Bright House Networks will carry WUCF TV, Central Florida’s primary PBS channel, on digital cable channels 1 and 1001 throughout Central Florida, expanding our community’s access to high-quality PBS and local programming.
WUCF TV, a partnership of the University of Central Florida and Brevard Community College, will become Central Florida’s new home for the full PBS schedule starting Friday, July 1. Bright House Networks, the region’s largest cable provider, will carry WUCF TV on digital cable channel 1 in standard definition and channel 1001 in high definition in Orange, Brevard, Seminole, Osceola, Flagler, Volusia, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.
“Thanks to this prime location on Bright House Networks, WUCF TV can now say, ‘We’re No. 1,'” said Grant J. Heston, UCF’s assistant vice president for News & Information and WUCF TV. “UCF and BCC are proud to save PBS and its award-winning programming for all of Central Florida. This fantastic agreement ensures that our community can continue to watch PBS uninterrupted.”
Bright House Networks’ basic cable subscribers will be able to tune into WUCF TV on channel 99 in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties; channel 5 in Brevard County; channel 21 in Flagler and Volusia counties; and channel 20 in Lake County. PBS already is available in non-digital format in Marion and Sumter counties through other affiliates.
“The new PBS offering is an exciting addition for our Central Florida customers,” said Donald Forbes, senior director, Corporate Communications, Bright House Networks. “We look forward to working with them on offering advanced digital video services like On Demand, Start Over and Look Back to our mutual customers.”
Brevard Community College’s television station, WBCC, will broadcast WUCF TV. The college also will continue broadcasting both partners’ institutional channels, WBCC and UCFTV. WBCC will be carried on digital channel 9 in Brevard County beginning July 1, and UCFTV will be carried on digital channel 9 in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.
WBCC and UCFTV also will be found on digital channels 456 and 457 throughout all Central Florida counties that will receive WUCF TV. In addition, WUCF TV will be available on digital channel 455, and WBCC+ will be carried on channel 458. WBCC+ will provide a variety of programming, including Classic Arts Showcase and content from the Florida Channel.
“Our goal is to provide public television access to the broadest number of Central Florida viewers as possible, and we believe this agreement delivers that,” said Kate Junco, Brevard Community College’s director of Marketing and Media Relations. “We look forward to serving viewers as Central Florida’s new home for PBS.”
UCF and BCC formed their WUCF TV partnership in April after WMFE announced it was ending its PBS affiliation as of June 30.
WUCF TV will be the community’s channel, first providing a direct programming schedule from PBS and later introducing other favorite public broadcasting programming and first-class local content about the Central Florida community.
WUCF TV will broadcast PBS’ Emmy-award winning news and public affairs, history, drama and performing arts programming, including the PBS NEWSHOUR, MASTERPIECE and NOVA.
WUCF TV also will broadcast seven hours of PBS KIDS programming each weekday. PBS KIDS is the nation’s most trusted educational media brand and has been proven to help children succeed in the classroom and in life. The schedule will include such curriculum-based series as SESAME STREET, CURIOUS GEORGE, DINOSAUR TRAIN and many others.
For more information about PBS’ new home in Central Florida, including a detailed listing of where to watch WUCF TV and programming schedules, visit https://wucftv.org. You can also join our Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Public broadcasting supporters can make donations through the website and sign up for email updates about shows and schedules. Plans for memberships and a community advisory board are under development.
Where Other Viewers Will Find WUCF TV, WBCC and UCFTV:
Over the air: WUCF TV will be carried on digital channel 68.1, WBCC on 68.2, UCFTV on 68.3 and WBCC+ on 68.4
Comcast: WUCF TV will be carried in high definition on channel 440. For non-digital subscribers, it will be found on channel 99 in Orange, Osceola and Polk counties and Celebration and on channel 21 in Lake and Sumter counties and in DeBary and surrounding areas of Volusia County.
Satellite providers: WUCF TV will be shown on channel 68 on DIRECTV, Dish Network and U-verse. High-definition channel listings for those satellite providers will be posted as soon as they become available at https://wucftv.org.