WPDS-LD
 | |
| Largo, Florida United States | |
|---|---|
| Branding | PDS-TV 14 |
| Channels | Digital: 14 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | none (educational) |
| Owner | Pinellas County Schools |
| Founded |
early-1980s (cable); 1990 (UHF) |
| Call letters' meaning | W Pinellas District Schools |
| Former callsigns |
W14AW (1988-1996) WPDS-LP (1996-2009) |
| Former channel number(s) |
Analog: 14 (1988-2009) |
| Transmitter power | 19.7kw |
| Facility ID | 52648 |
| Website | www.wpds.tv/ |
WPDS-LD is the low-power Educational-access television channel owned and operated by the school board of Pinellas County, Florida, broadcasting educational programming for schoolchildren, plus board meetings and classic movies.
In addition to UHF channel 14 (which can be tuned in from most parts of Pinellas County), WPDS can be seen in Pinellas County on cable channel 14 on WOW! systems, and digital channel 614 on Bright House.
The station originally had its start in the early-1980s as a cable TV-only channel. In 1990, it opened a low-powered UHF channel on channel 14, to reach viewers without cable service. Initially as W14AW, it changed its calls to WPDS-LP in 1996. The station flash-cut to digital in late 2009 as WPDS-LD, using the same transmitter location and wattage.
While the station is owned by "Pinellas County Schools", the station's calls are named after "Pinellas District Schools", which is the name used on public school buses in Pinellas County. All public school buses in Florida are named similarly.
The station's studios and transmitters are located at the School Board headquarters in downtown Largo.
Digital television
The station's digital channel is multiplexed:
Digital channels
| Channel | Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|
| 14.1 | WPDS-LD1 | main WPDS-LD programming |
| 14.2 | WPDS-LD2 | PCS Arts Channel (featuring arts-related programming, including simulcasts of Classic Arts Showcase; not available on cable) |
| 14.3 | WPDS-LD3 | KTC 148 - The Knology Teen Channel (featuring programming for teenagers; also seen on WOW! digital channel 148 (formerly Knology) |
| 14.4 | WPDS-LD4 | PCS News & Teacher Training (news about the school board and its schools, plus instructional programming for teachers and instructional personnel; not available on cable) |
Call sign history
The WPDS calls were originally used in the Tampa Bay area in the early-1980s by an easy-listening station "WPDS-FM", "Paradise 93" (now WFLZ-FM). It was later used in Indianapolis from 1984 to 1985 as the first call letters used by present-day Fox affiliate, WXIN.