History of Assignment: The World

Assignment: The World: Assignment: the World (ATW), produced by WXXI Public Broadcasting, is the nation’s longest-running instructional program. The idea for the show came from a Social Studies teacher in Rochester, New York who approached the Rochester Area Educational Television Agency (RAETA), which would later become WXXI. The teacher cited a need for current events programming specifically targeted for classroom use. The RAETA producers agreed to take on the project, and in 1959 the first broadcast of ATW premiered in Rochester on Channel 21. Today, teachers and students continue to benefit from the program, which is carried on public television stations across the United States. The program series is also made available over the Internet for streaming & download by classrooms around the country.

Assignment: The World (ATW) is a weekly 15-minute news program targeted at fourth through eighth graders designed to be used in the classroom. It is a fast-paced, interactive program that covers the top news stories of the week from around the world. ATW helps its viewers to understand the world around them and how events in other countries can and do effect their lives. Instant pop quizzes, clues in the news and issue questions offer interactive opportunities for the student to test their comprehension, improve their research skills and practice writing exercises while viewing the series.

Teachers are encouraged to build a lesson plans around current events and use ATW to bring those events into their classrooms. The pop quizzes, clues in the news and issue questions all encourage its viewers to actively participate in the program. It is a fast-paced news program, not unlike the nightly news you might see on your local station or on the network and cable channels.

ATW uses a traditional anchor as the chief provider on information. The program is written and presented with the target audience in mind. Expectations and editorial decisions will not underestimate the knowledge and experiences of today's viewer. Events from around the world are beamed into homes minutes after they happen. ATW offers children the opportunity to get some of these same events in a manner fitting their educational curriculum and experiences. Each news story will be supported by video obtained through traditional news services. Each school year, ATW produces 36 new shows offered each week to classrooms and students across the U.S.