WNET, branded on air as Thirteen, is the primary PBS member television station serving the New York City area.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
WNET is a noncommercial educational television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey, and serving the New York metropolitan area. It is branded primarily as Thirteen, or THIRTEEN in its stylized form, and operates as the flagship television service of The WNET Group. The station is a major producer and distributor of public-television programming and is affiliated with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The station began broadcasting on May 15, 1948, as WATV, a commercial independent station owned by Atlantic Television, a subsidiary of Bremer Broadcasting. Its early programming included the experimental news presentation Daywatch and Stairway to Stardom, an early television series with an African-American host. After National Telefilm Associates acquired the station in 1957, it became WNTA-TV and was used both as a New York showcase for syndicated programming and as a platform for National Telefilm Associates' ambitions to build a commercial television network. Programs associated with this period included Play of the Week, Open End, The Magic Clown, and a dance program hosted by Clay Cole. WNTA-TV struggled commercially and was offered for sale in 1961. A civic and educational consortium called Educational Television for the Metropolitan Area sought to acquire the station and convert it to noncommercial educational use. The group argued that New York's existing UHF educational allocation could not adequately serve the metropolitan region, particularly before television manufacturers were required to include UHF tuners. After negotiations involving the Federal Communications Commission, National Educational Television, New Jersey officials, commercial broadcasters, and philanthropic supporters, the purchase was approved. The station returned to the air on September 16, 1962, as WNDT, meaning New Dimensions in Television, becoming New York's first educational television station and one of the few educational broadcasters in the country operating on a valuable VHF channel. The transition was difficult. A labor dispute involving the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists interrupted the station's launch, while technical workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers declined to cross the picket line. The dispute ended after roughly ten days, but the interruption depleted the new station's financial resources and led to assistance from the Ford Foundation. WNDT subsequently became closely involved with National Educational Television, the predecessor network to PBS. In 1970, pressure from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Ford Foundation helped bring about a merger between WNDT's operating organization and NET. The call sign changed to WNET on October 1, 1970, and PBS assumed the national distribution role shortly afterward. WNET became both a local public-service broadcaster and a national production center. Its activities included public affairs, documentary, cultural, educational, and arts programming. In 1972, David Loxton established TV Lab with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts. The initiative supplied artists with video-production resources through an artist-in-residence model and generated projects such as the Independent Documentary Fund and Video Tape Review. TV Lab continued until 1984, when the Corporation for Public Broadcasting withdrew funding. The station adopted the Thirteen identity on air in 1979, while continuing to retain Newark in its legal identification for many years. WNET moved its operations from Newark to Manhattan in stages, later occupying facilities on West 33rd Street before moving to One Worldwide Plaza in 2011. Its transmission facilities at the World Trade Center were destroyed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and transmitter engineer Gerard Rod Coppola died in the collapse. WNET temporarily used WNYE-TV as a surrogate over-the-air outlet while rebuilding its transmission capability. WNET completed an operational merger with Long Island PBS station WLIW in 2003. The stations share substantial infrastructure and management through The WNET Group while retaining separate licenses, governing boards, and fundraising activities. WNET has also operated alongside WLIW-FM, WMBQ-CD, and WNDT-CD within the group's broader public-media portfolio. The station converted to digital-only broadcasting in 2009. Its core role remains the delivery of PBS programming and locally produced or nationally distributed public-media content to viewers in the New York region.
History
WNET's history spans commercial broadcasting, educational television, public-media production, and digital distribution. It began as WATV on May 15, 1948, when Atlantic Television launched channel 13 from northern New Jersey. The station was initially an independent commercial broadcaster and experimented with distinctive local formats, including a mechanical news presentation and the early Black-hosted series Stairway to Stardom. Its transmitter moved to the Empire State Building in 1953, improving its position in the New York market. National Telefilm Associates purchased the station in 1957 and changed its call sign to WNTA-TV the following year. The new owner attempted to use channel 13 as the New York outlet for a broader commercial television network, while also producing or presenting syndicated programs such as Play of the Week, Open End, The Magic Clown, and Clay Cole's dance program. The station remained commercially weak, however, and National Telefilm Associates placed it on the market in 1961. Educational Television for the Metropolitan Area, a consortium of civic leaders, educators, and businesspeople, proposed converting WNTA-TV into a noncommercial station. The group argued that New York's UHF educational allocation could not serve the entire metropolitan area effectively, especially before the widespread inclusion of UHF tuners in television sets. After a contested purchase process, ETMA reached an agreement to buy the station for $6.2 million. The FCC approved the transfer and converted the license to noncommercial status, although New Jersey officials litigated over the station's relationship with the state and the possibility that channel 13 would be identified primarily with New York. The acquisition was finalized in December 1961. After a ten-month conversion period, the station returned on September 16, 1962, as WNDT. Its opening broadcast featured Edward R. Murrow. A labor dispute involving AFTRA and technical employees disrupted the launch and drained the station's limited finances, prompting Ford Foundation assistance. WNDT developed close ties with National Educational Television, but a full merger was initially resisted by the Ford Foundation. The public-broadcasting landscape changed after Congress created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1967 and PBS was established in 1969. Funding and distribution pressures eventually led the Ford Foundation to broker a merger between WNDT's operating organization and NET. The merger took effect on June 29, 1970, the call sign became WNET on October 1, and PBS assumed the national distribution function in October. WNET continued producing programs for national public television while developing its own local and regional identity. In 1972, David Loxton established TV Lab with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts. The program supplied artists with equipment and residencies for experimental video production. Its associated work included the Independent Documentary Fund and Video Tape Review. TV Lab ended in 1984 after the Corporation for Public Broadcasting withdrew financial support. The station adopted the Thirteen on-air identity in 1979. Although legally licensed to Newark, it increasingly presented itself as a New York public-media institution. WNET moved from its original Newark facilities to Manhattan locations, including the Hudson Hotel and a building on West 33rd Street. During the September 11, 2001 attacks, its World Trade Center transmission facilities were destroyed and transmitter engineer Gerard Rod Coppola was killed. WNYE-TV provided temporary over-the-air carriage while WNET rebuilt its transmission capability. WNET completed an operational merger with WLIW in 2003. The combined organization later became known as The WNET Group and also operated other public-media stations and services. Financial pressure in 2009 led to workforce reductions, plans to sell surplus studio space, and temporary furloughs. WNET became digital-only in June 2009 and moved its studios and offices to One Worldwide Plaza in 2011. Its continuing function is to serve the New York area as a PBS member station while producing, presenting, and distributing public-affairs, documentary, cultural, educational, and arts programming.
