MISSION
Chattanooga’s public television station, WTCI PBS, is guided by a mission to “enrich lives through quality programs and services that educate, engage, and inspire a lifetime of learning and exploration.” Locally produced series like “Greater Chattanooga” and educational efforts such as the Ready to Learn Workshops reflect the staff’s commitment to excellence and integrity in public broadcasting. According to its vision statement, WTCI PBS aims to “build a stronger community by enriching lives through education, engagement, and inspiration as a trusted source of local storytelling.”
HISTORY
WTCI PBS began broadcasting on March 4, 1970 and has been owned by the Greater Chattanooga Public Television Corp. since 1984. Over the past 55 years, the station has provided free educational content and services to an estimated 1 million viewers across the Tennessee Valley. Its programming spans generations, from beloved children’s shows like “Sesame Street” to respected series like “Nature,” “Nova,” Ken Burns documentaries, and “Masterpiece” dramas.
SCOPE
Bob Culkeen, president/CEO at WTCI PBS, says the station’s scope can be measured in at least a couple of different ways. Geographically, the station’s signal has a 60-mile radius and reaches more than 400,000 households in four states — Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. The station’s programming reaches “from pre-kindergarten to lifelong learning,” he said, across four different digital channels — WTCI PBS at 45.1, WTCI Create at 45.2, PBS Kids 24/7 at 45.3 and WTCI Educate at 45.4.
DRAWING BOARD
Chattanooga is in for a culinary treat on June 28, as Morgan Bolling and Bryan Roof, the hosts of “Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen” are scheduled to appear at SAVOR: A Celebration of Southern Food & Music. This inaugural fundraiser will offer an evening of food, music, and storytelling at McCoy Farms & Gardens on Signal Mountain. Tickets are available now at wtcitv.org.
The 16th season of “The A List with Alison Lebovitz” premieres this month, featuring guests like writer Ishmael Reed and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Meanwhile, “The American Revolution,” the latest documentary from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, debuts on November 16.
BY THE NUMBERS
4: National Public Media awards won
5: Regional Emmy awards won
96: Nonprofits featured in WTCI’s “Stronger Together” series by the end of 2025
$6,264: Cost of daily programming
$2.2 million: The annual budget (more than half of which is raised through the community)