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The
skyline of Peoria is shining brightly tonight because
WCBU
has a terrific future with WGLT
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According
to a press release distributed on Thursday (4/18) by WCBU [link], Peoria Public Radio
[link], Bradley University and Illinois State University have reached an
agreement for WGLT to take over operations of WCBU.
The
future of WCBU has been in doubt since August 2018 when Bradley announced their
intention to not relocate the station when its current offices and studios on
the Bradley campus are demolished later in 2019. Bradley officials discussed combining
operations with several other public broadcast organizations before deciding
the WGLT was the best fit.
It
is anticipated that WGLT will take over the management, programming and
financial responsibility of WCBU on June 1, 2019.
Bradley will still own the
license of WCBU. A management agreement was finalized on Wednesday (4/17). The
agreement says all operations will transfer to WGLT during a transition period
that ends September 30, 2019.
Soon
after June 1, WCBU will become a full-time NPR News/Talk station and increase
its local news services. Classical music will move to WCBU’s HD-2 channel. The
HD-2 signal will be simulcast on WGLT’s Peoria translator at 103.5 FM. In other words, WCBU will operate two
discrete programming streams FM in Peoria by this summer.
WGLT
in Bloomington/Normal will continue it’s current NPR News/Jazz music format. WCBU
will operate from a studio in Morgan Hall on the Bradley University camp
WGLT
will lease the station’s space.
The
consolidation means that WBCU will reduce its staff from six full-time employees
to five. Current WCBU staffers will be able to apply for the jobs under the new
management.
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| R.C. McBride |
R.C.
McBride, soon to be General Manager of the combined WGLT and WCBU stations said
in the press release:
“Operational roles will
be combined with staff in Bloomington-Normal, but there will be staff committed
solely to WCBU and they will be housed on Bradley’s campus.”
ISU
will handle all financial contributions made to WCBU. Those funds will be put
into a separate account to be used solely for WCBU’s operations.
All
WCBU fundraising will be handled by ISU effective June 1. The agreement
specifies that Illinois State University will maintain a separate account for
all donations to Peoria Public Radio.
Bradley
University and Illinois State have the option of renewing the agreement after five
years.
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KEN SAYS: It is nice to end the
week with positive station news after dealing with the train wreck at KHSU.
Congratulations to RC McBride for taking the lead and bringing the two stations
together.
It
is good to see two very different universities work together and do the right.
We appreciate ISU’s commitment to public radio with a wider footprint. Plus it refreshing
to see Bradley make a forthright decision to leave the radio business but
assure listeners that WCBU will continue to serve Peoria. Bravo!
WCBU already have has 2 seperate program streams. HD1 is all news now since March 2011. HD2 has been Classical since then. The only difference will be that Classical WCBU HD2 will get a translator at 103.5 in Peoria sometime this summer that currently simulcasts WGLT.
ReplyDeleteWGLT airs Blues music midnight to 400 plus Blues Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. I do not see only Jazz on their schedule. WGLT dropped Jazz awhile ago. Wikipedia says in 2013.