Focus your gaze toward the broadcast tower. It stands tall as a testament to WEDU-TV’s commitment to Tampa. WEDU-TV has served the Tampa Bay area since October 27, 1958. It is a PBS member television station. WEDU transmits from facilities in Riverview Florida.
WEDU began as a service to regional schools. The station aired local and national educational programs. These programs were for schools during the day. In the evenings, WEDU broadcast programs for adults. These evening programs came from National Educational Television. Schools’ use of WEDU’s programming grew in the 1960s. Support reduced in the early 1970s. In early 1980, WEDU moved to its present facility on North Boulevard. The original studios were in a former Navy power plant.
In 1984, WEDU considered switching channels with WTOG-TV. WTOG-TV was a commercial independent station. The deal would have moved WEDU to channel 44. WEDU would have received nearly $50 million in cash and incentives. Hubbard sought channel 3 for WTOG-TV. Hubbard wanted to shed the stigma of being a UHF station. The deal sparked local and national reaction. Other broadcasters decried the proposal. Congress barred the deal. WEDU and Hubbard agreed to move channel 3’s transmitter to WTOG-TV’s tower. This replaced WEDU’s failing facility.
WEDU increased its national programming production in the 1990s. The station did not find promised revenue. Steve Rogers’ management ended with layoffs. Viewer contributions were down. Dick Lobo came out of retirement to run the station. He improved corporate underwriting and financial reputation. In 2017, WEDU absorbed WUSF-TV’s license and programming. The University of South Florida sold its spectrum. WEDU produces local public affairs and cultural programming. It focuses on the Tampa Bay area.
The FCC allocated channel 3 to Tampa for educational broadcasting in 1952. Regional education leaders formed the Florida West Coast Educational Television Corporation. State legislators refused to back the plan initially. The organization reformed in 1955. Groups sought channel 3 for commercial use. This spurred action. Tampa radio station WTSP offered a tower site. Gene Dyer proposed moving channel 3 to Fort Pierce for his use. This heightened the urgency to keep channel 3 educational in Tampa. A steering committee began fundraising. Tampa’s commercial stations contributed.
WSUN-TV offered to swap channel 38 for channel 3. The offer was rebuffed. Florida West Coast Educational Television applied for channel 3 on April 5, 1957. The FCC granted the permit. WEDU announced studios in St. Petersburg and Tampa. It began fundraising drives. The Tampa studios moved into a former Navy power plant. LeRoy Collins attended a fundraising dinner. WTVT trained WEDU staff in television production.
WEDU’s first broadcast was on October 27, 1958. Ceil Hedman taught third-grade reading. Other teachers taught American history Spanish and science. The station aired after-school programs for adults. WEDU also aired programs from National Educational Television.
The St. Petersburg studio opened in 1959. The station broadcast 10 hours a day. WEDU won a Ford Foundation grant. It obtained its first video tape recorder. The station boosted its power. The audience grew steadily. The Tampa facilities expanded. Live NET programming became a reality in 1961. WEDU began weekend broadcasting in 1965. It was the first educational station in Florida with a regular weekend schedule. The station began an annual televised auction in 1968.
In 1964, WEDU and USF proposed a new transmitter facility in Riverview. WEDU began broadcasting from it on August 30, 1966. USF’s station signed on as WUSF-TV on September 11. WUSF-TV focused on local shows and telecourses. WEDU supported WUSF-TV. It provided an outlet for college needs.
WUSF-TV sought more resources. A lobbying battle ensued in 1971. Leaders forced WEDU and WUSF-TV into a motel room to resolve differences. WUSF-TV became a PBS station. The stations agreed not to simulcast programs. WUSF-TV developed an alternative lineup. It became the primary source of local evening programming.
WEDU began color program production in 1971. Florida West Coast Educational Television became Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting in 1974. By the mid-1970s, the Navy power plant was inadequate. A new facility was built on North Boulevard. Construction was overseen by Mark Damen. The studios opened in February 1980.
WEDU experienced financial cutbacks. County governments reduced contributions. New equipment broke down. In September 1980, the station laid off employees. The Spanish-language show Los Nuestro was canceled in 1982. Steve Tyrrell joined WEDU in 1960. He built WEDU’s programming.
Today WEDU continues to broadcast. It provides quality multimedia content. WEDU engages with the community. It offers educational programming for all ages.