WUCF launches despite obstacles

Despite support from the Orlando community, WUCF-TV's process to adopt PBS to its network has not gone without its share of obstacles.

According to Grant Heston, assistant vice president for UCF News and Information, WUCF and WBCC had six weeks to upgrade their reception quality to high definition, reach agreements with cable companies, launch a website and begin broadcasting.

"We did in six weeks what most stations have six months or 16 months to do and that was create a new PBS channel for our community," Heston said.

WUCF is now in partnership with WBCC of Brevard Community College to offer public broadcasting via PBS.

Heston said that funding for WUCF-TV and WBCC has been a challenge from the beginning.

On the same day WUCF-TV launched, July 1, Governor Rick Scott vetoed $4.8 million in funding for public broadcasting.

"The partnership lost about $300,000, and Brevard lost $300,000 plus. We will have to be more aggressive about getting funding and more efficient in how we operate," Heston said.

The "Keep PBS in Orlando" campaign, an initiative to preserve public broadcasting in the area, has made a statewide effort to support WUCF-TV, Anna Eskamani, a senior political science major and co-creator of the campaign, said.

Eskamani said "Keep PBS in Orlando" will help with fundraising in the fall and solicit donations as well as volunteers for WUCF-TV.

"There's always a reason to keep fighting. We're definitely moving forward," Eskamani said in reference to the campaign's support of WUCF-TV.

"We launched a petition with singup.org, as well as photo and video petitions, so we've been emailing people to sign the petition to get an override," Eskamani said. "I've been able to send our promotional video to 26,000 people and have gotten good feedback."

National PBS stations that are affiliated with universities tend to be more successful than free standing stations, Heston said. Funding is expected from UCF, viewer and corporations.

"Support from around the country has been great, and from the state," Heston said. "We plan to listen to the community, hear what they want to see and what they want their channel to be. Ultimately, we want to adjust and create a channel that makes central Florida proud."

UCFTV, now a sub-channel of WUCF-TV, will likely be reinvented with a different mission and a new identity, Heston said.

Heston said UCF's existing relationship with BCC is very important, and that partnerships with the national PBS organization and Bright House Networks are incredibly helpful in WUCF-TV's broadcast.

According to Heston, their "energy, enthusiasm and knowledge have been helpful and a joy to work with."

Kate Junco, director of marketing and media relations for Brevard Community College, agrees.

"The best part of the past few months has been combining the strengths and talents of both institutions together to form something even greater than we could have realized on our own," Junco said.

Heston also credited President John C. Hitt and Brevard Community College for keeping up with the commitment, one which allows more families, like that of UCF alumnus Kian Shafie, to spend more time at home watching family-friendly broadcasting.

"It's nice to be able to watch Saturday evening comedy with the family. I think it's important, especially for the kids who would watch the programs," Shafie said. "Everyone has the opportunities to see those programs. I'm extremely happy and grateful that UCF has adopted PBS."

UCFTV and WUCF-TV are both available for students living on campus. Listings for local channels and cable providers can be found on wucftv.org.