WBGU-TV
kW | |
HAAT | 320 m (1,050 ft) |
---|---|
Transmitter coordinates | 41°8′12″N 83°54′24″W / 41.13667°N 83.90667°W |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Website | www |
WBGU-TV (channel 27) is a
WBGU is one of two PBS member stations in the Toledo television market, alongside WGTE-TV (channel 30) in Toledo proper. WBGU also serves as the de facto PBS member station for the Lima market, as that market does not have a PBS member station of its own.
History
WBGU-TV began broadcasting February 10, 1964, from a transmitter site on the campus. It operated on channel 70 and broadcast exclusively in black and white, as was then the norm, within a 15-mile (24 km) radius of the BGSU campus.[3]
To increase the coverage area of WBGU-TV, the Ohio Educational Television Network Commission applied for and received a construction permit in 1971 to build a satellite in Lima on channel 57.[1] In the process, however, what was planned as a separate station, WQOL, turned into a major transmitter upgrade for WBGU-TV. A new, 759,000-watt color transmitter and tower near Leipsic were activated[4] when WBGU-TV—the last full-power station to broadcast on a channel 70 or above in the United States—moved to channel 57.[5] WBGU-TV would move to channel 27 in 1986, expanding its coverage area and beginning to broadcast in stereo.[6] Channel 27 had originally been proposed for the Lima satellite plan,[1] but protests from the nearby WGTE-TV in Toledo, which operated on the adjacent channel 30 at the time and, because of significant territorial overlap, feared confusion between the two channels, prompted state and university officials to settle for the higher channel number.[7]
The station first broadcast from a small studio located in the university's South Hall. After the Moore Musical Arts Center was built in 1979, the university's radio stations and telecommunications department (then the department of radio, television, and film) moved to West Hall, which formerly housed the university's college of music. Sometime after that, WBGU-TV moved to a new building located at 245 Troup Avenue in Bowling Green; the building was renamed the Tucker Center on May 6, 1994.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, WBGU maintained a low-powered repeater in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on channel 39, W39AA (later to affiliate with Indianapolis' WFYI), which became full-powered WFWA in 1985.
Today, WBGU-TV broadcasts to nineteen counties in northwestern and west central Ohio including the markets of Toledo and Lima. With most attic antennas, WBGU's signal can be tuned in as far west as Fort Wayne and as far north as central Lenawee County, Michigan. During tropospheric conditions, it can be seen as far north as Melvindale, Michigan, 87 miles (140 km) away with a very advanced indoor antenna.
In Toledo, Buckeye Broadband carries WBGU-TV on cable channel 57, which is, ironically, the station's previous channel number on the UHF dial. No subchannels are available on Buckeye Broadband.
WBGU turned off its analog transmitter at midnight on December 14, 2008, and relocated its digital signal from channel 56 to channel 27.[8]
In 2019, WBGU-TV won a
Programming
National programming produced by WBGU includes The American Woodshop, distributed by the National Educational Telecommunications Association.[10][11]
Each weekday during the academic term of
Subchannels
The station's signal is
Channels | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
---|---|---|---|---|
27.1 | 1080i | 16:9 |
WBGU-DT | PBS |
27.2 | 480i | 4:3 |
Encore |
|
27.3 | Create | Create |
Spectrum reallocation
WBGU-TV had considering selling off its UHF frequency as part of the
References
- ^ a b c FCC History Cards for WBGU-TV
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WBGU-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Practical Experience Helps BGSU Students Prepare For TV Careers". Fremont News-Messenger. February 1, 1973. p. 17. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- ^ Fry, Danee (February 25, 1973). "19-County Service Area New WBGU Staff Concern". The Lima News. p. A12. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "Bowling Green's TV Switch Slated For Weekend Start". The Lima News. March 18, 1973. p. A12. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "WBGU To Undergo Changes". The Journal-News. July 3, 1986. p. 7. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "Vintage Toledo TV - Random Pages - "Ch. 57 for WBGU-TV Get's Toledoans' Approval" (Sat 4/3/71 Blade Peach Sec)". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
- ^ "DTV - Are you Ready". Wbgu.org.
- ^ Dupont, David. "WBGU-TV wins regional Emmy for ALICE training video – BG Independent News". Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ "The American Woodshop - Home". Wbgu.org.
- ^ "American Woodshop - Search Results". Netaonline.org.
- ^ "Findlay Courier - Potential WBGU spectrum sale". Thecourier.com.
- ^ "The Courier » WBGU-TV staying on UHF, but channel number will change". Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.