Twin Cities Public Television

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KTCA and KTCI
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Branding	tpt2, tpt17, etc.
Channels	2 (VHF), 17 (UHF), 4 KTCA translators analog, 16 (UHF), 34 (UHF) broadcasting as channels 2-x and 17-x digital
Affiliations	PBS
Owner	Twin Cities Public Television
Founded	1955 as Twin City Area Educational Television
Call letters meaning	Twin Cities Area
Former affiliations	NET (1957-1974)
Website	www.tpt.org

Twin Cities Public Television (tpt) is a nonprofit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that operates two analog and seven digital television channels, produces programs for regional and national television broadcast, operates numerous Web sites, and produces rich media content for Web distribution. Its flagship television station, KTCA now branded tpt2, is routinely among the top five most viewed public television stations in the United States. The organization's mission is to "harness the power of television and other media for the public good."

Originally incorporated in 1955 as Twin City Area Educational Television, the organization began public service with station KTCA (Channel 2) which officially began broadcasting on September 16, 1957. A second station, KTCI (Channel 17) was launched on May 3, 1965. In 1967, KTCA became the first educational station in the United States to broadcast in color. In 1974, the organization became associated with the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and in 1977 changed its corporate name to the current Twin Cities Public Television.

On September 16, 1999, the station began its first digital television broadcasts. In 2000, KTCA (Channel 2) and KTCI (Channel 17) 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.

Historical note: Channel 17 was also earlier 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.

Contents 1 Productions 2 The Minnesota Channel 3 Digital TV 4 Awards 4.1 1984 4.2 1985 4.3 1987 4.4 1989 4.5 1990 4.6 1991 4.7 1992 4.8 1993 4.9 1994 4.10 1995 4.11 1996 4.12 1997 4.13 1999 4.14 2000 4.15 2001 4.16 2002 4.17 2003 4.18 2004 4.19 2005 5 External link 6 Transmission Technical Data 7 References

[edit] 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).

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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).

[edit] Awards

[edit] 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 

[edit] 1985

National Productions: Grant Wood's America

    Blue Ribbon, Fine Arts category
    American Film and Video Festival

[edit] 1987

Minnesota Productions: Almanac

    Best Discussion/Interview Program
    CEN Program Awards (Central Education Network)

[edit] 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 

[edit] 1990

Minnesota Productions: Almanac

    Best Public Affairs Series
    CEN Program Awards (Central Education Network)

[edit] 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 

[edit] 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   

[edit] 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

[edit] 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 

[edit] 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

[edit] 1996

Minnesota Productions: A Family Concert

    Regional Emmy Award
    Individual Excellence in Audio 
    National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Region 

[edit] 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 

[edit] 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 

[edit] 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

[edit] 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 

[edit] 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

[edit] 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 

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] External link

• Twin Cities Public Television
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KTCA
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KTCI
• Query the FCC's TV station database for K65FW
• Query the FCC's TV station database for K45EH
• Query the FCC's TV station database for K46AA
• Query the FCC's TV station database for K44AE

[edit] 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)

[edit] References

• Geneva Collins (2005-03-14). TPT gives area nonprofits a voice on Minnesota Channel. Current. Retrieved on 2006-02-20.