WLVT-TV

WLVT-TV is a nonprofit public television station licensed to Allentown, Pennsylvania, and serving the Lehigh Valley. It operates under the PBS39 identity and is owned by the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation, which conducts business as Lehigh Valley Public Media. The organization also operates or is associated with WPPT, Lehigh Valley News, and WLVR-FM, a public radio station owned by Lehigh University and co-managed by Lehigh Valley Public Media. WLVT-TV and WLVR-FM share facilities at the Univest Public Media Center on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, while the television station's transmitter is located on South Mountain near Allentown. The station traces its origins to a broader effort to expand educational television in Pennsylvania. UHF channel 39 had been assigned to Allentown for commercial use in 1952, but the proposed commercial station was never built and the authorization was ultimately deleted by the Federal Communications Commission in 1960. Local educational and civic interests subsequently sought to reserve the frequency for noncommercial broadcasting. The Lehigh Valley Educational Television Corporation was incorporated in 1962, and channel 39 was reserved for educational use in 1963. The organization received a construction permit in 1965 and began broadcasting on September 7 of that year, initially presenting an orientation program for schools, followed by regular daytime educational programming and evening programs from National Educational Television, the predecessor of PBS. During its early decades, WLVT-TV combined classroom-oriented programming with locally produced coverage of regional life. Its output included broadcasts of local sports, election returns, school-related programs, and community affairs. The station transitioned to color production in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1975 it introduced Scholastic Scrimmage, a high-school quiz competition that became one of its most durable local programs and continued to be produced for decades. The station also used an annual televised auction as a major fundraising mechanism. WLVT-TV experienced a major institutional crisis in the early 1990s after disclosures that long-serving manager Sheldon Siegel had encouraged volunteers to place fictitious bids during station auctions. The practice inflated apparent bidding activity and helped move items that were attracting little interest. Siegel acknowledged the conduct and retired in 1994 after nearly three decades of leadership. The revelations prompted scrutiny from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office, changes to the station's board and governance procedures, and a reduction in federal support. The controversy coincided with large operating deficits, legal expenses, and a loss of members. The station responded with management changes, new financial controls, staff reductions, and programming cuts, eventually stabilizing more quickly than initially expected. The station adopted the Lehigh Valley PBS brand in 1998, partly to address inconsistent cable channel numbering. Under that identity it consolidated several local-interest programs into the public-affairs series Lehigh Valley Tempo and later developed related programs including Tempo PublicSquare and Tempo InDepth. WLVT-TV launched a digital signal in 2000, including an instructional Digital Learning Center subchannel, and completed its transition to digital broadcasting in 2009. During the Great Recession, a sharp reduction in Pennsylvania public-television support led to the cancellation or suspension of some local projects and a substantial staff reduction. A long-planned move to the former Bethlehem Steel site culminated in the opening of the PBS39 Public Media Center at SteelStacks in June 2011. The approximately 29,228-square-foot facility included two studios, an audience studio, and a community room for nonprofit and civic use. Public funds, tax credits, and private support covered most of the development cost. The facility later carried corporate naming rights and is now known as the Univest Public Media Center. In 2012, WLVT-TV became a secondary PBS station, allowing WHYY-TV in Philadelphia to hold first rights to PBS programming and reducing WLVT's PBS membership costs. In the late 2010s, the organization broadened its public-media portfolio. WLVT-TV sold its broadcast spectrum in the 2017 FCC incentive auction and used proceeds in part to expand television and related services. Lehigh Valley Public Media subsequently acquired the WPPT television license, began operating WLVR-FM with Lehigh University, and launched Lehigh Valley News. Alongside national PBS content, WLVT-TV continues to produce programming focused on Lehigh Valley news, public affairs, education, culture, and community life.

