WGBH Educational Foundation History

The actual history of WGBH Educational Foundation dates back to early days of 1800s. There was a businessman and philanthropist called John Lowell Junior who owned textile industries in Boston. During that time, his travels for business and love for mankind took him many places around the world. He was well known for his free lectures to people about his travels and business.

In 1836, when he died while on a voyage, he left behind a large amount in his will to be used as fund for free lectures to the people of Boston on subjects of natural history arts, science and philosophy. His fund was used to form the Lowell Institute.

In the middle of the twentieth century, the WGBH Educational Foundation decided to get into the radio and television broadcasting business. The Cooperate Broadcasting council of the Lowell institute in 1951 received the first broadcasting license under the name of WGBH Educational Foundation (GBH stands for the Great Blue Hill on which the first transmitter was located).

The WGBH Radio aired its first broadcast of the Boston Symphony on October 6, 1951 on the 89.7 MHz FM. From then on several broadcasts on various topics have been made and still continue to be aired on the WGBH radio.

WGBH- TV Channel 2 came into effect and went on air on May 2, 1955 in its studio in Cambridge. It became New England's first noncommercial television service. However, in the year 1961, this studio was destroyed in a fire. However, it did not stop the airing of programs. The WGBH Educational Foundation used the help of other broadcaster to relay their programs.

In 1863, their new studio in Allston began functioning. In the year 2007, the WGBH studios moved to a new location, Brighton. Other than the television and the radio, the WGBH Educational Foundation is active on the internet through several portals and websites reaching out with their services to millions of people across the world.

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