WBGU-TV to drop PBS in June

[ChrisWL1980]

The station will also cancel all of its locally produced programming and air The Ohio Channel full time.

https://bgindependentmedia.org/wbgu-tv- ... e-30-2026/

[edj]

They are Lima’s official PBS affiliate, while an afterthought in Toledo, always has been. I’m surprised they aren’t just shutting off the transmitter while trying to sell to a religious broadcaster.

[MWmetalhead]

The Celina area has a Dayton PBS translator on channel 25. Lima is barely within its service contour. Certainly receivable with a decent outdoor antenna from Lima.

WBGU-TV booms into Findlay whereas WGTE is much weaker.

[CurlyHoward]

They are Lima’s official PBS affiliate, while an afterthought in Toledo, always has been. I’m surprised they aren’t just shutting off the transmitter while trying to sell to a religious broadcaster.

Now that you mention it, wouldn't it make more sense to just do that? Take the money the God Squad gives you for channel 27 and apply it towards what they want to do streaming wise for the university.

[CD 94.7]

.

[edj]

As a non-com, they aren’t worth much despite cable coverage in the Toledo and Lima markets. The only realistic buyer would be a religious broadcaster.

If they can convince the FCC to remove non-com status, probably not much more. Toledo is a falling market, and considering WUPW is run by WTOL and WNWO is a dumpster fire, there’s isn’t much of a reason to invest. If they can wrestle NBC away from 24, they lose cable coverage in Lima as WLIO would invoke the non duplication rule.

Moving the tower closer to Toledo, if even technically possible, probably isn’t worth it financially.

[MWmetalhead]

I wonder how they expect to meet fundraising goals by running The Ohio Channel as primary programming?

BGSU probably should've sold the station years ago at the FCC's UHF spectrum auction. They reportedly were considering doing so but withdrew from the process in the late going.

[WOHO]

I was surprised talking to a 60yr old last week, he indicated that pretty much all weekend he is/was a WBGU-TV viewer. He has only an antenna, so where he's in Wood Country, he has a decent signal to work with. He is not real happy about that- in an ideal world, WBGU would at least be a WGTE 30.7 subchannel and still carry locally-produced BG programming? Would that be do-able? Unfortunately, it doesn't by you the Deshler Ohio coverage area though. There is still value in the PBS programming as my young grandkids watch it quite frequently at Grandpa's house, in--fact, that know how to grab the remote and push all the button too!

[MWmetalhead]

PBS Kids does indeed have excellent programming.

[WOHO]

Can someone please clarify to me why wbgu TV can't run first run NPR shows anymore? Is it simply too high of a cost or is it because of losing the subsidies that Mr Rogers earned for them decades ago from the United States government?

[CurlyHoward]

Apparently WBGU has partnered up with WGTE for the latter to take over channel 27 and keep PBS programming going on there effective July:

https://www.wgte.org/blog/wgte-public-m ... rthwestern

[80sTalkRadioFan]

This is a much better solution than running the "Ohio Channel" 24/7.

[WOHO]

Thank you

[edj]

It doesn’t appear to be a straight simulcast, instead just sharing programming.