View source for WSIU-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Carbondale, Illinois}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{redirect-distinguish|WUSI-TV|KUSI-TV}}
{{Infobox television station dual
| name1 = WSIU-TV
| city1 = [[Carbondale, Illinois]]
| logo = WSIU PBS NPR logo.png
| logo_size = 240px
| branding = PBS WSIU
| digital1 = 8 ([[VHF]])
| virtual1 = 8
| translators = 28 (DRT) [[Cape Girardeau, MO]]
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''8.1/16.1:''' [[PBS]]|''for others, see {{Section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner = [[Southern Illinois University]]
| licensee = Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University
| country = United States
| airdate1 = {{start date and age|1961|11|06|p=y}}
| callsign_meaning1 = Southern Illinois University
| sister_stations = {{ubl|TV: [[WSEC|WSEC/WMEC/WQEC]]|Radio: [[WSIU (FM)|WSIU/WUSI/WVSI]]}}
| former_callsigns1 = WSIU (CP, 1959–1960)<ref name="wsiuhc">{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=84281 |title= History Cards for WSIU-TV|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards|Guide to reading History Cards]])<!--Converted from {{FCC letter}}--></ref>
| former_channel_numbers1 = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 8 (VHF, 1961–2009)|'''Digital:''' 40 ([[UHF]], until 2009)}}
| former_affiliations1 = [[National Educational Television|NET]] (1961–1970)
| erp1 = 53 [[kW]]
| haat1 = {{convert|271.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id1 = 4297
| coordinates1 = {{coord|38|6|11|N|89|14|40|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.wsiu.org/}}
| name2 = WUSI-TV
| city2 = [[Olney, Illinois]]
| digital2 = 23 (UHF)
| virtual2 = 16
| airdate2 = {{start date and age|1968|08|19|p=y}}
| callsign_meaning2 = anagram of WSIU
| former_affiliations2 = NET (1968–1970)
| former_channel_numbers2 = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 16 (UHF, 1968–2009)|'''Digital:''' 19 (UHF, until 2020)}}
| erp2 = 46 kW
| haat2 = {{convert|283.8|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id2 = 4301
| coordinates2 = {{coord|38|50|19|N|88|7|47|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WUSI-TV}}
}}
'''WSIU-TV''' (channel 8) is a [[PBS]] member [[television station]] in [[Carbondale, Illinois]], United States. It is owned by [[Southern Illinois University Carbondale|Southern Illinois University]] alongside [[NPR]] member [[WSIU (FM)|WSIU]] (91.9 FM). The two stations share studios on the university's campus in Carbondale; WSIU-TV's transmitter is located along [[U.S. Route 51 in Illinois|US 51]] near [[Tamaroa, Illinois]].

WSIU also operates full-time simulcast '''WUSI-TV''' (channel 16) in [[Olney, Illinois]]; from a transmitter on North Shipley Road (County Road 900 E) near [[Dundas, Illinois|Dundas]], WUSI-TV serves the southeastern part of the state, including Olney and [[Effingham, Illinois|Effingham]], and also covers [[Vincennes, Indiana]]. A digital replacement translator of WSIU-TV is located in [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri]], on UHF channel 28. SIU also owns [[WSEC]], based in [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]], which leads a three-station network serving viewers in Springfield, [[Macomb, Illinois|Macomb]], and [[Quincy, Illinois|Quincy]].

==History==
SIU had been interested in educational television since 1950, but the educational television channel assigned to Carbondale—UHF channel 61—was deemed unsuitable as unable to cover a wide area. In 1958, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) assigned VHF channel 8 in its stead, and the university announced it would file to use it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80465189/|accessdate=June 28, 2021|date=March 23, 1958|page=1|work=The Southern Illinoisan|title=Channel OK'd For Carbondale: SIU Eyes VHF TV Station}}</ref> The FCC granted the WSIU construction permit on November 18, 1959, and add the -TV suffix to its call sign on January 1, 1960.<ref name="wsiuhc"/> Over the course of 1961, construction on the transmitter experienced a series of setbacks, but the station began broadcasting educational programs to 70 area schools on November 6, 1961.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37505873/wsiu-tv-goes-on-air/|accessdate=June 28, 2021|page=3|work=The Southern Illinoisan|title=70 Schools Get Programs: WSIU-TV Goes On Air|date=November 6, 1961}}</ref>

