WSBE-TV

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WSBE-TV

Providence, Rhode Island
Branding	Rhode Island PBS
Channels	Analog: 36 (UHF) Digital: 21 (UHF)
Affiliations	PBS
Owner	Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority
First air date	June 8, 1967
Call letters’ meaning	State Board of Education
Former affiliations	NET (1967-1970)
Transmitter Power	1230 kW (analog) 50 kW (digital)
Height	182 m (analog) 268 m (digital)
Facility ID	56092
Transmitter Coordinates	41°48′17″N, 71°28′22″W (analog) 41°51′55.4″N, 71°17′12.7″W (digital)
Website	www.ripbs.org

WSBE-TV is Rhode Island's public television station. It is owned by the state-run Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority. The station signed on June 8, 1967 on the campus of Rhode Island College. It first moved to the former WPRO-TV (now WPRI) studios at 24 Mason Street in Providence. In January 1991, it moved to new studios on 50 Park Lane in Providence, near the city limits of Providence and Cranston. Their analog transmitter is located on Neutaconcanut Hill in Johnston. From 1973 to 2000, WSBE-TV's programming was relayed in Westerly on translator W62AB. This station was turned off in 2000.

In 2003, WSBE rebranded itself as Rhode Island PBS.

The WSBE call letters were previously used on a television station that operated on channel 1 in South Bend, Indiana in the 1940s, the two stations are otherwise not related.

[edit] Digital television

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel	Programming
36.1	main WSBE programming / PBS HD

In 2009, WSBE will be leaving analog channel 36 and will move to digital channel 21. ([1])

[edit] Programming

As a public television station, WSBE airs PBS programming, though usually later than other public television stations, such as Boston's WGBH.

WSBE has an agreement with the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island to air telecourses on weekdays. These telecourses are mainly from the Annenberg/CPB Project, though they also air telecourses for people looking to obtain their GED.

During prime time on Tuesdays, WSBE airs "Britcoms" from the BBC, and for a while from ITV. Comedies that WSBE has aired include Yes Minister, Fawlty Towers, Last of the Summer Wine and others. On Friday, other than weekend shows Washington Week and Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria, WSBE airs dramas and mysteries, both from Masterpiece Theatre and MYSTERY!, as well as other dramas/mysteries such as Joan Hickson's interpretation of Miss Marple. WSBE also produces the cooking show Ciao Italia for national distribution.

In addition, WSBE also produces several programs for local audiences, which sometimes also repeats on WLWC:

A Lively Experiment, WSBE's flagship show which deals with Rhode Island and national politics from a Rhode Islander's perspective. Until September 15, 2005, the host was Steve Kass. Because Steve Kass is currently part of Governor Donald Carcieri's administration, a search has begun for Steve Kass' replacement. Lately, hosting duties have been rotated among members of the panel, including former Rhode Island Secretary of State and current WSBE President Susan L. Farmer.[2]
The Thirteenth State, a current affairs show hosted by Paul Zangari
BestSellers, a program about books hosted by Ray Rickman
Justice Matters, a monthly show on Rhode Island law co-hosted by the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and former TV news anchor (and member of the panel of A Lively Experiment) Dave Layman