- 2011
Move to Worldwide Plaza
[1]WNET relocates its studios and offices to One Worldwide Plaza in Manhattan.
- 2009
Digital-only broadcasting begins
[1]WNET ends analog transmission and operates solely through digital broadcasting.
- 2003
Operations combined with WLIW
[1]WNET completes an operational merger with Long Island PBS station WLIW.
- 2001
Transmission facilities lost in September 11 attacks
[1]WNET's World Trade Center transmission facilities are destroyed, requiring temporary service through WNYE-TV.
- 1979
Thirteen becomes the primary on-air identity
[1]The station begins using Thirteen as its principal public-facing brand.
- 1972
TV Lab founded
[1]WNET creates an artist-oriented video laboratory with philanthropic and state arts support.
- 1970
WNET identity established
[1]The WNDT and NET operating organizations merge, and channel 13 adopts the WNET call sign.
- 1962
WNDT launches
[1]Channel 13 returns as WNDT, New York's first educational television station.
- 1961
Educational conversion approved
[1]Educational Television for the Metropolitan Area agrees to acquire channel 13 and convert it to noncommercial operation.
- 1958
Call sign changes to WNTA-TV
[1]The station adopts the WNTA-TV identity under National Telefilm Associates ownership.
Products and positioning
A flagship metropolitan public-television service combining PBS distribution, local civic programming, educational media, cultural coverage, and nationally distributed production.
PBS member television station · 1979
Thirteen
WNET's principal local broadcast service, branded as Thirteen, provides PBS programming and locally relevant public-media content to viewers in the New York metropolitan area. Although the station is licensed to Newark, its public identity and much of its programming orientation are associated with New York. The service combines national PBS distribution with public affairs, documentary, cultural, arts, and educational content.
Experimental video and artist residency program · 1972
TV Lab
TV Lab was an initiative established by David Loxton to give artists access to video-production equipment and residency support. It helped WNET function as a laboratory for experimental television and video art rather than only as a conventional broadcaster. Projects associated with the initiative included the Independent Documentary Fund and Video Tape Review. The program ended after public-broadcasting funding was withdrawn.
Talk and public-affairs program
Open End
Open End was a discussion program hosted by David Susskind during the station's commercial WNTA-TV period. It was among the more prominent locally produced or presented programs associated with channel 13 before the station's conversion to educational broadcasting.
Anthology drama
Play of the Week
Play of the Week was an anthology drama associated with WNTA-TV and National Telefilm Associates. It represented the station's early effort to serve as a showcase for ambitious syndicated television programming during its commercial era.
Brand decisions
2009
Complete the transition to digital broadcastingGeneration changeBackground
United States television broadcasters were required to move from analog to digital transmission.
Action taken
WNET ended analog broadcasting and continued as a digital-only television service.
Aftermath
The station's over-the-air service became part of the digital public-television environment.
2003
Combine operations with WLIWM&ABackground
WNET and Long Island PBS broadcaster WLIW sought operational efficiencies and a broader regional public-media structure.
Action taken
The two stations combined operations while retaining separate licenses, governing boards, and fundraising efforts.
Aftermath
The arrangement became part of the broader WNET Group structure and linked the New York City and Long Island public-television services more closely.
1970
Merge WNDT's operating organization with National Educational TelevisionM&ABackground
The creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS altered public television's funding and distribution structure, placing pressure on NET and WNDT to combine their operations.
Action taken
The Ford Foundation brokered a merger between the WNDT operating organization and NET. The station adopted the WNET call sign, while PBS took over the national distribution role.
Aftermath
WNET became both a local PBS member station and an important producer of nationally distributed public-television programs.
1961
Convert channel 13 from commercial to educational broadcastingStrategyBackground
WNTA-TV faced commercial difficulties, while civic and educational organizations argued that New York needed a powerful VHF educational station because the market's UHF educational allocation had limited reach.
Action taken
Educational Television for the Metropolitan Area acquired the station, obtained regulatory approval for a noncommercial license, and prepared it for relaunch as WNDT.
Aftermath
The conversion created New York's first educational television station and established the institutional foundation from which WNET later developed.
Recent events
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