WKNO

WKNO is a nonprofit public television station identified by virtual channel 10 and based in Cordova, Tennessee. It is a PBS member station serving Memphis and surrounding communities, and operates under the Mid-South Public Communications Foundation alongside NPR member station WKNO-FM 91.1. The organization is governed by a volunteer board of trustees rather than by a commercial broadcaster or a university, although the television station maintained a long institutional relationship with Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis. The station was created in response to the Federal Communications Commission's allocation of channel 10 for educational use in Memphis after the FCC lifted its freeze on new television assignments in 1952. Early plans involving the University of Tennessee and local government did not produce a public station, so civic leaders established the Memphis Community Television Foundation in 1953. The foundation raised money and equipment from local broadcasters, educational institutions, public bodies, and private supporters. A Ford Foundation challenge grant helped motivate the local fundraising effort, while the Tennessee legislature later provided additional support. The station received its construction permit in November 1955 and began regular broadcasting on June 25, 1956, becoming Tennessee's first educational television station. WKNO initially relied heavily on filmed educational programming and National Educational Television content. During its first years, operating support came from Memphis commercial television stations and later from the Tennessee Board of Education, Memphis City Schools, and Shelby County Schools. In 1961, the station moved to facilities on the Memphis State University campus. The relationship gave WKNO access to academic expertise, facilities, and talent, but the university did not own the station. By the mid-1960s, WKNO had expanded from a small instructional operation into a producer of educational, cultural, and public-affairs programs. The station expanded its technical capacity in the early 1970s through a federally supported tower, a power increase, and the transition to local color broadcasting. Its companion public radio service, WKNO-FM, began broadcasting in 1972 and shared transmission infrastructure with the television service. WKNO later moved into a newer campus facility in 1979, and the governing foundation adopted the name Mid-South Public Communications Foundation in 1989 to reflect a broader regional mission. From the 1990s onward, WKNO placed greater emphasis on locally produced programs, children’s content, public affairs, documentaries, and distribution projects for PBS and other public television outlets. Programs associated with the station included the children’s series Hello Mr. Chuck, the public-affairs program Informed Sources, the gardening series Family Plot: Gardening in the Mid-South, Behind the Headlines, and The SPARK. WKNO also helped distribute programs such as Classic Gospel and Sun Studio Sessions. Television digitalization began with the launch of a digital signal in 2004. WKNO ended regular analog broadcasting on May 1, 2009, ahead of the nationwide deadline, to avoid the cost of operating analog and digital transmitters simultaneously. That same year, the television and radio services moved from the university campus to a purpose-built, all-digital facility on Cherry Farms Road in Cordova. The television transmitter is located on Raleigh LaGrange Road in Cordova. Today, WKNO combines national PBS programming with locally relevant news, interviews, cultural coverage, educational material, and community programming, supported by members, public grants, underwriting, and other nonprofit revenue.

WKNO’s origins date to the early 1950s, when the FCC assigned television channel 10 to Memphis for educational use after lifting its freeze on new television allocations. Initial proposals contemplated a state or university-led educational network, but local government declined to finance a Memphis station. Civic and educational leaders therefore chartered the Memphis Community Television Foundation in May 1953 to build and operate a nonprofit station. The foundation assembled financial contributions, equipment, and institutional support from Memphis broadcasters, colleges, universities, schools, public agencies, and private donors. A Ford Foundation offer of $100,000, contingent on locally matching funds, helped drive a highly publicized campaign in 1954. Fundraising included community events and support from historically Black colleges. Although the campaign did not immediately reach its full target, the foundation secured enough commitments to proceed. The Tennessee legislature later appropriated $50,000, and Memphis was selected as a pilot city for educational television in the state. The FCC issued a construction permit on November 23, 1955. The call letters WKNO were selected from suggestions submitted in a name contest. After test transmissions began in May 1956, WKNO-TV commenced regular programming on June 25. The unfinished studios initially limited the station largely to filmed National Educational Television material. For its first two years, Memphis commercial stations provided substantial operating support, after which public education authorities and local school systems became important sources of funding. In 1961, WKNO moved to a former Air Force ROTC facility on the Memphis State University campus. The university never owned the station, but the campus location enabled collaboration with faculty and use of university resources. WKNO’s educational role expanded significantly: it moved from one instructional series in 1959 to approximately fifteen by 1966, including live weekly productions. It also produced public-affairs and cultural programs such as Memphis Mosaic, College News, and Topic: Memphis City Schools. Beginning in 1968, some WKNO educational programming was rebroadcast by WLJT in Lexington, extending the service’s reach beyond the Memphis market. The 1970s brought major technical and organizational growth. A federal grant supported a taller transmission tower, higher effective power, full-color capability, and more robust local production. The upgraded facility was activated in June 1971. WKNO-FM, the organization’s NPR member radio service, was authorized in 1971 and began broadcasting in March 1972. Television broadcasting also expanded to regular Saturdays later that year. WKNO moved into a renovated former veterans hospital facility on the university’s south campus in 1979; the building was later dedicated in memory of a former foundation chairman. The foundation changed its name to the Mid-South Public Communications Foundation in 1989. This reflected the organization’s regional scope and its operation of both television and radio services. Mike LaBonia became president and CEO in 1990 and pursued increased local production. During the 1990s, WKNO developed children’s programming around volunteer and community educator Charles Scruggs, whose on-air persona became the basis for Hello Mr. Chuck. The station also produced and distributed public-affairs, documentary, and lifestyle programming, including work associated with Burt Wolf and a documentary about the Memphis Belle. WKNO began digital television broadcasting on August 3, 2004. On May 1, 2009, it ended regular analog transmission before the federal full-service deadline, citing the expense of simultaneously operating analog and digital facilities. The station continued digital service on UHF channel 29 while retaining virtual channel 10. In 2009, WKNO-TV and WKNO-FM moved to a purpose-built, all-digital facility in Cordova, the first facility specifically designed for the organization’s broadcasting operations. The current studio complex is on Cherry Farms Road, while the television transmitter is on Raleigh LaGrange Road. In the 2010s and thereafter, WKNO remained a regional public-media producer and distributor. Its locally focused output included Family Plot: Gardening in the Mid-South, Behind the Headlines, and The SPARK, while its distribution activities included programs such as Classic Gospel and Sun Studio Sessions. The station’s operating model continues to combine PBS and other public media content with local production, membership support, Corporation for Public Broadcasting assistance, underwriting, and community partnerships.

