WNET is the flagship station of the Public Broadcasting Service television network, which provides educational and informational programming. WNET began life in 1949 as WATV, a commercial television station. In 1961 Channel 13's owner Atlantic Television sold the station to the Educational Broadcasting Corporation, a not for profit company, which converted Channel 13 to a non-commercial/educational station affiliated with the National Educational Television service. NET was disbaned in 1969 and replaced by the Public Broadcasting Service.
From the time it was a commercial television station until it became an educational station, Channel 13 has also been assigned the WNDT and WNTA call letters. Their studios and offices were originally located in West Orange, New Jersey, then in the Mosque Theater, and then for a short time at the Gateway Center office building, both in Newark, New Jersey. The station eventually moved its operations to New York City, New York, where most television stations and television networks were based.
The transmitter facilities of Channel 13, including a newly installed digital transmission system, were destroyed on September 11, 2001, when a terrorist hijacked airplane crashed into the side of the World Trade Center towers. Gerald (Rod) Coppola, Channel 13's head transmitter engineer, was among those who perished when the north tower collaped.
In February 2003 WNET completed the merger with Long Island PBS broadcaster WLIW (Licensed to Plainview, New York) combining the two stations into one operation and licensee.
Dr. William F. Baker is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of WNET Channel 13.