WLVT-TV's channel history began with UHF channel 39, which the FCC assigned to Allentown for commercial use in 1952. A proposed commercial station received authorization, but construction never occurred. The permit was eventually deleted in 1960 after the prospective operator argued that UHF stations faced serious disadvantages, including limited UHF receiver penetration and competition from established VHF stations in nearby major markets. The unused frequency became relevant to Pennsylvania's expanding educational-television plans. A state advisory report in 1962 recommended additional educational stations, including one serving the Allentown area. Local school districts, universities, and civic interests formed the Lehigh Valley Educational Television Corporation in December 1962. Pennsylvania successfully sought noncommercial reservation of channel 39, and the corporation filed its application in 1964. Because the originally proposed transmitter location conflicted with an airport approach, the station adopted a different studio and transmitter arrangement on South Mountain. The FCC issued a construction permit in March 1965, and construction began soon afterward. WLVT-TV's first telecast occurred on September 7, 1965. Its early schedule emphasized daytime courses for schools and evening programming from National Educational Television. The station initially operated for only a limited number of hours each day but filled an important regional role because it was the Lehigh Valley's first successfully established television station after earlier UHF efforts had failed. The Pennsylvania Public Television Network began providing statewide programming in 1969, and PBS replaced NET as the principal national public-broadcasting service in 1970. The station gradually developed its technical and local-production capacity. It approved color transmission in 1967 and obtained color cameras in 1970. Local output included high-school and college sports, election coverage, school features, and other community programs. Scholastic Scrimmage, introduced in the 1970s, became the station's best-known continuing local production. An annual auction fundraiser also became an important source of revenue, and WLVT was regarded as comparatively successful among public television stations at raising money through such events. Long-serving manager Sheldon Siegel was associated with the station from before its launch and remained its central executive for almost three decades. His administration was credited with financial discipline and reserve building, but in 1993 former development officials disclosed that he had directed volunteers to make fictitious auction bids. Siegel acknowledged the practice. The controversy exposed weaknesses in governance, intensified disagreements within the station's board, and raised questions about financial reporting and management authority. It also involved an undisclosed legal effort concerning the proposed entry of Philadelphia public station WYBE into the Pennsylvania public-television network. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Pennsylvania authorities investigated. CPB withheld support during an audit and later reduced grant support connected with auction matching funds. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office found violations of state unfair-practices law but did not impose a fine because the station was a nonprofit. Siegel retired in 1994. The station expanded its community advisory structure, added board members, and adopted stronger financial checks and balances. At the same time, deficits, litigation expenses, and membership losses forced austerity measures. James Baum became the next full-time manager in 1995 and reduced staffing while working to restore financial balance. The station recovered more quickly than expected and later achieved strong fundraising results; litigation associated with the controversy continued into the decade. In 1998, the station adopted the Lehigh Valley PBS name. It reorganized local programming around the public-affairs magazine Lehigh Valley Tempo, later adding Tempo PublicSquare and Tempo InDepth. Digital broadcasting began in 2000, with an educational subchannel known as the Digital Learning Center. The station moved fully to digital transmission in 2009, when its digital signal shifted to channel 39 after the national transition. That same period brought major financial pressure: Pennsylvania reduced public-television support during the Great Recession, leading to programming cancellations and a staff reduction from 43 employees to 23. Planning for a new facility at the former Bethlehem Steel complex began in the 2000s. With restricted state funds, tax credits, and private support, WLVT developed the PBS39 Public Media Center as part of the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus. The 29,228-square-foot facility opened in June 2011 and included two studios, a studio configured for an audience of approximately 100 people, and a community room for nonprofit organizations. The facility later received corporate naming-rights sponsorship and is now identified as the Univest Public Media Center. In 2012, WLVT became a secondary PBS station, enabling it to reduce PBS membership costs while giving WHYY-TV first rights to national PBS programs. The organization subsequently broadened its public-media activities. In 2017, WLVT sold its spectrum through the FCC incentive auction and used some proceeds to strengthen programming and related services. Lehigh Valley Public Media later added the WPPT television license, worked with Lehigh University in operating WLVR-FM, and launched Lehigh Valley News. Today, WLVT-TV combines PBS and other national public-media content with local programs about Lehigh Valley government, education, culture, news, and community life.

• 2017

  Spectrum sold through incentive auction

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WLVT sold its broadcast spectrum and used part of the proceeds for public-media expansion.

• 2012

  Station becomes a secondary PBS outlet

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WLVT changed its PBS status to lower membership costs while WHYY-TV retained first rights to PBS programming.

• 2011

  SteelStacks public-media center opens

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WLVT moved into a new production and community facility at the former Bethlehem Steel site.

• 2009

  Digital transition completed

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station became digital-only and moved its digital transmission to channel 39.

• 2000

  Digital broadcasting begins

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WLVT launched a digital signal and an instructional Digital Learning Center subchannel.

• 1998

  Lehigh Valley PBS brand introduced

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WLVT adopted the Lehigh Valley PBS identity to address differing cable channel assignments.

• 1994

  Sheldon Siegel retires amid auction controversy

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Siegel left the station after the auction-rigging disclosures, while the board implemented governance and financial reforms.

• 1980

  Operating corporation renamed

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The organization adopted the name Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation while considering expansion into public radio.

• 1975

  Scholastic Scrimmage debuts

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station introduced its long-running high-school quiz competition.

• 1965

  WLVT-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WLVT-TV made its first telecast on September 7 and began regular educational and public-television programming.

• 1963

  Channel 39 reserved for educational broadcasting

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC approved Pennsylvania's request to reserve channel 39 for educational television.

• 1962

  Lehigh Valley Educational Television Corporation formed

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Local educational institutions and civic interests incorporated the organization intended to build a noncommercial station.

• 1960

  Unused commercial authorization deleted

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC deleted the dormant channel 39 authorization after the proposed commercial operation failed to progress.

• 1952

  Channel 39 allocated for commercial television

  [1]WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC assigned UHF channel 39 to Allentown for commercial use, although the authorized station was never built.

A nonprofit, community-oriented public television station combining PBS programming with local education, public affairs, cultural coverage, and regional news.