• 2009

  Analog service ends and Cordova facility opens

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  WKNO ends regular analog transmission and moves its television and radio operations into a purpose-built digital facility.

• 2004

  Digital television service begins

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  WKNO starts digital broadcasting on August 3.

• 1989

  Foundation adopts Mid-South Public Communications Foundation name

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  The governing nonprofit changes its name to reflect its broader regional public-media mission.

• 1972

  WKNO-FM launches

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  The organization’s NPR member radio service begins broadcasting on 91.1 FM.

• 1971

  Transmitter upgrade and color expansion

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  A federally supported project adds a taller tower, higher power, and expanded color-broadcasting capability.

• 1961

  Station moves to Memphis State University campus

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  WKNO relocates to campus facilities, beginning a long period of operational collaboration with the university.

• 1956

  WKNO-TV begins regular broadcasting

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  The station begins service on June 25 as Tennessee’s first educational television station.

• 1955

  FCC grants WKNO construction permit

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  The FCC formally authorizes construction of the Memphis educational station on November 23.

• 1953

  Memphis Community Television Foundation is chartered

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  A nonprofit foundation is established to develop and operate the proposed educational television station.

• 1952

  Channel 10 is allocated for educational television

  [1]WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org

  The FCC assigns channel 10 to Memphis for educational use after lifting its freeze on new television assignments.

A community-governed, nonprofit PBS member station focused on educational, cultural, public-affairs, and locally relevant programming for Memphis and the Mid-South.

• Public television broadcasting · 1956

  PBS television service

  WKNO’s core offering is a PBS member television service on virtual channel 10. It carries national PBS programming while also providing locally produced educational, cultural, public-affairs, and community content for Memphis and the Mid-South. The service is distributed digitally from the station’s Cordova operation.

• Lifestyle and educational television

  Family Plot: Gardening in the Mid-South

  A gardening program focused on the climate, plants, and growing conditions of the Mid-South. The program was produced by WKNO and distributed nationally through Create and to other public television stations.

• Public affairs

  Behind the Headlines

  A weekly interview and public-affairs program addressing issues and developments relevant to the Memphis area. It represents WKNO’s continuing role as a forum for regional discussion rather than only a carrier of national PBS programming.

• Community programming

  The SPARK

  A monthly local program showcasing community leaders and regional initiatives. The series supports WKNO’s emphasis on civic engagement and locally generated stories.

• Children’s programming · 1995

  Hello Mr. Chuck

  A children’s program developed from WKNO’s 1990s preschool programming block featuring Charles “Chuck” Scruggs. It grew from short interstitial segments into a weekly program and became one of the station’s notable local educational productions.

• Public radio broadcasting · 1972

  WKNO-FM

  WKNO-FM 91.1 is the organization’s NPR member radio service. Although distinct from the television license, it shares the WKNO identity, governance, facilities, and public-media mission.

• 1954Educational television community fundraising campaign

  Memphis · Tennessee

  The Memphis Community Television Foundation conducted a highly publicized campaign to raise matching funds for the proposed educational station. Events included public performances and a football game involving Tennessee State University and Lincoln University, while local broadcasters, colleges, and public institutions contributed money or equipment.

  Outcome. The campaign generated enough support for the foundation to proceed toward construction, supplemented by a Ford Foundation commitment and a later state legislative appropriation.

  Source

• 2009

  Move to an all-digital Cordova broadcast facilityStrategy

  Background

  WKNO’s university-campus facilities had served the station for decades, but the organization required a modern operation designed for contemporary television and radio production.

  Action taken

  WKNO-TV and WKNO-FM relocated to a custom-designed, all-digital facility on Cherry Farms Road in Cordova.

  Aftermath

  The move consolidated the television and radio services in a purpose-built broadcast center and established the organization’s current headquarters.

  Source

• 2009

  Early transition from analog to digital televisionGeneration change

  Background

  WKNO had operated digital service since 2004 and faced the cost of running analog and digital transmitters simultaneously.

  Action taken

  The station ended regular analog broadcasting on May 1, 2009, before the national full-service deadline, while continuing digital transmission on UHF channel 29 with virtual channel 10.

  Aftermath

  The transition reduced the station’s transmission-related operating costs and completed its move toward digital broadcasting.

  Source

1. 1WKNO (TV)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2WKNO official websitewkno.org