Arts and Entertainment

WPSX-TV 'on the air'

Celebrating 50 years of original programming

WPSX-TV staff members — as part of Penn State Continuing Education’s Division of Broadcasting — pose for a photograph in 1966, the year after the station went on air for the first time. Now WPSU Penn State, the station is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015. Credit: WPSU Penn State / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As WPSU celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we have for you a photo of WPSX-TV staff members — as part of Penn State Continuing Education’s Division of Broadcasting, which was located in Wagner Building — posing in a studio in 1966, the year after the station went on air for the first time.

During the station’s first two years of operation, WPSX-TV’s programming expanded from five and a half hours of educational programming four days a week, to include evening, weekend and summer programming.

Two of the stations' longtime shows, “What’s in the News” and “Weather World," aired for the first time in 1966 and 1965, respectively. “What’s in the News,” a weekly program for children, featured child reporters reading current events. “Weather World," which was originally known as “State of the Weather/Shape of the World," still airs on the station as a production of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and features meteorology student weather forecasters.

Today, the station — now WPSU Penn State — continues to produce local public affairs programs and original series including “Our Town,” “Higher Education in Focus,” “Conversations LIVE” and “Conversations from Penn State.” The station also produces documentaries, such as the recent "Water Blues Green Solutions," and the award-winning "Telling Amy's Story."

Last Updated April 13, 2015

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