PBS South Carolina - History

History

The state network traces its history to 1957, when the General Assembly authorized a study in the use of television in the state's public schools. A studio opened in the state capital of Columbia in the library of Dreher High School. South Carolina ETV televised its first courses (a French course taught by Madame Lucille Turney-High and a geometry course taught by Cornelia Turnbull) on September 6, 1958 via closed circuit. The ETV Commission began operations on June 3, 1960, and by 1962 extended closed-circuit television service to all 46 of South Carolina's counties. In 1963, the Commission opened the first open-circuit educational station in South Carolina, WNTV in Greenville. A year later, WITV in Charleston signed on. Two years later, the state network's primary station, WRLK-TV in Columbia, signed on. The state network now comprises 11 stations. After years of receiving NET and PBS programs on tape-delay, it entered PBS' satellite network in 1978. In 2000, SCETV broadcast the first digital television program in the state. Since 2003, the state network has been known on-air as simply "ETV."

The Commission entered public radio in 1972, when WEPR in Clemson signed on (WEPR later moved to Greenville). Eventually, the state network expanded to eight stations and was known as the South Carolina Educational Radio Network (SCERN) until 2003, when it became known as ETV Radio. While "ETV" generally refers to television, SCETV views "ETV" as a general brand name for both radio and television. The current president and CEO is Linda O'Bryon, known for co-creating Nightly Business Report.