WTVI Collection

Collection

Identifier: AR-0044

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The WTVI Collection contains records pertaining to the stations history during the early 1980s through the early 2000s, under the leadership of Hal Bouton (husband of Dr. Debbie Bouton). Records include: daily correspondence, photographs, hand-written notes of Jim Bailey, TV Logs and Reports, and other administrative files.

Dates

Creation: 1970 - 2016

Creator

WTVI (Television station : Charlotte, N.C.) (Organization)

Biographical / Historical

"The station first signed on the air on August 27, 1965; it was originally owned by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. WTVI's original station manager was Donna Lee Davenport, who was also instrumental in creating the station. In 1982, WTVI's license was transferred to the not-for-profit Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Broadcasting Authority, turning the station into a community-owned entity. Hal Bouton was President and General Manager of WTVI from 1982-2002.

In 2004, WTVI cut back on more well-known PBS programs. Ratings increased for a while with "alternative" shows, but after several years the station ended up in trouble. On June 30, 2011, WTVI's board was advised that the station was running a $300,000 deficit and that its long-term operation was questionable if its financial situation did not improve. On March 13, 2012, Central Piedmont Community College offered to take over the station.

The deal was approved by the Federal Communications Commission on May 21, 2012, and the acquisition of WTVI was completed on July 1, 2012, with the broadcast licenses being transferred the following day. As a result, WTVI became an educational licensee for the second time in its history. At that time, it became one of seven full-time PBS member stations to be operated by a community college (alongside Milwaukee PBS; WDCQ-TV in Bay City, Michigan; WVUT-TV in Vincennes, Indiana; KACV in Amarillo, Texas; KNCT in Killeen, Texas; WSRE in Pensacola, Florida and WBCC in Orlando, Florida.

Three months after taking over operations, Central Piedmont Community College brought back familiar PBS shows such as Sesame Street, Downton Abbey, Nova and Nature to the schedule. Additional local programming is planned, including some previously aired on the college's cable channel. Among the new shows is Off the Record, hosted by David Rhew.

Extent

12.25 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

Series I. Administrative Files: This series includes documentation related to the day-to-day operations of WTVI. Materials include schedules for TV and Radio programming; quarterly and annual reports; FCC and other government-body related documentation; as well as hand-written notes of Jim Bailey, photographs of WTVI Construction and Opening Day events.

Series II. Subject Files: This series includes files organized alphabetically by subject, ranging in date from 1980-2000. A majority of the documents are administrative in nature and include reports, presentations, and correspondence. Due to their original organizational method of "alphabetized by subject", CP Archives implemented this same folder and box structure.

Series III. Video Files: Contains DVD, VHS, and Betamax video files documenting programs and events recorded by WTVI, ranging in date from 1990-2011. There was no original order, so CP Archives is organizing chronologically within an alphabetical subject format.