WFWA
WFWA is a PBS member television station serving Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
WFWA is a PBS member television station based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and owned by Fort Wayne Public Television, Inc. The station operates on virtual channel 39 and serves the Fort Wayne television market, with programming directed toward public-service broadcasting, educational content, documentaries, children's programming, news and information, cultural programming, and locally relevant public media services. The station's roots extend to February 2, 1975, when W39AA began broadcasting as a low-power translator of WBGU-TV in Bowling Green, Ohio. That translator provided limited coverage of the immediate Fort Wayne area and functioned as an interim service while a full-power educational allocation on channel 39 was developed. In December 1985, the translator became associated with Indianapolis PBS station WFYI and was permitted to originate programming. Fort Wayne Public Television applied in October 1984 to construct a full-power educational station on channel 39. The Federal Communications Commission approved the application on January 29, 1985. The full-power WFWA service signed on December 5, 1986, giving northeast Indiana a locally based PBS station for the first time. Although it initially relied substantially on WFYI for programming, WFWA began operating with separate programming from WFYI on October 1, 1989. WFWA has also played a role in the Fort Wayne market's transition to digital television. In 2003 it became the market's first television station to transmit a digital signal. Its initial digital configuration included a PBS high-definition feed on a separate subchannel, although financial constraints later led to the removal of that national HD feed and a period in which the station's programming was carried in standard definition. On July 4, 2010, WFWA converted its primary service to full-time high definition while retaining additional standard-definition services through improved compression technology. The station's digital multiplex has evolved over time. Its services have included PBS Kids, Create, locally programmed public-affairs and documentary content, local weather information, and other public media services. The station introduced a local weather radar and forecast service on channel 39.5 in 2019. In May 2025, it added a dedicated audio service for Allen County Public Library's reading service on channel 39.6. Its former locally programmed Explore service on channel 39.4 was scheduled to become affiliated with the national World Channel on January 1, 2026. WFWA remains a nonprofit public television outlet whose role combines national PBS programming with regional service. Its facilities include studios at the Dr. Rudy and Rhonda Kachmann Teleplex on the Purdue University Fort Wayne campus, while its transmitter remains at the station's former Butler Road studio facility. In 2013, the station announced a multiyear fundraising effort to strengthen its infrastructure, including a signal increase, remote-production equipment, and master-control improvements.
History
WFWA developed from Fort Wayne's early efforts to obtain a locally accessible educational television service. On February 2, 1975, W39AA signed on as a low-power translator of WBGU-TV in Bowling Green, Ohio. Because the translator's signal was limited, it primarily served viewers in and around Fort Wayne rather than the entire television market. The facility was intended as an interim arrangement while channel 39 was pursued for a full-power educational station. In October 1984, Fort Wayne Public Television submitted an application to construct a full-power station on channel 39. The FCC approved the application on January 29, 1985. Around this period, the existing translator's affiliation changed: in December 1985, W39AA became a translator of Indianapolis PBS station WFYI and was permitted to originate programming. The full-power WFWA service began broadcasting on December 5, 1986. Its launch established a dedicated PBS station for northeast Indiana, although its programming initially remained linked to WFYI. WFWA did not become separately programmed from WFYI until October 1, 1989. The station subsequently expanded its technical role in the Fort Wayne market. In 2003, WFWA became the market's first television station to broadcast a digital signal. Its original digital arrangement included the national PBS high-definition feed on a separate subchannel. Financial limitations later resulted in the removal of that feed, and the station operated for several years with its programming in standard definition. During a 2010 pledge drive, general manager Bruce Haines announced that WFWA's primary channel would move to full-time high-definition broadcasting on July 4, 2010. Improvements in video compression allowed the station to upgrade its main service without eliminating its other three standard-definition subchannels. WFWA's multicast lineup has changed repeatedly as national public-media services were retired, introduced, or replaced. A PBS Kids service formerly occupied channel 39.2; after the national feed ended in 2005, the station continued local programming there until the national 24-hour PBS Kids Channel relaunched in 2017. Channel 39.3 carried PBS Encore before being replaced by Create on July 1, 2006. Channel 39.4 carried the Annenberg/CPB Channel until that satellite service ended on October 1, 2008. WFWA then programmed the channel locally with news, information, documentaries, and public-media material. It was branded 39-4you and later Explore, before its scheduled transition to the national World Channel in 2026. The station completed its analog-to-digital transition in 2009. Regular analog programming on UHF channel 39 ended on February 17, 2009, the original federally designated transition date, while the digital signal continued on pre-transition UHF channel 40 and used virtual channel 39. Under the federal SAFER Act, WFWA kept its analog signal active for more than two additional weeks with public-service announcements explaining the digital transition. In May 2013, WFWA announced a fundraising campaign covering the following three years. The plan called for a signal boost, remote-production equipment, and master-control improvements. The station later continued developing its digital services, adding a local radar and forecast channel on 39.5 on July 1, 2019. In May 2025, it began carrying an audio channel for the Allen County Public Library reading service on 39.6; that audio had previously been delivered through secondary audio programming on 39.4. WFWA's current identity therefore combines the traditional PBS member-station role with a changing set of local and national multicast services.
