CET-TV Goes Digital!
CET Now Available in High Definition as Channel 34

Mitchel Livingston, CET Board Chairman, pushes the button launching CET into the digital age.

CINCINNATI, OH-December 13, 2002, CET, the country's first licensed public television station announces the launch into digital broadcasting, making it the first public television station in the state to begin broadcasting in digital.

"This launch is just the beginning of the many exciting services digital broadcasting will offer the Greater Cincinnati community," stated Susan Howarth, President and CEO of CET. In addition to a beautiful picture and multi-channel sound, the digital signal will greatly expand the opportunities for CET to provide educational programming and services to schools, support for teachers and life-long learning opportunities for all greater Cincinnatians.

CET plans to explore multi-casting which is one of the unique features of Digital TV. Multi-casting is the process that allows the digital bandwidth to be divided into multiple streams so that CET can offer up to four different programs at the same time. "On one of the multi-casts we might provide a home-study course for a single mom while her children can be in the other room watching one of our award-winning children's programming and grandma and grandpa can be across town watching a traditional PBS program," explains Howarth.

Equally exciting is the capacity of digital television to combine the content of television with the interactivity of the Internet, creating a world of new ideas for educational television viewers. Such a connection could send pictures, sounds, multi-media games, illustrated articles and other data related to the program being viewed. For example a documentary about architect Frank Lloyd Wright could be downloaded onto a computer or television. While watching it, an icon could be selected offering more detailed information about Wright's early life or the construction of his masterpiece, Fallingwater.

Jim Schwab, Mitchel Livingston, Patricia Bready, Myrtis Powell, Kathy Wade, Dan Heyd and Steve Schrantz, who are all trustees of the CET board were on hand for the digital signal launch.

Within the next few weeks CET-DT (digital signal) will be made available to Time Warner Cable viewers with high definition cable boxes. If you would like further information about digital television and how it will affect you, please visit the CET website.

The Federal Communications Commission requires all television stations to convert to digital by May 2003. The challenge, particularly for public broadcasters has been the funding for this type of conversion. The greater Cincinnati community supported CET through a capital campaign that raised over $7.6 million for the conversion. Jim Kiggen, CET Capital Campaign Chairperson reports, "Our capital campaign donors have been very generous and forward thinking in helping us create this solid foundation for our future. The community support has enabled CET to be the first digital public television station in Ohio."

Ms. Howarth, CET President and CEO concluded, "Additionally, I am very excited to announce that CET will begin airing specially selected television programs for our viewers in high-definition, beginning Monday, December 16th. These programs will air beginning at 7:30 p.m. every night, continuing through the end of December plus an entire Saturday schedule, from 8 AM to 11 PM." These programs can only be viewed by those with a digital television and tuner.

CET is Greater Cincinnati's public television station and is the first licensed educational television station in the nation. As the largest provider of educational services for teachers and students in Southwest Ohio, CET serves more than 230,000 students, 15,000 teachers and 47 school districts. CET programs, including its award winning local productions, reach more than 2 million residents in the tri-state area. PBS viewers throughout the country enjoy CET presentations that have featured performances by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops and the Cincinnati May Festival.