Company Profile
National Educational Telecommunications Association
Company Overview
The National Educational Telecommunications Association is a professional association that serves public television licensees and educational entities in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Since 1967, our reason for existing has been to connect public television people and ideas, by providing quality programming, educational resources, professional development, management support, and national representation.
Company History
In 1997, SECA was reorganized as the National Educational Telecommunications Association.
The name, proposed by Deborah Onslow, general manager then at WGBY/ Springfield, was
selected because it underscored the organization’s nationwide membership, the core importance
of educational services to its mission and that of its members.
NETA consisted of the existing SECA membership and sixteen additional licensees from the
Pacific Mountain Network, which had ceased operating as a membership organization. Bill
Reed, president and general manager of KCPT/Kansas City, presided as board chair through the
transition. The name was adopted officially on July 28, 1997. NETA’s first board meeting was
held November 5, 1997, in Austin, Texas.
In June 1998, the board adopted the following mission statement for NETA
“The National Educational Telecommunications Association serves public television stations
and educational affiliates by connecting their people with ideas and by delivering high
quality educational services responsive to the mission of NETA members.”
Membership continued to grow through affinity and attraction. In 1998, there were 85 NETA
members. Current membership (FY 19) is 95 members representing 101 licensees in 46 states
and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
NETA is governed by its members. Each member has a seat on the board of directors, which
makes for a very large board, but one that is strong through its diversity, well distributed among
licensee types, budget size, and operating practice.