In 1966, SIU obtained a construction permit to build a UHF station in Olney to rebroadcast WSIU-TV and expand its coverage area.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80465550/|accessdate=June 28, 2021|title=SIU Olney Satellite: TV Station Airing Planned|date=September 22, 1968|work=The Herald and Review|page=45}}</ref> WUSI-TV signed on August 19, 1968.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80465644/|accessdate=June 28, 2021|title=WUSI-TV Channel 16 Has Good Signal Reception|date=October 3, 1968|page=4|work=The Kinmundy Express}}</ref> From 1980 to 1982, the Olney station produced limited opt-out programming from the Carbondale station after receiving a $420,000 grant for equipment; however, budget cuts at SIU and the [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]] led to these programs being dropped.<ref name="Dail800711">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103961605/sius-olney-station-gets-420000-grant/|date=July 11, 1980|page=7|title=SIU's Olney station gets $420,000 grant|newspaper=Daily Republican-Register|location=Mount Carmel, Illinois|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 18, 2022}}</ref><!-- Fri --><ref name="Hera820415">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103961580/siu-will-continue-operating-olney-tv-sta/|date=April 15, 1982|page=A6|first=Dana|last=Cvetan|title=SIU will continue operating Olney TV station|newspaper=Herald and Review|location=Decatur, Illinois|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 18, 2022}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

==Programming==
During Southern Illinois University's academic year, WSIU-TV broadcast a live student-produced newscast, ''River Region Evening Edition'', which airs Monday through Thursday (on days when classes are held) at 5&nbsp;p.m., with repeats of ''WSIU InFocus'' shown on Friday at 5&nbsp;p.m. Three other student-produced programs also air on WSIU/WUSI, ''[[alt.news 26:46]]'', ''Studio A'', and ''Scholastic Hi-Q''. Both ''alt.news 26:46'' and ''Studio A'' occasionally air on the station on Sundays at 10&nbsp;p.m. with ''Scholastic Hi-Q'' airing each Sunday at 5&nbsp;p.m. Since WUSI-TV operates as a full-time satellite of WSIU-TV, it simulcasts the programs produced from WSIU-TV, with no [[local insertion]].

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The stations' signals are [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:

{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WSIU-TV<ref>[https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WSIU RabbitEars TV Query for WSIU]</ref> and WUSI-TV<ref>[https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WUSI#station RabbitEars TV Query for WUSI]</ref>
! scope = "col" colspan="2"|[[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" colspan="2"|Short name
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|Programming
|-
! scope = "col" | {{small|WSIU-TV}}||{{small|WUSI-TV}} || {{small|WSIU-TV}}||{{small|WUSI-TV}}
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.1 || 16.1 
| [[720p]] || rowspan=5| [[16:9]] || WSIU || WUSI HD || [[PBS]]  
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.2 || 16.2 
| rowspan="4" |[[480i]] || style="text-align: center;" colspan=2|WORLD || [[World (TV channel)|World]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.3 || 16.3 
| style="text-align: center;" colspan=2|CREATE || [[Create (TV network)|Create]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.4 || 16.4 
| style="text-align: center;" colspan=2|KIDS247 || [[PBS Kids]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.5 || 16.5 
| style="text-align: center;" colspan=2|WSIU FM || Audio simulcast of [[WSIU (FM)|WSIU]] with DTV reception information
|}

===Translator===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Location
! Call sign
! Channel
! [[effective radiated power|ERP]]
! [[HAAT]]
! [[Facility ID]]
! Transmitter coordinates
|-
|| [[Cape Girardeau, MO]] ||'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|4297|3=WSIU-TV (DRT)}}'''|| 28 || 5&nbsp;kW || {{convert|202|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || 4297 || {{coord|37|24|23|N|89|33|44|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WSIU-TV (DRT)}}
|}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WSIU-TV shut down its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 8, at 9 p.m. on January 29, 2009. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition [[UHF]] channel 40 to VHF channel 8 for post-transition operations.<ref name="Digital assignments">{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/01/22/breaking_news/doc4977b322898c3561948013.txt WSIU sets digital conversion for later this month], PETE ROSENBERY, SIUC University, January 22, 2009 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125042908/http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/01/22/breaking_news/doc4977b322898c3561948013.txt |date=January 25, 2009 }}</ref>

WUSI-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 16, at 9 p.m. on February 17, 2009, the original target date on which full-power television stations in the United States were to [[Digital television transition in the United States|transition from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate (which was later pushed back to June 12, 2009). The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 19,<ref name="Digital assignments"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/02/05/breaking_news/doc498b49384ba24582324724.txt |access-date=March 24, 2023 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210171606/http://southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/02/05/breaking_news/doc498b49384ba24582324724.txt |archive-date=February 10, 2009 |title=DTV switch delay will keep some local stations on analog longer |first=Caleb |last=Hale |date=February 5, 2009 |publisher=The Southern}}</ref> using [[virtual channel]] 16.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.wsiu.org/ Official website]

{{Paducah TV}}
{{THTV}}
{{Evansville TV}}
{{CDSTV}}
{{St Louis TV}}
{{Illinois TV}}
{{Missouri TV}}
{{Kentucky TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wsiu-Tv}}
[[Category:1961 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Carbondale, Illinois]]
[[Category:Companies based in Jackson County, Illinois]]
[[Category:PBS member stations]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1961|WSIU]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1968|WUSI]]
[[Category:Television stations in the Paducah–Cape Girardeau–Harrisburg market]]