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WETA

Community-based public broadcasting, supported by viewers and listeners

Local, not-for-profit public broadcasting station, WETA serves the Greater Washington community, producing and broadcasting radio and television programs of intellectual integrity and cultural merit that inspire, enlighten and entertain.

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Why should I support your work?

As a public, not-for-profit broadcaster, WETA counts on individual viewers and listeners for two-thirds of its day-to-day operating funds.

Your contribution helps support the production and broadcast of programs that are available to all members of our community, including educational outreach in schools and other institutions across the area.

Why does your charity exist?

WETA’s mission is to produce and broadcast television and radio programs of intellectual integrity and cultural merit that recognize viewers’ and listeners’ intelligence, curiosity and interest in the world around them.

As an independent and not-for-profit broadcaster and producer, WETA provides individuals in the wider Metropolitan area with quality, compelling programs and serves a broad community with educational projects and Web-based initiatives.

What specifically do you do?

CFC and workplace giving contributions support the broadcast of WETA’s five TV channels — WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA PBS Kids, WETA World and WETA Metro. Viewers enjoy popular programs such as Finding Your RootsMasterpiece, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Frontline, Antiques Roadshow and Nature.

WETA Classical is the exclusive home of classical music in Greater Washington, both on air at 90.9 FM and via WETA Classical | WETA. Contributions help fund the inspiring offerings, including radio productions produced by WETA with leading area cultural institutions, opera favorites every Saturday afternoon, and a dedicated podcast that explores classical music in-depth.

In addition to broadcasts and productions, WETA has developed valuable national education services including Well Beings, a public media campaign addressing the critical health needs of Americans through storytelling, conversation and events. Projects for parents and teachers include LDOnline.org, ReadingRockets.org, ColorinColorado.org and AdLit.org.

On the ground in the local community, WETA’s services include Ready To Learn workshops that show families, child-care providers and teachers how to leverage public television's kids shows to help young viewers learn to read. Workplace contributions also support WETA’s acclaimed local and national television productions.

A top producer of public affairs, history, and arts and cultural programming, WETA creates some of the finest, most-watched programming in television, including the award-winning PBS NewsHour, Washington Week and much more. 

WETA works with a wide range of independent filmmakers to produce and present works including Ken Burns’s The U.S. and the Holocaust: A Film By Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein and Hemingway, Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s Finding Your Roots and The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song, the Peabody Award-winning Asian Americans, and many more.

As a non-profit, WETA relies on members of the community to support the company’s mission of service. It is the collective support of members, donors, listeners, viewers, parents, teachers and many others that sustains WETA’s important work.

How will this make a difference?

Through your support, you are helping others in Metropolitan Washington and beyond, empowering audiences to share the joy of learning, to stay informed as citizens, to benefit from a deeper understanding of the nation’s history, and to experience the nourishment of the arts and sublime music. Your CFC contributions will help WETA continue to provide a unique service to the national capital region, creating content of true consequence and bring important ideas to life on behalf of the public. 

Your gift to WETA is a gift to the people of your community. 

 

How is your work different from that of other, similar charities?

As the flagship public broadcasting station in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, WETA is unique in various ways. 

 WETA Classical is the only broadcast source for classical music in the metropolitan Washington, D.C.  In addition to our free classical music broadcasts, WETA Classical is also the only source for opera, voice and other vocal music through its service, Viva la Voce.  Contributions help fund the inspiring offerings on-air, including radio productions produced by WETA with leading area cultural institutions.

CFC and workplace giving contributions also support the broadcast of WETA Television’s five TV channels — WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA PBS Kids, WETA World and WETA Metro.

For this community, WETA provides an important service to children and educators. WETA initiatives aid families, teachers and childcare providers in learning how to use children’s television to help young viewers learn to read. On-air, WETA PBS Kids offers the best in children’s television. Online, WETA national public service websites are also helping students, as well providing the innovative BrainLine.org, to address traumatic brain injury for people of all ages, but particularly members of the military. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What have you accomplished?

In addition to being the sole broadcaster of beautiful classical music in the Washington region, WETA Classical is also the only source in local radio for opera, and live and recorded classical concerts from venues in our area.

For more than 60 years, WETA TV has provided compelling, in-depth programs that not only enrich and enlighten but also inspire many individuals to become informed and vital contributors to their communities. We broadcast five, free over-the-air TV signals for area viewers: WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA PBS Kids, WETA World and WETA Metro.
 

How can I be sure you’ll use my money wisely?

Our cost of fundraising is consistent over time (around 9%), with the largest portion going directly into production, broadcast and other operating needs.  We are rated the highest available rating on CharityNavigator (4 Stars). Our Board of Trustees is a body of community members whose over-riding responsibility is to ensure proper stewarding of the organization’s resources.  To review our independent audit financial statements, please refer to the following link on weta.org: Reports & Financials | WETA