award
TV/Movie category
South by Southwest

2003

Minnesota Productions:
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Regional Emmy Award
Directing—Non-News
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Lighting—Non-News
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
National Productions:
Benjamin Franklin
Primetime Emmy Award
Outstanding Non Fiction Special
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
DragonflyTV
Golden Eagle Award
Children's Program
CINE Film & Video Competition

2004

Minnesota Productions:
The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s
Regional Emmy Award
Non-News Promotion Spot
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
National Productions:
The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s
Primetime Emmy Award
Outstanding Non Fiction Special
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Suze Orman: The Laws of Money, The Lessons of Life
Daytime Emmy Award
Outstanding Service-Show Host
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

2005

Minnesota Productions:
North Star: Minnesota’s Black Pioneers
Regional Emmy Award
Writing, Non-News
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Regional Emmy Award
Editing, Non-News
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Augsburg College Advent Vespers Celebration
Regional Emmy Award
Director—Live
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
Minnesota: A History of the Land
Regional Emmy Award
Musical Composition/Arrangement (University of Minnesota, Peter Ostroushko, Composer)
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Midwest Region
National Productions:
Suze Orman: For the Young, Fabulous, and Broke
Daytime Emmy Award
Outstanding Service-Show Host
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

External link

★ Twin Cities Public Television

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Transmission Technical Data

KTCA and KTCI are broadcast from the KMSP Tower in Shoreview, Minnesota. There are four broadcast translators for KTCA:

★ 'K65FW' 65 (Frost)

★ 'K45EH' 45 (Jackson)

★ 'K46AA' 46 (St. James)

★ 'K44AE' 44 (Willmar)

References

★ TPT gives area nonprofits a voice on Minnesota Channel Geneva Collins