Viewers FAQ
Who is American Public Television? Are you PBS?
The public television community consists of individually owned and
operated stations across the country and often a market will have
one or maybe more public television stations. Local and regional
interests and other factors play a key role in program purchasing
and scheduling strategies for individual stations. Each station
puts together a schedule that will appeal to the standards of its
community. In order to do this, stations seek programming from a
number of sources.
For more than 49 years, American Public Television (APT) has been a prime
source of programming for the nation’s public television stations.
APT identifies innovative programs and creative distribution techniques
for producers. In four decades, we have established a tradition
of providing public television stations with alternatives to the
PBS common carriage that enable them to strengthen and customize
their schedules.
How are we different than PBS? PBS is a membership organization
and program service based in Alexandria, Virginia. PBS publishes
a recommended primetime schedule each month, and most stations adhere
to it. However, stations still need to air additional programming
during the weekends, in early and late fringe, during fundraising
drives and often in primetime. For this additional programming,
most public television stations look to American Public Television.
APT is not a membership organization. Instead, our business is based
on successful program sales.
Is there one place that I can
call to purchase the video of a program I've just seen on public
television?
One stop shopping would be great, but public television programs
come from a variety of sources. If you've seen a program, check
out APTonline.org or call Videofinders at 1-800-343-4727. Videofinders
has one of the most extensive databases available, and if a video
is in print, they will be able to direct you to the right place.
Why can’t my public television
station air my favorite old shows again? Why can't I find a video
for a program that aired many years ago?
Generally, APT is only given rights to distribute a program to stations
for about 3 years. At that time, the rights revert to the producers,
who may try to sell it to a commercial channel or distribute it
via some other means. Unfortunately, stations are unable to broadcast
even the most popular of the older programs without the rights.
This also is true of videos. Video distribution is at the discretion
of the producer/copyright holder. Also, if your "favorite old
show" goes back to the 1970s and '80s, most producers back
then weren't thinking about video distribution.
What is digital television?
The picture that viewers currently receive is based on an analog
transmission system that is more than 50 years old. In December
1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the U.S.
standards for a new era of television called digital television.
In a digital system, images and sounds are captured using the same
digital code found in computers. The digital revolution will not
only improve the quality of the television picture, but also make
possible the over-the-air delivery of several simultaneous services
to viewers. This is due primarily to the main benefits of the digital
system: high definition television, multicasting in standard definition
and data transmission.
What is high definition television
(HDTV)?
Digital television will allow stations to broadcast programs in
much higher resolution or clarity than standard analog television.
This is called high definition television, or HDTV.
Viewers at home will be able to receive high-quality, crystal-clear
pictures. These visually stunning pictures, with more than twice
the resolution and clarity of standard television, will be displayed
in a wide screen format. And because HDTV is digital, audiences
will have the benefit of six-channel CD-quality "surround sound."
What is multicasting?
When not transmitting in HDTV, broadcasters will be able to transmit
as many as four more channels of standard definition television
simultaneously. This is called multicasting. Although multicasting
will not match HDTV quality, it will offer a higher quality picture
than is available today.
What is enhanced digital television?
Digital broadcasting will offer an entirely new form of programming:
enhanced digital television, which is the combination of video,
audio, images and text on your television.
For the first time, producers will be able to combine the story-telling
power of video and film with the enormous data capacity of a digital
television signal. Viewers will be able to simultaneously watch
an enhanced television production, and, in the background, receive
hundreds of megabytes of additional video, audio, text and images
related to the program.
Will viewers be able to watch
digital television on their existing sets?
Only if they purchase a digital converter box. DTV information is
encoded in a different way from the analog television signal and
therefore will require a different kind of receiver. Manufacturers
are developing converter boxes that will allow viewers to receive
programs broadcast on DTV channels on their analog television sets.
However, to experience the full benefits of digital television,
including HDTV, viewers will need new digital television sets.
Why are some programs closed-captioned,
and others not?
APT requires producers to close-caption all the programs and series
we distribute. Industry-wide, however, closed captioning is still
a voluntary activity, and is an optional activity for program producers.
Programs that have received funding from or CPB (Corporation for
Public Broadcasting) must be closed-captioned.
How do I locate/email another
public television station?
You can use APT’s Stations Near You service to find call letters
and contact info for any other public television station in the
country
How are public television programs
funded?
Public broadcasting stations are supported in many ways. Support
comes from a variety of sources, including (information courtesy
of CPB):
State and Local Governments
Membership Contributions
Colleges & Universities
Corporate Underwriting
Foundations
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
How can I contact the hosts
or guests of a show, get more information about a program or make
a comment to the producers?
Please check APTonline.org’s catalog pages
for both merchandise and viewer contact information. If you can't
find what you're looking for, call APT Viewer Services at 617-338-4455,
ext. 202 or e-mail us at Viewer Services [info@aptonline.org]
and we'll make sure to pass on your comments and/or questions
to the producer. Excerpts reprinted with permission from Connecticut
Public Television, WQED/Pittsburgh, KQED/San Francisco, the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting, etc.
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