1958-present
WJCT Milestones
- 1958. On September 10, “Channel 7” begins broadcasting as the community’s educational television station. WJCT fills its first month with national educational programming.
- 1967. President Johnson signs the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, and Channel 7 becomes known as a “public” TV station.
- 1968. WJCT receives a national grant from the Ford Foundation to produce an innovative series called Feedback. The nation’s first interactive public affairs program, the series facilitated community-wide town hall meetings and soon became the most copied public affairs format on public TV.
- 1968. Long before the debut of the “mini-cam,” WJCT devises the “mini-mote.” The compact, two-camera portable unit permits live broadcasting from any location and facilitates gavel-to-gavel coverage of public meetings and debates.
- 1972. “Stereo 90”, Jacksonville’s public radio station, goes on the air.
- 1977. WJCT invests $1.3 million in a partnership with city and federal governments, creating Metropolitan Park for First Coast residents and obtaining rights to park access for special events.
- 1993. WJCT launches Radio Reading Service, an information and entertainment service for the visually-impaired.
- 1997. WJCT becomes a “Ready to Learn” station, committing a significant portion of its weekly daytime schedule to educational PBS children’s programs in support of national and local school readiness and family literacy goals.
- 2003. On May 1, WJCT-TV begins broadcasting from its digital transmitter, in compliance with FCC guidelines. The digital broadcast successfully concludes a five-year effort, during which the station successfully built and launched a second television station (in addition to its analog station).
- 2003. WJCT launches First Coast Forum, an interactive community forum simulcast live on WJCT-TV and WJCT-FM.
- 2005. WJCT officially launches digital “multicasting,” and the Times-Union soon says that WJCT is “ahead of the curve” in digital offerings. Today, WJCT-DT’s offerings include WJCT HD (high-definition), WJCT Kids, WJCT Create (do-it-yourself), WJCT PBS World (nonfiction programming), WJCT & Partners (Florida and the First Coast), and the Florida Knowledge Network (classroom programs).
- 2005. In November, 89.9 FM WJCT begins broadcasting in digital, becoming the first full-power radio broadcaster in North Florida to offer an HD radio service.
- 2006. In May, 89.9 FM begins broadcasting 89.9 HD Arts, becoming the first full-power radio broadcaster in North Florida to broadcast a second full HD radio stream. Today, 89.9 HD also offers a third stream, NOAA Weather Radio.
