History of ThinkTV
Educational Television began in the Miami Valley in 1959 when WMUB, Channel 14 signed-on the air from the campus of Miami University. Thirteen years later, in 1971, WOET Channel 16 began broadcasting from Dayton as a second noncommercial public television station.
Channel 16 and 14 joined forces in 1975, under the leadership of University Regional Broadcasting—a consortium of Wright State, Central State and Miami Universities. And, in 1976, operations for both stations were transferred from Oxford to Dayton, Ohio. The following year, the stations became the community-owned, nonprofit Greater Dayton Public Television and were officially re-christened as WPTD/Channel 16 (Watch Public Television Dayton) and WPTO/Channel 14 (Watch Public Television Oxford). In September 1988 Greater Dayton Public Television moved to its state-of-the-art facility in downtown Dayton.
In August of 1998, Greater Dayton Public Television became the
ThinkTV Network in an effort to better define its purpose and function as an educational network providing much more than television programs to the Miami Valley.
On May 1, 2003, ThinkTV marked the beginning of its conversion to digital technology with the introduction of four new digital program services and a digital simulcast channel for ThinkTV16. One year later in May of 2004, ThinkTV entered phase two of its digital conversion with the installation of new digital Master Control equipment and the introduction of new digital channels for ThinkTV14/WPTO. ThinkTV switched to an all digital service on May 1, 2009.
In October of 2008 the Boards of Trustees of ThinkTV and CET (public media in Cincinnati) announced plans to merge the two public television organizations to form a new regional public media corporation. On May 8, 2009 ThinkTV and CET announced the formation of Public Media Connect, Inc. a public broadcasting and media corporation created to serve the greater Dayton and greater Cincinnati areas. ThinkTV and CET both retained their identities and continued to provide their respective public television, online and educational services to viewers and members in both markets. David M. Fogarty was named President of Public Media Connect, Inc.
ThinkTV is the most widely used nonprofit, educational and cultural service in southwestern Ohio. Each week more than 750,000 viewers watch ThinkTV. More than 1,000 schools serving more than 400,000 students, K-12, receive our daily educational programming and services. ThinkTV is funded by a public-private partnership including government support and community-based support from individuals, foundations and corporations. More than 22,000 individuals voluntarily support our public television stations by becoming ThinkTV members each year. Their support is critical to our annual operating budget.
