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Historical Timeline of Fifty Years at WETA

Enjoy this step through time charting WETA's history from its founding in the 1950s as an educational television station, the addition of a public radio station, and evolution into a major national producer for PBS.

  • 1957: Elizabeth Campbell
    1957: Elizabeth Campbell
  • 1958: Time for Science
    1958: Time for Science
  • 1961: First Broadcast
    1961: First Broadcast
  • 1964: Move to Howard University
    1964: Move to Howard University
  • 1967: Washington Week in Review
    1967: Washington Week in Review
  • 1969: Sesame Street Premieres
    1969: Sesame Street Premieres
  • 1973: Watergate
    1973: Watergate
  • 1974: Upstairs Downstairs Premieres
    1974: Upstairs Downstairs Premieres
  • 1976: MacNeil/Lehrer Report Premieres
    1976: MacNeil/Lehrer Report Premieres
  • 1978: In Performance at the White House Premieres
    1978: In Performance at the White House Premieres
  • 1981: A Capitol Fourth Premieres
    1981: A Capitol Fourth Premieres
  • 1985: Around Town Premieres
    1985: Around Town Premieres
  • 1988: WETA 90.9 Starts 24-Hour Programming
    1988: WETA 90.9 Starts 24-Hour Programming
  • 1990: The Civil War
    1990: The Civil War
  • 1995: New Shirlington Building
    1995: New Shirlington Building
  • 1997: DTV Transmitter Activated
    1997: DTV Transmitter Activated
  • 1999: Gwen Ifill joins Washington Week
    1999: Gwen Ifill joins Washington Week
  • 2000: Mark Twain Prize
    2000: Mark Twain Prize
  • 2002: WETA Launches Digital Channels
    2002: WETA Launches Digital Channels
  • 2006: WETA Guide Launches
    2006: WETA Guide Launches
  • 2007: WETA 90.9 Changes to All Classical Format
    2007: WETA 90.9 Changes to All Classical Format
  • 2007: The War
    2007: The War
  • 2009: Washington Week Peabody Award
    2009: Washington Week Peabody Award
  • 2010 VivaLaVoce Launches
    2010 VivaLaVoce Launches

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Washington in the '70s: Chuck Brown

Washington in the '70s

This documentary charts the District's rise from the ashes of the 1968 riots to its emergence as a world-class city, featuring first-hand accounts from those who shaped the events of the time.

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Programs A to Z

Find a specific program and when it airs.

Channel Guide

Find WETA on your specific provider.

WETA UK

Learn more about our all British channel.

WETA Kids

Learn more about our Kids channel.

Local Productions

Programs about the Washington, DC area

Telly Visions

Visit WETA's British television and culture blog.

Television Studios

Book our studios for your production needs.
CD Pick of the Week

CD Pick of the Week

Classical WETA 90.9 FM showcases notable new (or newly reissued) CDs each week. Hear selections from the CD on-air throughout the week, and check online to learn more about the artist and the music.

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Playlists

Want to know what we are playing today? Look no further.

Programs & Features

Our weekly highlights on-air and online.

Opera

Classical WETA is Washington's home for opera on the radio.

Classical Community

We connect with local arts groups.

Station Guide

Weekly schedules, host bios and more.

Radio Production

We can help with your audio production.

Breakfast in Washington

Where should you go for the most important meal of the day? Explore two dozen delicious suggestions throughout the Capital region.

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WETA Around Town

Art, theater and film reviews.

WETA Extras

A local perspective on national PBS programs.

The WETA Guide

Highlights from across our region.

WETA All Access

Behind-the-scenes looks at area landmarks.

WETA Neighborhoods

Special places within our community.

WETA Specials

Highlights of local arts, history and culture.
Roey's Paintbox

Roey's Paintbox

Art instructor Roey Ebert helps guide budding young artists step-by-step through the painting process in the new how-to series Roey's Paintbox.

When to watch on WETA Kids →

Watch When You Want!

Watch WETA Kids shows!

Fun Places

Find fun places in the D.C. area.

WETA Kids Games

Play your favorite WETA Kids games!

Kids Programs A-Z

Your favorite stars are on WETA Kids!

Ready To Learn

Ready. Set. Learn.

National Education Projects

Discover WETA's Learning Media.
Holley Watts

A Touch of Home in Vietnam

Holley Watts reflects on her experience as a "Donut Dolly" — women who volunteered for a Red Cross program to provide a "touch of home" to American soldiers stationed in Vietnam.

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Community Calendar

Browse events and submit your own.

Boundary Stones

Our local history blog.

WETA Events

Screenings, appearances and more.

Giveaways

Free tickets to area performances.

Local TV Productions

Programs about our local community.

WETA Digital Extras

Online-only local stories and profiles.

WETA in the Community

We are out and about.
Ready to Learn - Clifford

WETA's Mission

WETA's mission is to produce and broadcast programs of intellectual integrity and cultural merit that recognize viewers' and listeners' intelligence, curiosity and interest in the world around them.

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Our Mission

Why we do what we do.

Our Community

We're proud to call the DC area home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find what you need to know.

Map and Directions

Where we are and how to find us.

Careers

Join the WETA team.

Pressroom

Information about WETA productions for journalists.

Publications

View the latest issue of our magazine.

WETA History

Serving the Washington area for over 50 years.

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