In 2008, Minnesota’s voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) to the
Minnesota Constitution to: protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands,
prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support
parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater. Read more about the Legacy Amendment.
Minnesota
Legacy Impact
The Impact of Legacy-funded Media
Legacy-funded media created by the MPTA is a valuable resource to promote the work of Minnesota artists and
arts organizations and to document our State’s arts, culture and history for future generations.
The Minnesota Public Television Association (MPTA) consists of the six public television stations within the
state: KSMQ-TV, Lakeland PBS, Pioneer PBS, Prairie Public, Twin Cities Public Television and PBS North.
With Legacy funds, each station of the MPTA produces an arts and cultural series, specials and
cultural-historical documentaries. Legacy-funded media is broadcast across all stations, making each station’s
reach statewide. MPTA Legacy-funded media is available online. Many of the MPTA’s Legacy-funded programs have
corresponding activity guides designed by and for educators.
The MPTA responds to Covid-19
A look at how the Minnesota Public Television Association responded to the COVID-19 pandemic: MPTA and Covid-19
The Minnesota Public Television Association (MPTA) is a statewide association made up of
Minnesota’s six independent public television stations.
Lakeland PBS, Bemidji/Brainerd
Lakeland PBS is the only television station serving its entire broadcast service area in
northern and central Minnesota with local television programming, including its weeknight newscast,
Lakeland News.
Lakeland PBS reaches 490,365 individuals over an estimated 7,500 square miles in northern
and central Minnesota via its free over-the-air broadcast signal and via cable, satellite, and streaming
TV delivery. In addition, with the support of the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, Lakeland PBS
is proud to be preserving and telling the stories about the region's rich arts, history, and culture.
PBS North produces programs that serve and celebrate the culture of the 491,000 people who
proudly call the woods, waters and vibrant communities of the north their home. In addition to national,
regional, and local programming that fosters important discussion and education for all ages, we provide
media services and digital access through our website.
Prairie Public is a trusted public service dedicated to building an exciting and
productive future for the prairie and its people. Prairie Public offers a window on the world through
national and regional television and radio programming; creates a forum for the most important issues
facing our region with locally produced, topical documentaries; partners with others to foster education
for all ages; and utilizes digital technology and Web services to expand those valued services. With
Legacy funding, Prairie Public is also maintaining its commitment in providing educational services to
97 school districts serving 67,000 students in NW Minnesota.
Twin Cities PBS (TPT) reaches
millions of people, through broadcasts to Minnesota and western Wisconsin, through programs produced for
PBS audiences nationally and through web-based content seen by people around the world. More than one
million local viewers tune-in to TPT each
month.
Through broadcast, cable and satellite, TPT 2 is received by more than 70% of Minnesota
residents and roughly 5% of those in Wisconsin.
Pioneer PBS, based in Appleton, Minnesota is dedicated to programs that educate and
sustain our rural communities through services that reflect our local values.
For over 55 years, Pioneer PBS has served its rural audience through a mix of local and
national programs rich in cultural heritage, diversity and educational opportunities.
KSMQ is southern Minnesota and northern Iowa’s local public television station featuring
award-winning local programming, PBS favorites and a unique blend of nationally produced programs.
