WGVU-TV

WGVU-TV / WGVK

WGVU: Grand Rapids, Michigan WGVK: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Branding	WGVU
Slogan	West Michigan Public Broadcasting
Channels	Digital: WGVU: 11 (VHF) WGVK: 5 (VHF)
Affiliations	PBS Create on DT2 MHz Worldview on DT3
Owner	Grand Valley State University
First air date	WGVU: December 17, 1972 WGVK: October 1, 1984
Call letters' meaning	WGVU: Grand Valley State University WGVK: WGVU Kalamazoo
Former callsigns	WGVU: WGVC (1972-1987) WGVK: none
Former channel number(s)	Analog: WGVU: 35 (1972-2009) WGVK: 52 (1984-2009)
Transmitter power	WGVU: 50 kW (digital) WGVK: 10 kW (digital)
Height	WGVU: 238 m (digital) WGVK: 169 m (digital)
Facility ID	WGVU: 24784 WGVK: 24783
Transmitter coordinates	WGVU: 42°57′35″N 85°53′45″W WGVK: 42°18′23″N 85°39′25″W
Website	www.wgvu.org/tv

WGVU-TV is the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member public television station for West Michigan, broadcasting on channel 35 (digital 11) in Grand Rapids. It operates a full-time satellite, WGVK, channel 52 (digital 5) in Kalamazoo. Both are owned by Grand Valley State University.

Its studios are located in the Meijer Public Broadcast Center, located in the Eberhard Center on the GVSU Pew Campus, and have been there since 1986. Prior to that, they were located in the basement of Manitou Hall on GVSU's Allendale campus.

The call letters originally referred to Grand Valley State College when Channel 35 signed on in 1972 as WGVC-TV. It became WGVU in 1987 when Grand Valley State was elevated to university status.

WGVC-TV's signal was somewhat marginal in the southern portion of the vast West Michigan market (Kalamazoo and Battle Creek) due to the presence of WNIT in South Bend, on adjacent channel 34. In much of this area, WGVC-TV could only be seen on cable. This was very similar to what faced the area's main ABC affiliate, WZZM-TV. To make up for this shortfall in coverage, Grand Valley State signed on WGVK in 1984.

Programming

Weekly

• Ask The... is a live call-in show about a specific topic. Shelley Irwin is the host. It airs Thursdays at 6:00pm.
• Grand Valley State Sports Report (formerly GV Sports), hosted by Brent Ashcroft, covers Grand Valley State University athletics. During the sports seasons it airs Mondays at 6pm and 11pm. It doesn't air during the summer.
• West Michigan Week discusses the week's news. Patrick Center hosts the show. It airs Fridays at 9:30pm.
• WGVU Newsmakers profiles people and issues. Hosted by Patrick Center, it airs Wednesdays at 6:00pm.

Specials

• WGVU Community Connection is a monthly program hosted by Shelley Irwin. It spotlights non-profit agencies in West Michigan.
• WGVU Family Health Matters covers health issues.

Documentaries

• WGVU produces documentaries. Notable documentaries are LZ Michigan, Time and Chance: Gerald Ford's Appointment with History, Surviving Auschwitz: Children of the Shoah and Defying Hitler.

Fundraising

• WGVU holds regular pledge drives with PBS.

Digital television

WGVU & WGVK carry four digital subchannels:

Subchannel	Programming Service	Programming Description
35/52.1	WGVU HD	WGVU's traditional schedule in 1080i high definition; standard definition programs are shown with pillarboxing.
35/52.2	WGVU Create	Programming from the digital subchannel lifestyle and instructional network without deviation for local programing.
35/52.3	MHz Worldview	International news and programming from the digital subchannel network without deviation for local programming.
35/52.4	Schedule & radio	A 480i scrolling still screen featuring schedule information for the three services above, and background audio from sister station WGVU/WGVS (AM), which features an oldies format. WGVU-FM is available through the SAP channel.

External links

• WGVU Broadcasting
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WGVU
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WGVK
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WGVU-TV
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WGVK-TV
• Laker Watchbox
• WGVU Online Auction