WETA’s public service began 50 years ago when a group of visionaries led by Washington publisher Willard Kiplinger and former college dean and Arlington School Board Chairman Elizabeth Campbell secured a license from the FCC and launched WETA Channel 26 on October 2, 1961. Since then, WETA has steadily expanded its public service — but its mission remains fundamentally the same. WETA is committed to presenting educational programming for children and to providing opportunities for lifelong learning for all who seek enrichment, inspiration and information.