Educational Television Facilities Act of 1962

With this law, signed by President Kennedy on May 1, 1962, Congress gave the first major federal aid to public broadcasting. The grants for new and replacement facilities and equipment initially were overseen by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare; the successor Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) was operated by a Commerce Department agency, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Amid budget showdowns, Congress defunded PTFP after fiscal year 2010. PART IV — GRANTS FOR EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION BROADCASTING FACILITIES

Declaration of Purpose

SEC. 390. The purpose of this part is to assist (through matching grants) in the construction of educational television broadcasting facilities.