What WTVP does

WTVP is the PBS-affiliated public television station serving central Illinois, operated by the Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation (IVPTC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 101 State Street in Peoria, Illinois. The station broadcasts four over-the-air channels — WTVP-HD (47.1), PBS Kids (47.2), World (47.3), and CreateTV (47.4) — and operates live and on-demand streaming through video.wtvp.org and the PBS Video App. Its content mix combines PBS national programming (Masterpiece, NOVA, PBS NewsHour, Frontline) with locally produced shows including At Issue with Mark Welp, Consider This with Christine Zak Edmonds, A Shot of AG, You Gotta See This!, Vibe 309, and WTVP Now.

The station is led by President and CEO Jenn Gordon with a Board of Directors chaired by Dr. Andy Chiou; it employs 101-250 people and has no parent company or subsidiaries. Its core technology is a multi-channel broadcast and digital streaming infrastructure with on-demand and live-streaming capabilities, supported by the PBS cooperative distribution network.

WTVP's revenue model is community-supported: it draws on individual member donations (Passport membership at $10/month or $120/year), corporate underwriting (Caring Connection, Program/Event Underwriting), Klystron Society major gifts, planned giving, real estate and vehicle donations, memorial/honor gifts, and government/CPB and foundation grants. Customer segments are the central Illinois general public, children and families, and adult civic-minded viewers; go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by programs like 40 Leaders Under Forty and the Stronger Together member cultivation campaign.

Name

WTVP

Legal name

Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation

Website

https://wtvp.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WTVP is the PBS-affiliated public television station serving central Illinois, operating four broadcast channels and digital streaming out of Peoria under the nonprofit Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation (IVPTC), funded by member donations, corporate underwriting, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Television Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA), Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)

Keywords

• Public broadcasting services
• Educational television
• Community media
• Local programming
• Television broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Peoria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Member Donations and Memberships: Individual viewers become members through recurring donations. The station offers Passport membership at $10/month or $120/year, providing extended streaming access as a thank-you benefit. Membership drive specials air periodically to encourage donations.
2. Corporate Underwriting: Local businesses and organizations underwrite specific programs or events in exchange for on-air recognition. The station offers various corporate support tiers including Caring Connection and Program/Event Underwriting.
3. Planned Giving and Major Gifts: WTVP receives planned gifts, real estate donations, vehicle donations, and memorial/honor gifts. The Klystron Society recognizes major donors.
4. Government and Foundation Grants: As a public broadcasting station, WTVP operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit (Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation - IVPTC) and receives support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other grant-making entities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WTVP operates a PBS-affiliated public television station serving Central Illinois, broadcasting free educational, news, and cultural content across four channels: WTVP-HD (47.1), PBS Kids (47.2), World (47.3), and CreateTV (47.4). The station also delivers live and on-demand digital streaming, produces original local programs, and operates a paid Passport membership for extended streaming access.

Product overview

WTVP is a PBS-affiliated public media station serving Central Illinois, operating a multi-channel broadcast infrastructure with four distinct channels: WTVP-HD (47.1) for general programming, WTVP PBS Kids (47.2) for children's content, WTVP World (47.3) for documentaries and public affairs, and WTVP Create TV (47.4) for lifestyle programming. The station complements its broadcast offerings with digital streaming services including live TV streaming, on-demand access, and WTVP Passport—a membership benefit providing extended access to additional PBS content. Local programming is a cornerstone of the offering, with original shows like At Issue with Mark Welp, Consider This with Christine Zak Edmonds, A Shot of AG, You Gotta See This!, Vibe 309, and WTVP Now. The station also organizes community events such as the annual 40 Leaders Under Forty recognition program. Programming spans PBS national content (news, drama, documentaries, music specials) as well as locally-produced material focused on Central Illinois communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WTVP-HD (47.1)
• WTVP PBS Kids (47.2)
• WTVP World (47.3)
• WTVP Create TV (47.4)
• WTVP Passport
• At Issue with Mark Welp Flagship public affairs series providing in-depth exploration of issues affecting central Illinois, featuring public officials and community leaders.
• Consider This with Christine Zak Edmonds Local interview program featuring relaxed conversations with leaders and personalities who define Central Illinois.
• A Shot of AG Agriculture-focused local series hosted by Rob Sharkey exploring farming, innovation, and community leaders in Central Illinois.
• You Gotta See This! Local program exploring people, places, organizations and experiences that make Central Illinois unique.
• 40 Leaders Under Forty Annual recognition program celebrating young community leaders who contribute to Central Illinois.
• Live Streaming Real-time broadcast streaming of WTVP channels via video.wtvp.org.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free educational programming available without subscription
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWTVP operates as a PBS affiliate station, receiving access to national PBS programming including Masterpiece, NOVA, Frontline, PBS NewsHour, and other premium content. The station also participates in PBS cooperative efforts like Passport streaming and PBS Kids programming.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WILL-TV (Illinois Public Media): WILL-TV is the PBS member station serving east-central Illinois (Champaign-Urbana), operated by the University of Illinois. It is the most directly comparable peer to WTVP as a regional Illinois PBS affiliate with similar funding model and multi-channel PBS carriage.
• WSIU Public Broadcasting: WSIU is a PBS/NPR affiliate serving southern Illinois, operated by Southern Illinois University. Comparable to WTVP as a regional public broadcaster relying on member support, CPB funding, and local programming in a defined Illinois service area.
• NET (Nebraska Public Media): Nebraska Public Media operates PBS-affiliated television and radio stations across Nebraska. Comparable to WTVP as a rural midwestern public broadcaster reliant on member donations, corporate underwriting, and CPB funding.
• WUSF Public Broadcasting (Tampa): WUSF is a PBS/NPR member station serving the Tampa Bay region with similar reliance on membership drives, underwriting, and university affiliation. Comparable to WTVP as a regional public broadcaster offering multiple channels and digital streaming.
• WGCU Public Media (Fort Myers): WGCU is a PBS/NPR affiliate serving southwest Florida. Comparable to WTVP as a regional PBS member station with similar channel lineup (PBS HD, PBS Kids, World/Create), Passport membership, and community-events-driven fundraising model.
• PBS Wisconsin: PBS Wisconsin operates multiple PBS-affiliated channels across Wisconsin. Comparable to WTVP as a state-network of regional PBS stations with member-supported funding and educational programming emphasis.
• WQPT (Iowa Public Television / PBS Fort Madison): Iowa Public Television (including WQPT) operates PBS-affiliated stations across Iowa. Comparable to WTVP as a rural/midwestern public television network using member donations, corporate underwriting, and CPB grants to fund regional programming.

Broad incumbents

• WETA (Washington, DC): WETA is a major PBS member station serving the DC metro area, including production of PBS NewsHour. Comparable to WTVP as a PBS affiliate with member-supported funding, but operates at significantly larger scale and produces national content.
• WGBH (Boston): WGBH is a major PBS-producing station in Boston and one of the largest public media organizations in the U.S. Comparable to WTVP as a PBS member station but with national content production capacity (Frontline, NOVA) and a much larger budget.

Others

• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB): CPB is the federal funding entity for U.S. public media. Not a peer in the operational sense, but directly comparable to WTVP as a key counterparty/funder that allocates grants to WTVP and shapes the regulatory framework for its operations.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WTVP
• Facebookfacebook.com/wtvp.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/wtvp_pbs
• Xx.com/wtvp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wtvp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WTVP