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WETA's First Broadcast

WETA Channel 26 hit the Washington airwaves on October 2, 1961, when station manager George Baker introduced viewers to WETA's inaugural broadcast, The New Era.

Broadcast from WETA's first studio at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia, the show described the station's origins and its mission to provide viewers with a "window to the world" and to educate and challenge young and old alike.

WETA Inaugural Broadcast

The New Era

WETA's inaugural broadcast aired on October 2, 1961 and introduced Washington area viewers to public broadcasting.

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While WETA had been producing educational programs for classroom use since 1958, the station did not have a channel of its own before 1961. This broadcast marked a great step forward for the station, and set the stage for what WETA has become these many years later.

We hope you enjoy this step back in time!