WGVU Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Wineglass with a napkin in the top as part of a place setting.

WGVU Public Media, a non-profit, non-commercial public media station, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The organization offers television, radio, digital content, and educational services—without cost—to 28 counties in West Michigan.

In celebration of this milestone, WGVU hosted a Golden Jubilee celebration at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel on September 12, 2023. They welcomed more than 400 guests, including journalists, business and civic leaders, and fans of public media. The event included dinner, a silent auction, and much more.

WGVU proudly hosts local PBS and NPR stations that impact the lives of millions across West Michigan. The television station (WGVC at its inception) made its first broadcast from the basement of Manitou Hall on the GVSU campus along with then college president Don Lubbers. 50 years later, WGVU success is evident throughout the area.

Education and children continue as a hallmark of WGVU, offering resources for both teachers and families. The stations cultivate community partnerships to bring non-biased news and commercial-free programming to the area to educate, inform, inspire, and entertain.

We congratulate WGVU on this major milestone and are grateful for their continued contributions to the West Michigan community!