MARYLAND PUBLIC BROADCASTING COMMISSION

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

The Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission began in 1966 as the Maryland Educational-Cultural Television Commission (Chapter 202, Acts of 1966). In 1967, it was reformed as the Maryland Educational-Cultural Broadcasting Commission (Chapter 645, Acts of 1967). The Commission became the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission in 1969 (Chapter 405, Acts of 1969). Later that year, public television in Maryland first was broadcast from Owings Mills.

The Commission develops, operates, and maintains a system for educational and cultural television programming throughout Maryland. The Commission is responsible for programs for the general public and, with the approval of the State Board of Education, for programs used in public schools (Code Education Article, sec. 24-205).

The educational and cultural television system for Maryland is Maryland Public Television (MPT). Affiliated with the Public Broadcasting System and the Eastern Educational Network, Maryland Public Television broadcasts on six channels:

The Commission also is authorized to conduct educational and cultural radio programming throughout Maryland.

The Commission's eleven members are appointed for five-year terms by the Governor. Two members are designated by the State Board of Education. One member is the State Superintendent of Schools. The Governor names the chair and vice-chair (Code Education Article, secs. 24-201 through 24-206).

Maryland Manual On-Line