WIPR-TV
 | |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | |
|---|---|
| Branding | WIPR Television (general) Notiseis 360 (newscasts) |
| Slogan | Todo lo que quieres Ver |
| Channels | Digital: 26 (UHF) Virtual: 6 (PSIP) |
| Subchannels |
|
| Translators | WIPM-TV 32 / Virtual: 3 (PSIP), Mayagüez |
| Affiliations | .1-2: independent public station .3 Kids TV |
| Owner | Corporación de Puerto Rico para la Difusión Pública (Puerto Rico Public Broadcasting Corporation) |
| Founded | 1958 |
| First air date | January 6, 1958 |
| Call letters' meaning | Wonderful Island of Puerto Rico |
| Sister station(s) | WIPR-AM WIPR-FM |
| Former channel number(s) | 6 (1958–2009, analog) 43 (2009-2018, digital) |
| Former affiliations | |
| Transmitter power | 800 kW |
| Height | 841 m |
| Class | Full service |
| Facility ID | 53859 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 18°6′35″N 66°3′4″W / 18.10972°N 66.05111°W |
| Website | www.wipr.pr |
WIPR-TV is a non-commercial educational, full-power public television station located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, transmitting over virtual channel 6, digital 26. The station is owned and operated by Corporación de Puerto Rico para la Difusión Pública (English: Puerto Rico Corporation for Public Broadcasting). Most of its television shows on the main channel are local programming.
Because of its audience, much of WIPR's programming is in Spanish, as with most Puerto Rico television stations. The station is branded as WIPR Television. Previously, the station was branded as Teve 6 / Teve 3, TUTV - Tu Universo Televisión and Puerto Rico TV.
WIPR-TV operates a semi-satellite on the island's west coast, WIPM-TV, channel 3 in Mayagüez. WIPM-TV largely repeats WIPR, but does produce some local programming. WIPM-TV transmits its digital signal on channel 32, virtual 3.
Contents
History[edit]
WIPR-TV was created as a result of lobbying for public broadcasting in Puerto Rico, beginning in the 1950s. The station went on the air for the first time on Three Kings Day (January 6), 1958 becoming the first educational television station in Latin America, and the facilities (the building) was dedicated to Ramón Rivero (Diplo), the most important and influential actor/comedian in the history of Puerto Rico.
It was also unique among other government-controlled broadcasters in the Caribbean as it did not show commercials. All other government-controlled broadcasters (with the exception of Cuba and the US Virgin Islands) showed advertising.
The station was one of the few TV stations in Puerto Rico with English-language programming, via a membership with PBS that allowed them to carry PBS Kids in English. This ended on July 1, 2011 after WIPR and PBS failed to reach an agreement to renew the station's membership, with money previously allocated to PBS membership dues being invested in the station's local programming. PBS programming remains available on Puerto Rico via WMTJ.[1]
In 1996, WIPR-TV was the first Puerto Rican television station that used streaming media to broadcast programming to the internet.
Administration[edit]
General Administrators for Radio and Television Services under the Department of Education
- Rafael Delgado Márquez (1958–1961)
- Jack Delano (1961–1968)
- Leopoldo Santiago Lavandero (1969) (6 months)
- Elsie Calero (1970–1972)
- José Buitrago (Radio)
- José M. García (1973–1975)
- Alberto Cordero Albino (1975–1977)
- Manuel Collazo (1977) (acting)
- Elsie Calero (1977–1981)
- Héctor Suárez (1981) (acting)
- Jorge Inserni (1981–1983)
- Sigfredo Quiñones (1983-1984)
- Agustín Mercado (1985–1988)
Executive Directors/Presidents (CPRDP)
- Carmen Junco (1988–1990)
- Dr. Pedro González Ramos (1990–1991)
- Eduardo Rivero Albino (1991–1993)
- Jorge Inserni (1993–2001)
- Linda Hernández (2001–2004)
- Yolanda Zavala (2004–2005)
- Víctor J. Montilla (2005–2009)
- Ray Cruz (2009–2012)
- Pedro Rua Jovet (2012–2013)
- Marietty Lasanta (2013-2014, 2019)(acting)
- Cecille Blondet Passalacqua (2014–2016)
- Dr. Rafael Batista Cruz (2017-2019)
- Eric Delgado (2019-present)
WIPR-TV 50th Anniversary[edit]
The channel celebrated their 50th anniversary by producing a documentary focusing on their history.[2] On July 1, 2008, TuTv renewed 150 contracts.[3]
In 2008, Puerto Rico's Public Broadcasting Station, WIPR-TV, celebrated its 50 years of broadcasting with a documentary that relived some of the best and worst moments in its history.
The documentary "50 Años WIPR-Televisión", (50 Years of WIPR Television) is about 70 minutes long and reviews some of the news, entertainment programming, music and sports events that the station has presented during half a century.
