WBGU-TV
Encyclopedia
WBGU-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) member Public television station in Bowling Green, Ohio
operated by the Bowling Green State University
. Unlike its companion radio station
, WBGU (FM)
, WBGU-TV is not primarily operated by student
s at the university
.
The station was founded in 1964 and currently operates at the Tucker Center for Telecommunications on the BGSU campus. (While officially part of the BGSU campus, the Tucker Center is actually located two blocks south of Wooster Street, which marks much of the southern boundary of the campus.) Each weekday during the academic term of public schools
in the Great Black Swamp
region, WBGU-TV broadcasts six hours of educational programming provided (and, in some cases, created) by the Northwest Ohio Educational Technology Foundation. The NWOET is operated at the Tucker Center, but is a non-profit state agency separate from the university.
but operating in Bowling Green) broadcast for the first time, and, unusually for a U.S. television station, would undergo two frequency changes in its first two decades. The station first operated on channel 70, and moved to channel 57 in 1973; it would move to channel 27 in 1986. 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 (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
; depending on the antenna used, WBGU's signal could be tuned in as far west as Fort Wayne and as far north as southwestern Washtenaw County, Michigan
and Windsor, Ontario
.
In Toledo, Buckeye Cablesystem carries WBGU-TV on cable channel 57, which is, ironically, the station's previous channel number on the UHF dial.
WBGU began broadcasting digitally in August 2003. The digital signal is multiplexed
:
Digital Channels>
Channel
Programming
27.1
Main WBGU programming / PBS
27.2
WBGU Kids
6:00am–10:00pm
WBGU Encore (locally produced programs) 10:00pm–6:00am
27.3
Create
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS) member Public television station in Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...
operated by the Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
. Unlike its companion radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, WBGU (FM)
WBGU (FM)
WBGU is an American non-commercial, college radio station licensed to serve Bowling Green, Ohio, USA. The station, established in 1951, is owned and operated by Bowling Green State University....
, WBGU-TV is not primarily operated by student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s at the university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
.
The station was founded in 1964 and currently operates at the Tucker Center for Telecommunications on the BGSU campus. (While officially part of the BGSU campus, the Tucker Center is actually located two blocks south of Wooster Street, which marks much of the southern boundary of the campus.) Each weekday during the academic term of public schools
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
in the Great Black Swamp
Great Black Swamp
The Great Black Swamp, or simply Black Swamp, was a glacially caused wetland in northwest Ohio, United States, extending into extreme northeastern Indiana, that existed from the end of the Wisconsin glaciation until the late 19th century...
region, WBGU-TV broadcasts six hours of educational programming provided (and, in some cases, created) by the Northwest Ohio Educational Technology Foundation. The NWOET is operated at the Tucker Center, but is a non-profit state agency separate from the university.
History
On February 10, 1964, WBGU-TV (originally licensed to LimaLima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
but operating in Bowling Green) broadcast for the first time, and, unusually for a U.S. television station, would undergo two frequency changes in its first two decades. The station first operated on channel 70, and moved to channel 57 in 1973; it would move to channel 27 in 1986. 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
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
on channel 39 (later to affiliate with Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
' WFYI), which became full-powered WFWA
WFWA
WFWA is a Public television station in Fort Wayne, Indiana, broadcasting locally on channel 39 as a Public Broadcasting Service member station. Bruce Haines is the current president and general manager of WFWA.-History:...
in 1985.
Today, WBGU-TV broadcasts to nineteen counties in northwestern and west central Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
including the markets
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and Lima
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
; depending on the antenna used, WBGU's signal could be tuned in as far west as Fort Wayne and as far north as southwestern Washtenaw County, Michigan
Washtenaw County, Michigan
Washtenaw County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 344,791. Its county seat is Ann Arbor. The United States Office of Management and Budget defines the county as part of the Detroit–Warren–Flint Combined Statistical Area...
and Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
.
In Toledo, Buckeye Cablesystem carries WBGU-TV on cable channel 57, which is, ironically, the station's previous channel number on the UHF dial.
Digital TV
WBGU-TV stopped transmitting both its analog signal on channel 27 and its pre-transition digital signal on channel 56 at midnight on Sunday, December 14, 2008, transmitting only a digital signal on channel 27 since Monday, December 15, 2008.WBGU began broadcasting digitally in August 2003. The digital signal is multiplexed
Multiplexing
The multiplexed signal is transmitted over a communication channel, which may be a physical transmission medium. The multiplexing divides the capacity of the low-level communication channel into several higher-level logical channels, one for each message signal or data stream to be transferred...
:
PBS Kids
PBS Kids is the brand for children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States founded in 1993. As with all PBS programming, PBS Kids programming is non-commercial. It is aimed at children ages 2 to 10...
6:00am–10:00pm
WBGU Encore (locally produced programs) 10:00pm–6:00am