Maryland Public Television (MPT)

Administrative History/Information:

• Operating arm of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission (MPBC)
• The Maryland Educational and Cultural Broadcasting Commission
  • Began under State Charter (Sections 24-201/206, Annotated Code of Maryland), enacted in 1966 at the urging of a small group of Baltimore civic leaders known as The Friends of Educational Television
  • Structured as an umbrella organization with two major componets
    • Instructional Television (ITV) - responsibility of the State Board of Education during school hours
    • Culturally oriented entertainment programming - responsibility of MPT during the remainder of the broadcast day
  • First Chairman: Herbert Chan
  • First Executive Director: Dr. Frederick Breitenfeld, Jr.
  • Later became Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission
• MPT went on the air in 1969 with six television outlets across the state, all simultaneously fed from Owings Mills via point-to-point microwave links.
  • 22/WMPT Annapolis: "flagship" outlet
  • 67/WMPB Baltimore
  • 28/WCPB Salisbury
  • 31/WWPB Hagerstown
  • 36/WGPT Oakland
  • 62/WFPT Frederick

• MPT produced programs include:
  • Baking with Julia
  • Healthweek
  • In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great
  • Kratt's Creatures
  • Maryland State of Mind
  • Motorweek

Related Collection(s):

• LaVerne W. Miller Papers

Reference Shelf Materials:

By Request

Dorfman, Dan. "The Bottom Line: Wall Street on Television." New York, December 22, 1973. Folder: 122

Maryland Public Television. MPT Magazine. 1994. Serials

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