▁Television ▁Commission , ▁license e ▁for ▁the ▁nine ▁stations ▁compr ising ▁Alabama ▁Public ▁Television , ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Alabama ▁Legisl ature ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁W CI Q ▁on ▁Mount ▁Che aha ▁began ▁operation ▁as ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁nin th ▁non - com mer cial ▁television ▁station . ▁Four ▁months ▁later ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁with ▁the ▁sign - on ▁of ▁W BI Q ▁in ▁B irmingham , ▁Alabama ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁state ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁with ▁an ▁educational ▁television ▁network . ▁Alabama ▁Public ▁Television ▁was ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁other ▁states ▁in ▁the ▁nation ▁and ▁for ▁television ▁broad c aster s ▁in ▁other ▁countries . ▁ 2 5 ▁other ▁states ▁copied ▁Alabama ' s ▁system ▁of ▁operation ▁to ▁provide ▁service ▁through ▁multiple , ▁linked ▁television ▁stations , ▁using ▁full - power ▁satellite ▁stations ▁and ▁( in ▁some ▁cases ) ▁low - power ▁transl ators ▁to ▁relay ▁the ▁origin ating ▁station ' s ▁programming ▁to ▁other ▁areas . ▁Similar ▁state ▁networks ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁created ▁by ▁commercial ▁broad c aster s ▁to ▁relay ▁network ▁programming ▁throughout ▁port ions ▁or ▁even ▁the ▁entire ty ▁of ▁a ▁state . ▁ ▁The ▁federal ▁government ▁does ▁subs id ize ▁non - com mer cial ▁educational ▁television ▁stations ▁through ▁the ▁Corporation ▁for ▁Public ▁Broadcast ing . ▁The ▁income ▁received ▁from ▁the ▁government ▁is ▁ins u fficient ▁to ▁cover ▁exp enses ▁and ▁stations ▁rely ▁on ▁corpor ate ▁spons or ships ▁and ▁vie wer ▁contributions