Power of Public Media

Power of Public Media: Connecting our Community

Since our first broadcast in 1961, our founder Elizabeth Campbell sought to inspire and serve the D.C.-area community through public media. More than 60 years later, that mission endures. WETA is a trusted voice, bringing audiences exceptional PBS programs and the timeless beauty of classical music, enriching lives both in our region and for our nation.

Even as we face threats to federal funding for public media, we remain dedicated to providing trusted news, cultural programming, and educational resources that inform, educate and connect us all.

WETA is your local public media station, and we’re proud to be part of this community. We're proud to celebrate the creativity, history, and voices that shape our home. From locally produced shows like If You Lived Here and Get Out of Town, to the British programming you love on WETA UK, or literacy efforts in local schools, everything we do is for you—our neighbors, our friends, our community.

Looking for ways to help? Click here.

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Illuminating our Nation’s Stories

WETA serves as one of the top producers for PBS, telling the nation’s stories through insightful history documentaries. Partnering with filmmaker Ken Burns and Harvard scholar Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., we produce fascinating history series that illuminate our country’s journey, explore our humanity and share lived experiences. As well, the WETA Well Beings multiplatform national health campaign offers vital  content and resources that highlight mental health challenges facing America’s youth.

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Providing a Trusted Source of Journalism

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Our acclaimed news and public affairs series such as PBS News Hour and Washington Week with The Atlantic are staples on PBS stations across the country. They keep the nation informed, with in-depth reporting that offer valuable context and perspective.

Inspiring Audiences Through Local Productions

WETA explores the rich history and culture that make our community such a vibrant place to live with productions like If You Lived Here, Signature Dish, Get Out of Town, WETA Arts, and It’s Academic. These programs celebrate the stories that shape the unique character of our region. We take pride in spotlighting our local community via series that honor the people, places and culture of the national capital area.

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Celebrating the Artistry of Classical Music

WETA Classical

WETA Classical is the exclusive radio home for classical music in the D.C. area and is a haven for listeners to connect with the music they love every day. From broadcasts of beloved masterpieces to local and national recordings and arts presentations, WETA Classical is a treasured and inspiring listening experience for devotees of the genre’s magnificent music.

Preparing Children for Success

WETA PBS Kids programming makes  a positive impact on the lives of children through curriculum-based entertainment. For generations, families have trusted public media to help kids learn to read, count, and navigate the world. Shows like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and Curious George don’t just entertain—they teach.

Plus, WETA is  out in our local community conducting educational workshops and programs for students, parents, teachers and childcare providers for low-income families.

Daniel Tiger
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Public Media delivers unparalleled value, achieving remarkable impact for about $1.60 per person per year.

Public media is for everyone. It’s free, accessible, and reflects our local community’s values and range of experiences. Unlike commercial media, which is driven by profits and advertisers, we are driven by you, our neighbors, and a mission to serve the public good.

WETA’s important work is at risk with the threatened elimination of federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). At WETA, about 7% of our local annual budget comes from CPB. Not only would WETA’s programs be directly affected, but the impact on the entire public media system would be much greater. Our system is interconnected so federal defunding of CPB would weaken the entire structure, imperiling PBS and hundreds of stations nationwide that carry our programs, including our own station here in the DC area.  

How to Help

  • 1. Donate Now

    Support your public media station and ensure that WETA can continue to deliver the programs you count on.

    Donate Now

  • 2. Join our e-mail mailing list

    Be the first to get show updates and previews, event invitations, special offers and so much more. Stay in-the-know about all things WETA and PBS.

  • 3. Get Involved

    Go to Protect My Public Media to learn about how you can protect WETA and public media stations across the country.

    Get Involved