• Television service

  PBS39

  The primary public-facing television identity of WLVT-TV. PBS39 carries national public-television programming alongside locally produced news, public affairs, educational, cultural, and community content for viewers in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding parts of eastern Pennsylvania.

• Educational competition program · 1975

  Scholastic Scrimmage

  A high-school quiz-bowl program introduced by WLVT in the 1970s. Teams from area schools compete in an academic format, making the program both a local television property and an education-focused community institution. It is the station's longest-running signature production.

• Public-affairs programming · 1999

  Lehigh Valley Tempo

  A magazine-style local public-affairs series created by consolidating several existing community programs. It covered regional issues and included strands and related programs such as Tempo PublicSquare and Tempo InDepth.

• Educational digital subchannel · 2000

  Digital Learning Center

  An instructional digital service introduced with WLVT's digital television operation. Its content included K–12 classes and other educational material distributed over the station's digital signal and through local cable systems.

• Regional news service

  Lehigh Valley News

  A regional news initiative launched by Lehigh Valley Public Media as part of its expansion beyond the traditional television-station model. It complements WLVT-TV's local reporting and public-affairs mission.

• 1993

  WLVT auction-rigging scandal

  Former station development officials disclosed that manager Sheldon Siegel had directed volunteers to place fictitious bids during fundraising auctions to increase activity and help sell slow-moving items. Siegel admitted the practice. The controversy led to Corporation for Public Broadcasting scrutiny, an audit, reduced grant support, an investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office, board changes, management reform, member losses, and significant financial pressure.

  Source

Read more

• 1998Lehigh Valley PBS rebrand

  Lehigh Valley · Pennsylvania

  The station adopted the Lehigh Valley PBS identity to present a more consistent brand across cable systems that assigned it different channel numbers.

  Outcome. The rebrand clarified the station's regional identity and preceded a broader restructuring of local programming.

  Source
• 1975Annual auction fundraiser

  Lehigh Valley · Pennsylvania

  WLVT introduced an annual televised auction to raise funds and engage viewers. The event became a significant source of station income and was regarded as unusually successful within public television.

  Outcome. The auction became an established fundraising property, but practices used during the early 1990s later led to a major governance and reputation crisis.

  Source

• 2017

  Spectrum sale and public-media expansionStrategy

  Background

  The FCC incentive auction created an opportunity for television broadcasters to monetize spectrum and redirect resources.

  Action taken

  WLVT sold its spectrum and used some proceeds to expand television programming and related public-media services.

  Source

• 2012

  Change to secondary PBS statusStrategy

  Background

  PBS membership costs and the station's relationship with Philadelphia-area public television affected the economics of carrying national programming.

  Action taken

  WLVT became a secondary PBS station, allowing WHYY-TV to retain first rights to PBS programs.

  Aftermath

  The change reduced membership expenses while WLVT continued carrying PBS content and emphasizing local production.

  Source

• 2011

  Move to the SteelStacks public-media centerStrategy

  Background

  WLVT had sought a larger, more modern facility and an anchor role within the redevelopment of the former Bethlehem Steel site.

  Action taken

  The station opened the PBS39 Public Media Center with production studios and community-use space.

  Aftermath

  The facility became the station's principal production and administrative home and later received corporate naming-rights sponsorship.

  Source

• 2009

  Austerity response to public-funding cutsStrategy

  Background

  Pennsylvania reduced its support for public television during the Great Recession, creating a major budget shortfall.

  Action taken

  WLVT suspended or canceled some local programming and reduced its workforce substantially.

  Aftermath

  The station continued its public-service mission with a smaller operating base while completing the digital transition.

  Source

• 2000

  Digital television launchProduct launch

  Background

  The station was preparing for the transition from analog broadcasting and sought to use digital capacity for education as well as conventional television.

  Action taken

  WLVT launched a digital signal and included the Digital Learning Center instructional subchannel.

  Aftermath

  The digital operation expanded the station's educational distribution capabilities and preceded its eventual digital-only transmission.

  Source

• 1998

  Adoption of the Lehigh Valley PBS brandStrategy

  Background

  Viewers encountered different cable channel numbers across the station's service area, weakening the consistency of the WLVT identity.

  Action taken

  The station introduced the Lehigh Valley PBS name and reorganized local programming around a regional public-affairs identity.

  Aftermath

  The station developed Lehigh Valley Tempo and related programs while retaining its PBS role.

  Source

• 1994

  Governance overhaul after auction controversyStrategy

  Background

  The auction disclosures exposed weak oversight, concentrated management authority, and financial controls that did not adequately protect the nonprofit station.

  Action taken

  WLVT expanded and reorganized its community advisory board, added members to its governing board, and introduced stronger financial checks and balances after Siegel's retirement.

  Aftermath

  The station underwent austerity and staffing reductions but recovered its financial footing faster than initially projected.

  Source

1. 1WLVT-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WLVT-TV official websitewlvt.org