Public TV's Cable Venture

PUBLIC television is expanding its reach beyond broadcast TV into cable with the formation of a new informational and cultural network called Horizons TV.

The 24-hour cable channel will tap into the major educational and cultural events offered every day at the nation's leading universities, museums, libraries, and arts centers. It will bring readings, lectures, debates, and symposia into homes, broadening the range of educational services that public television stations provide.

Horizons TV is an initiative of the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS), WGBH Boston, and Thirteen/WNET in New York. It is designed to provide access to thinkers, scientists, authors, artists, and teachers. The new cable service is expected to be launched at the end of 1994, when additional cable channel capacity will begin to come on line. It will be a financially independent, self-sustaining nonprofit enterprise. No government funds will be involved in the service.