National Educational Television
History
National Educational Television (NET) was an American educational broadcast television network that operated from May 16, 1954, to October 4, 1970. It was owned by the Ford Foundation and later co-owned by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was succeeded by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which has memberships with many television stations that were formerly part of NET.
NET was founded as a "limited service" network, the purpose of which was to exchange educational programs between local stations, rather than produce programs for national broadcast. It was the first network to be devoted entirely to educational programming and was also one of the first to broadcast in color.
Programming
NET's programming was divided into two types: cultural and educational. The cultural programs, which made up about 40 percent of the network's output, included concerts, dramas, and documentaries. These programs were intended to supplement the educational programs by providing a broader context for the subjects being studied.
The educational programs, which made up the remaining 60 percent of NET's output, were designed to be used in conjunction with school curriculums. These programs covered a wide range of subjects, including history, science, literature, and foreign languages. They were often accompanied by printed materials, such as study guides and textbooks, which were distributed to schools.
NET also broadcast a number of public affairs programs, such as NET Journal, which focused on current events and social issues. These programs were often controversial, as they tackled topics such as poverty, racism, and the Vietnam War.
Impact and Legacy
NET played a significant role in the development of public television in the United States. It established the model for educational programming that is still used by PBS today. It also played a key role in the development of the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), which produced the popular children's program Sesame Street.
Despite its relatively short lifespan, NET had a significant impact on the television industry. It was the first network to focus on educational programming, and it set the standard for quality in this area. Its programs won numerous awards, including several Peabody Awards and Emmy Awards.
NET's legacy can still be seen today in the programming of PBS, which continues to produce educational and cultural programming for a national audience.