WIPR-TV, today better known as the Puerto Rico's Public Broadcasting Corporation (CPRDP), or its branding, WIPR Television, was inaugurated on January 6, 1958 under the administration of the then-current governor, Luis Muñoz Marín.
The documentary was dedicated to the actor, director and filmmaker Ángel F. Rivera Vázquez, who had worked in WIPR since its beginning.
Spearheaded by Investigator Flavia García, who had been working for the previous 9 years on an investigation of the history of television, headed the production of this special along with Susanne Marte.
The Corporation's President, Víctor J. Montilla, received a congratulatory resolution on behalf of the Puerto Rican Senate for the "good music, art and television" that have distinguished the channel for the past five decades.
Digital and high definition[edit]
WIPR-TV, the island's first public television station, also became the first in the evolution to digital and high definition.[4] .On July 7, 2008, President Víctor J. Montilla (now, Executive VP & general manager Of New Channels at WORA-TV) held a press conference at the station, where he inaugurated WIPR-TV's high definition facilities. TUTV became the first station in Puerto Rico to produce and broadcast in high definition format.[5] The station upgraded its lighting and built new sets as part of the transition.[6] Some artists underwent lifestyle changes, including changes in their diet, to look better in high definition.[6] The first program to be transmitted in this format was "Contigo".[7]
Digital television[edit]
The digital signals of WIPR and WIPM are multiplexed:
Digital channels| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 / 3.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | WIPR-HD / WIPM-HD | Main WIPR-TV programming / HD |
| 6.2 | 480i | 4:3 | WIPR-SD / WIPM-SD | WIPR-TV programming / SD |
| 6.3 / 3.3 | KIDS TV | Kids TV Puerto Rico |
Until 2011 when WIPR dropped its PBS membership, WIPR's Kids programming was English language PBS Kids programming, but their V-me channel carries some PBS and American Public Television programs, but in Spanish. WIPR Retro is a classics and historic Puerto Rico programmed subchannel, starting on April 1, 2017, replacing V-Me. On Until March 20, 2017, the WIPR 940 AM simulcast was removed from the subchannel.[1]
Programming[edit]
WIPR-TV for years has shown local programming, educational, children and human interest shows.
Notiseis 360[edit]
In the 1980s the station had a highly praised newscast called "Panorama Mundial" (World View), hosted by Doris Torres. In 1996, WIPR launched a newscast branded as Noti-Seis or "News Six". The newscast was first anchored by Pedro Luis García and Gloria Soltero and only had a 6:00 PM edition. Later that year, the station premiered a 9:00 PM edition anchored by the same 6:00 PM team.
In 2002, a new news format was created with a local newscast (TUTV Informa) and an international newscast (TUTV Internacional); the newscasts were anchored by Gloria Soltero and David Reyes. TUTV also produced a weekly in-depth newscast on Sundays, called TuTV Analiza.
This year,[when?] TUTV's programming received various awards. Locally, En Todas was awarded by the American Heart Association. Five productions received Emmy Award nominations and one of TUTV's producers received an Emmy in the Entertainment Program category.
In 2009, when TUTV was rebranded as "Puerto Rico TV", its news department was relaunched as Noticias 24/7; around this time, WIPR introduced a 24-hour news channel of the same name on channel 6.5 and 3.5.
On September 26, 2018, Noticias 24/7 was rebranded as "Notiseis 360".
List of original programs seen on WIPR-TV[edit]
- El Show de Chucho Avellanet
- Aqui Estamos with Herman O'neill and Shanira Blanco[8]
- Estudio Actoral with Dean Zayas
- Esto lo Hago Yo with Douglas Candelario
- Dias de Cine with Edgardo Huertas
- Travesias con Sabor with Chef Ventura Vivoni
- Isla y Vuelta
- Fiesta Cultural
- Uno a Uno with Myraida Chaves
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Sefton, Dru (July 12, 2011). "Puerto Rican station drops PBS shows". Current. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ Mariela Fullana Acosta (2008-06-23). "Festejan sus 50 años con documental". Primera Hora (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ Rosalina Marrero-Rodríguez (2008-07-01). "TUTV renovará cerca de 150 contratos". Primera Hora (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
- ^ "Puerto Rico's first Public TV Station celebrates 50 Years!". Hispanic Ad. 2008-07-11. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
- ^ Mariela Fullana Acosta (2008-07-08). "TUTV inagura modernas instalaciones digitales". Primera Hora (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- ^ a b Rosalina Marrero-Rodríguez (2008-08-09). "Estrena look de alta definición". Primera Hora (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ "Ahora sí no habrá caras perfectas". Primera Hora (in Spanish). 2008-08-13. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
- ^ "Comienza nueva temporada de ¡Aquí Estamos! por WIPR • WIPR" (in Spanish). October 10, 2019.