- 2026
World Channel affiliation scheduled
[1]The former Explore service on channel 39.4 is scheduled to become affiliated with the national World Channel.
- 2025
Library reading-service audio channel begins
[1]WFWA starts carrying an Allen County Public Library audio reading service on channel 39.6.
- 2019
Weather multicast launches
[1]Channel 39.5 launches with local weather radar and forecasts and NOAA Weather Radio audio.
- 2013
Infrastructure fundraising plan announced
[1]The station announces a multiyear campaign for signal, production, and master-control improvements.
- 2010
Primary service moves to full-time HD
[1]WFWA upgrades its main channel to full-time high-definition broadcasting on July 4.
- 2009
Analog service ends
[1]Regular analog programming ends on February 17, while the station continues digital broadcasting on its pre-transition channel.
- 2003
Digital broadcasting begins
[1]WFWA becomes the first television station in the Fort Wayne market to transmit a digital signal.
- 1989
Separate local programming begins
[1]WFWA begins programming separately from WFYI on October 1.
- 1986
WFWA signs on
[1]The full-power WFWA service begins broadcasting on December 5, creating a dedicated PBS station for northeast Indiana.
- 1985
FCC approves full-power station
[1]The FCC approves the application for a full-power educational station in Fort Wayne.
Products and positioning
A nonprofit, locally based PBS member station focused on educational, cultural, informational, children's, documentary, and public-service broadcasting for Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana.
Public television · 1986
WFWA PBS service
WFWA's primary television service on virtual channel 39 carries PBS programming alongside locally relevant public-service content. Its schedule is intended to serve viewers across Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana with educational, cultural, documentary, children's, and informational programming.
Children's television
PBS Kids multicast
WFWA has carried PBS Kids programming on a digital multicast channel. After the earlier national PBS Kids feed ended in 2005, the station continued locally programmed service until the national 24-hour PBS Kids Channel relaunched in 2017.
Lifestyle television · 2006
Create
Create replaced PBS Encore on WFWA's 39.3 digital subchannel on July 1, 2006, adding a national public-media service focused on lifestyle and instructional programming.
Information and documentary television · 2008
Explore
The 39.4 service evolved from the former Annenberg/CPB Channel into locally programmed news, information, and documentary content. It was initially branded 39-4you and later Explore, with a scheduled transition to the World Channel in 2026.
Weather information · 2019
WFWA Weather
Launched on digital channel 39.5 in 2019, this service provides local weather radar and forecasts with audio from NOAA Weather Radio.
Public media audio · 2025
Allen County Public Library reading-service audio
WFWA began carrying a dedicated digital audio channel for the Allen County Public Library reading service in May 2025. Before the dedicated channel launched, the audio service was carried through secondary audio programming.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Infrastructure fundraising campaign
Fort Wayne · Northeast Indiana
WFWA announced a fundraising drive intended to finance infrastructure work over three years, including a stronger broadcast signal, remote-production equipment, and master-control improvements.
Brand decisions
2025
Launch library reading-service audio channelProduct launchBackground
The station had previously carried the Allen County Public Library reading service through secondary audio programming.
Action taken
WFWA introduced a dedicated digital channel for the library's audio reading service on channel 39.6.
2019
Launch local weather multicastProduct launchBackground
WFWA continued to expand the usefulness of its digital spectrum with locally relevant public information.
Action taken
The station launched a weather radar and forecast service on channel 39.5 with NOAA Weather Radio audio.
2013
Invest in broadcast infrastructureStrategyBackground
WFWA identified signal coverage, remote production, and master control as areas requiring modernization.
Action taken
The station announced a three-year fundraising and infrastructure-improvement program.
2010
Upgrade primary channel to full-time HDGeneration changeBackground
Earlier financial constraints had limited WFWA's ability to maintain a national high-definition feed, while improvements in compression made a broader HD conversion more practical.
Action taken
WFWA converted its main channel to full-time high-definition broadcasting on July 4, 2010.
Aftermath
The station retained its other standard-definition multicast services while improving the quality of its primary service.
2003
Begin digital broadcastingStrategyBackground
WFWA sought to respond to the television industry's transition to digital transmission and expand its technical service capacity.
Action taken
The station launched a digital signal, becoming the first television station in the Fort Wayne market to do so.
Aftermath
The digital operation later supported multiple multicast services and subsequent high-definition broadcasting.
Sources1 sources
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