Martin, Tenn.–West TN PBS/WLJT-TV celebrated their station’s 55th birthday and unveiled a special station artifact. In February of 1968 WLJT-TV 11 went on the air from their newly built transmitter in Lexington, Tennessee, broadcasting educational television to all of West Tennessee.
Station employees, Board of Director members and the West TN PBS mascot “Rocky T,” gathered for a special presentation with birthday cake and the recently discovered original master control log from 1968.
“This important station historical document was found during a recent visit to the station’s transmitter facility,” said West TN PBS General Manager and CEO Peter Noll, “These handwritten notes by the station’s first employees show the birth of WLJT-TV.”
55 years ago West TN PBS began broadcasting in West Tennessee, reaching communities and rural viewers who were able to view educational programming for the first time. The station continues to provide quality PBS and local programs. The station continues to grow, like adding two digital channels; PBS KIDS (Channel 11.2), a 24-hour channel dedicated to children, and Create (Channel 11.3), a station showing “how-to” programming along with the Tennessee Channel and State Legislative programs.
In addition to bringing quality programs into viewers’ homes, West TN PBS has reached tens of thousands of children, parents and educators through in-person activities by the station’s full-time educator. Each week, West TN PBS holds interactive outreach programs in schools, libraries and after-school programs.
To celebrate their anniversary, West TN PBS is creating a “Showcase of Memories” with mementos viewers have collected from the station. Anyone with station memorabilia such as postcards, coffee mugs, t-shirts or other station giveaways can email memories@westtnpbs.org. West TN PBS will be featuring these items in a special display showcase and will be sharing these special memories on television and social media platforms.