OUR MISSION

We exist to serve the needs of East Tennessee as a community partner affecting positive change by educating, entertaining and challenging minds.

East Tennessee PBS is a non-profit, viewer-supported public broadcasting station dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities to more than two million viewers in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina.
East Tennessee PBS is available to everyone in our viewing area through antenna, cable, and satellite services. Our programming can also be viewed on digital platforms on computers or on the PBS Video App for tablets, smartphones and set top boxes including Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire, and Chromestick.

Our Vision

East Tennessee PBS’ vision is to develop meaningful relationships with every member of our community that provide new insights, inspiration and information that empower them today and for years to come.

Our Focus

East Tennessee PBS understands that substantial and sustainable growth can only be achieved through the collaboration of the entire organization and are united with a consistent message. East Tennessee PBS has five main areas of focus, areas we believe we can have impact in our community because we understand the subject and can deliver on the promise of each.

These areas of focus are the pillars we rely on to achieve our mission and vision:

• Children and Lifelong Education -East Tennessee PBS provides an expansive range of programming, events, and opportunities that expands the minds of kids and adults alike. We air the most trusted, award winning, educational programming for early learners, programming to support school-age children, and programs to expand horizons, knowledge, and skills of all.
• Public Health and Safety - East Tennessee PBS has been proud to play an important role in our community supporting the health and safety of our community, through our broadcast infrastructure, datacasting, WARN system and more
• Civic Engagement -East Tennessee PBS’ will most effectively expand reach and impact within the community is by creating opportunities to engage our citizens in dialog, discourse and discussion through programs, events and meetings.
• Arts & Culture - The people of East Tennessee have long been passionate about the arts and have a deep appreciation of our heritage and culture. From music, crafts, story telling and visual arts, East Tennessee PBS is committed to provide our community access to the arts.
• Veteran Recognition and Support - The veterans in our region play an integral role in our community, in addition to the service to our country, their organizations are often very active with great visibility, however in many ways, on an individual level, veterans are under-served. East Tennessee PBS strives to assist all veterans by avenues for their stories to be told and shared, connect with the services and resources they may need and honor veterans for their great sacrifices for our country.

Our community

Our focus is to provide quality programming not found anywhere else. We also strive to serve our community and its needs. We're committed to being an active community partner that affects positive change. We believe that together with our award-winning programming, our community partners and our dedicated staff we can achieve anything.

While we invest our resources in initiatives that improve the lives of those living in this great community, we dedicate most of our time and energy to educational projects that make learning available to all.

Our Governance

East Tennessee PBS (WKOP & WEPT), East Tennessee PBS's independent nonprofit PBS station, is operated by licensee East Tennessee Public Communications Corp.

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we're governed by a board of committed volunteers: our Board of Trustees and Community Advisory Board. Click here for more information about our open meetings.

East Tennessee PBS has two transmitters that serve East Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Southwestern Virginia, and Western North Carolina.