Arkansas Educational Television Network
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| Arkansas Educational Television Network | |
|---|---|
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| statewide Arkansas | |
| Branding | AETN |
| Channels | Analog: see table below |
| Affiliations | PBS |
| Owner | Arkansas Educational Television Commission |
| First air date | December 4, 1966 |
| Former affiliations | NET (1966-1970) |
| Transmitter Power | see table below |
| Height | see table below |
| Facility ID | see table below |
| Transmitter Coordinates | see table below |
| Website | www.aetn.org |
Arkansas Educational Television Network (or AETN) is a simulcast network of educational, public television stations, affiliated with the PBS covering the state of Arkansas. The network is operated by the Arkansas Educational Television Commission, an agency of the Arkansas state government that holds the licenses for all the PBS member stations in the state. It broadcasts from the R. Lee Reaves Center for Educational Telecommunications at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway via AETN's microwave interconnection relay system to six digital broadcasting transmitters across the state.
The network's six transmitters cover most of Arkansas, as well as parts of Missouri, Louisiana and Mississippi.
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[edit] History
AETN was originally created as the Arkansas Educational Television Commission in 1961, following a two-year legislative study to assess the state’s need for educational television. KETS, the flagship station, signed on in 1966 as the nation's 124th educational television station. In the early years, KETS was associated with National Educational Television, the forerunner of the current PBS. The early days saw black-and-white broadcasting only, with color capabilities being achieve in 1972. Limited hours of operation focused primarily on instructional programming for use in Arkansas classrooms.
During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, AETN became an educational resource for public school and college educators through the use of Instructional Videos with teacher guides and supplements for K-12 Classrooms (used over the Internet in 90%+ of all Arkansas classrooms), College Tele-Courses, and GED-ON-TV.
[edit] Mission Statement
The mission of AETN is to offer lifelong learning opportunities to all Arkansans; to supply instructional programs to Arkansas' schools; to provide programming and services to improve and enhance the lives of Arkansas' citizens; and to illuminate the culture and heritage of Arkansas and the world. To accomplish this mission, AETN, through the creative use of telecommunications, will present a high-quality public television service designed to inform, educate, motivate, entertain, enlighten and inspire.
[edit] Stations
| Station | City of license | Channels (Digital) |
VC1 | First air date | ERP | HAAT | Facility ID | Transmitter Coordinates |
| KETS | Little Rock | 7 (VHF) | 2 | December 4, 1966 | 26.73 kW | 547m | 2770 | 34°28′23.6″N 92°12′11.1″W / 34.473222°N 92.203083°W |
| KEMV | Mountain View | 13 (VHF) | 6 | November 13, 19802 | 4.05 kW | 407.2 m | 2777 | 35°48′47.1″N 92°17′24.2″W / 35.813083°N 92.290056°W |
| KETG | Arkadelphia | 13 (VHF) | 9 | October 2, 1976 | 7.3 kW | 319.5 m | 2768 | 33°54′26.6″N 93°6′46.5″W / 33.907389°N 93.112917°W |
| KAFT | Fayetteville | 9 (VHF) | 13 | September 18, 1976 | 19 kW | 501.1 m | 2767 | 35°48′53″N 94°1′41.5″W / 35.81472°N 94.028194°W |
| KTEJ | Jonesboro | 20 (UHF) | 19 | May 1, 1976 | 50 kW | 310.2 m | 2769 | 35°54′11.8″N 90°46′14″W / 35.903278°N 90.77056°W |
| KETZ | El Dorado | 10 (VHF) | ? | May 20, 2006 | 16.2 kW | 538 m | 92872 | 33°4′41.7″N 92°13′31″W / 33.07825°N 92.22528°W |
Notes:
- 1. Virtual channel (PSIP).
- 2. The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says KEMV signed on November 11, while the Television and Cable Factbook says it signed on November 16.
[edit] Developments on digital transition
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On January 25, 2009, AETN permanently closed down KETS's analog signal and temporarily closed down its digital signal for antenna and transmitter improvements, in advance of the February 2009 analog shutdown. Cable and satellite viewers, as well as viewers of AETN's other transmitters, are not expected to be affected. KETZ's digital signal was closed on February 5, also for preparations for its final digital location on channel 10. Both KETS and KETZ were originally planned for a January 2 closure, but were delayed.
By March 2009, KETS was ready to resume digital broadcasts as soon as KATV in Little Rock shuts down its analog signal. KETS has been assigned digital channel 7—the same location as KATV's analog signal. KATV is tentatively scheduled to shut down its analog signal on June 12. In the meantime, cable companies and satellite providers in central Arkansas have either aired the national PBS feed or piped in other AETN stations.
In late January 2009, KEMV, KTEJ and KAFT's analog and digital signals were knocked off the air due to an ice storm that also affected Arkansas. The outage also affected Dish Network viewers in the Little Rock television market, as Dish Network has piped in KAFT to Little Rock viewers while KETS is off the air. KAFT returned to air Sunday February 1 at 2:50PM; the digital signals of KEMV and KTEJ returned to air by February 18.
At midnight on February 17, 2009, AETN closed KTEJ's analog signal. KETS's analog signal closed in mid-January. KTEJ digital broadcast continued with no change at this time. Some viewers who were on the fringes of the KTEJ analog coverage area may not be able to receive the KTEJ digital signal at the current allowed power.
On February 18, KEMV analog 6 was reduced to half-power broadcast due to equipment failure as a result of the winter ice storms. Because of the significant costs and limited time left until the analog shutdown on June 12, KEMV analog 6 will remain broadcasting at half-power until all analog broadcast is terminated in June. Most viewers in north central Arkansas will not be affected. Those that are may try receiving the KEMV digital signal using a converter box with their analog TV or with a new digital TV with tuner. This reduction of power should not affect most cable and satellite providers.
The analog signals of KEMV, KAFT and KETG closed down at 9:00 AM on June 12, 2009, making AETN an all-digital network. [1]
[edit] KATV Tower (former KETS analog tower)
[edit] Digital Channels
In addition to its main network, AETN offers two additional subchannels, one featuring educational programming for schools and colleges; and another for children's programming.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- AETN's website
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KETS
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KEMV
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KETG
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KAFT
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KTEJ
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KETZ
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KETS-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KEMV-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KETG-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KAFT-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KTEJ-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KETZ-TV
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