Participating Organizations

WEIU-TV 51 began operation on July 1, 1986, offering basic programming, including local news, public affairs, and instructional programming to the people of east-central Illinois for the first time. Things were challenging in the beginning as dollars were tight and staff members were inexperienced.

While WEIU struggled at first to get picked up on local cable systems in the area, eventually this goal was accomplished. WEIU has always focused on local programming for a region that is underserved by its commercial stations. Some of the first local programs that aired on WEIU included Time Out for Trivia, EIU Connection, Coach's Corner, Panther Country (later Panther Sports Talk), and News Scan (now News Watch).

On January 30, 1992, WEIU officially joined the PBS network, airing 10 hours of PBS children's programming weekly. Shows included Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Rogers, and Reading Rainbow. The station later took on more PBS programming as it continued growing into the station viewers watch today.

Other locally produced programs throughout the 2000’s on WEIU-TV include, Monster Beast Theatre, The Lynch Colloquium, Hobbies, Crafts & Collectibles, Season’s Greetings, Veterans Matters, Hootenanny Country Music Show with Jim Allen and the Country Classics and Tumbleweed Theatre along with many specials and documentaries. Eastern Illinois University athletics and WEIU-TV/FM signed a multi-year contract to produce radio and television coverage of six intercollegiate athletic teams. The joint announcement for coverage effective in the 2003-2004 seasons. The original agreement was for six sports. Radio is still the home for EIU football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball. TV coverage ended in 2016.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WEIU continued to bring viewers valuable news and health information through our locally produced programs like WEIU News Watch, Being Well, City Spotlight, Issues & Attitudes, and EIU Moving Forward: A COVID-19 Response. WEIU also stepped in to provide online streaming services to the EIU Board of Trustees, Charleston School Board, and area schools for virtual graduation ceremonies. In 2022, WEIU-TV launched a new, local outdoor show called, Take a Hike: The Mini-Series. This 6-part series gives an outdoor tour of area parks and natural areas in Central Illinois, and shares why viewers should “take a hike” to each episode’s location. The show is on-track for another new season in 2025.

To date, WEIU-TV serves 1 million plus households in 22 counties over-the-air, on cable and satellite systems. WEIU began streaming online in the mid 2000’s and has expanded to social media audiences across the world. As of November 1, 2025, WEIU TV is terminating its PBS Membership due to funding cuts and the closure of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. WEIU will continue to broadcast a public television program schedule.