WXXI Public Broadcasting Council

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council is a community nonprofit public-media organization based in Rochester, New York. It owns and operates the region's principal public television service, several public radio outlets and partnerships, a radio reading service, an alternative weekly newspaper, and the Little Theatre. It also works with the City of Rochester to operate and program City12, a government-access cable channel that carries public-access programming and live City Council meetings. The organization originated in 1958 as the Rochester Area Educational Television Association. Local educators and community leaders initially formed the group to create educational programming for distribution through commercial television stations. During the early 1960s, it pursued the development of an independent noncommercial educational television signal capable of serving schools, families, and the wider community with educational, cultural, and informational programming. WXXI-TV began broadcasting in September 1966 from facilities in Rochester's former East High School. As the audience and production operation expanded, the East High School facilities became inadequate. WXXI therefore constructed a Public Broadcasting Center, which opened in December 1974. The new facility supported additional television production and the launch of WXXI-FM at 91.5 MHz, Rochester's first full-market noncommercial educational and cultural FM service. The organization later reorganized its radio services to separate classical and fine-arts programming from news and talk. In 1984, it acquired the commercial AM station WSAY, converting it into WXXI at 1370 AM and moving local and public-radio news and talk programming to that signal. The 91.5 FM service subsequently concentrated on classical music and fine arts and later adopted the WXXO call sign. WXXI's broadcast portfolio has continued to develop through digital television, radio partnerships, acquisitions, and regional service extensions. WXXI-TV carries the main PBS service and has operated digital streams associated with PBS programming brands including World, Create, and PBS Kids. Its radio activities include WXXI AM, WXXI-FM at 105.9 MHz, WXXO at 91.5 MHz, WXXY in Houghton, Reachout Radio for blind and visually impaired listeners, and partnerships involving WRUR-FM, WEOS, and WITH. These outlets combine NPR and other public-radio news, locally produced reporting, classical music, alternative and specialty music, and educational content. Beyond broadcasting, WXXI has broadened its public-service role. A major expansion of the Public Broadcasting Center in 1991 added radio studios and three television production studios. In 2012, WXXI announced a long-term affiliation with Rochester's Little Theatre and took over operation of the venue. In 2018, a for-profit WXXI arm agreed to acquire City Newspaper, a Rochester alternative weekly whose founders were retiring. In 2022, WXXI announced the purchase of WJZR; the transaction closed in January 2023, and the frequency returned to service as WXXI-FM at 105.9 MHz in May 2023, while the former WXXI-FM service adopted the WXXO call sign. WXXI is sustained through the nonprofit public-media model, including member support, public and institutional funding, underwriting, partnerships, and revenue from related activities. Its central mission is regional access to trusted journalism, cultural programming, educational media, public affairs, and community services rather than commercial mass-market broadcasting. In September 2024, documentary producer Chris Hastings became president and chief executive officer, succeeding Norm Silverstein, who had led the organization for almost three decades.

WXXI began in 1958 as the Rochester Area Educational Television Association, established by local educators and community leaders to produce educational programs for carriage on commercial television stations. During the early 1960s, it raised funds for an independent noncommercial educational television station. WXXI-TV signed on in September 1966 from the former East High School in Rochester, offering educational, cultural, and informational programming. Growth in audience and local production soon exceeded the capacity of the original facilities. WXXI built a new Public Broadcasting Center, which opened in December 1974. The center enabled the organization to expand television production and launch WXXI-FM at 91.5 MHz, a full-market noncommercial educational and cultural radio service. As demand increased for both classical music and news and talk programming, WXXI acquired Rochester AM station WSAY in 1984. The station became WXXI at 1370 AM, and local and public-radio news and talk programming moved there on July 2 of that year. The 91.5 FM outlet focused on classical and fine-arts programming and later became WXXO. The radio operation subsequently developed additional services and partnerships. WXXO added HD channels and Reachout Radio, a subcarrier reading service for blind and visually impaired listeners. WXXI partnered with the University of Rochester on WRUR-FM, operated or supported regional services including WXXY in Houghton, and worked with Hobart and William Smith Colleges on WEOS and WITH. These arrangements extended public radio coverage and created outlets for news, adult-alternative music, classical music, specialty programs, and cultural content across the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier. WXXI-TV also expanded its technical and programming capacity. In 1991, the Public Broadcasting Center more than doubled in size, adding radio studios and three fully equipped television production studios. Its digital television system later supported multiple simultaneous streams, including the main high-definition WXXI-TV service and schedules associated with World, Create, and PBS Kids. A separate instructional channel served regional public-safety agencies. The council broadened its institutional role beyond radio and television. It partnered with the City of Rochester in operating and programming City12, a government-access cable channel that carries public-access material and live City Council meetings. In 2012, WXXI took over operation of the Little Theatre under a long-term affiliation. In December 2018, its for-profit arm announced the purchase of City Newspaper, an alternative weekly serving Rochester. WXXI expanded its radio footprint again through the purchase of WJZR. Announced in October 2022, the transaction closed on January 24, 2023. WXXI relaunched the 105.9 MHz frequency as WXXI-FM in May 2023 for news and talk programming, while the original 91.5 MHz WXXI-FM service adopted the WXXO call sign. In September 2024, Chris Hastings became president and CEO after Norm Silverstein's lengthy tenure. The organization now operates as a multi-platform public-media institution serving Rochester and nearby regions through broadcasting, journalism, education, culture, civic information, and community partnerships.

• 2024

  Chris Hastings becomes CEO

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Chris Hastings succeeded Norm Silverstein as president and chief executive officer.

• 2023

  New WXXI-FM launches at 105.9 MHz

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  After acquiring WJZR, WXXI launched a news and talk FM service at 105.9 MHz and renamed the 91.5 MHz service WXXO.

• 2018

  City Newspaper acquisition announced

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  A WXXI for-profit arm agreed to acquire Rochester alternative weekly City Newspaper.

• 2012

  Little Theatre operating partnership begins

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  WXXI announced a long-term affiliation and took over operation of Rochester's Little Theatre.

• 1991

  Broadcasting Center expands

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The Public Broadcasting Center more than doubled in size and gained additional radio and television production facilities.

• 1984

  WXXI acquires WSAY

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The acquired AM station became WXXI at 1370 kHz and carried the organization's news and talk programming.

• 1974

  Public Broadcasting Center opens

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  WXXI opened a new production and broadcast facility and launched WXXI-FM at 91.5 MHz.

• 1966

  WXXI-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  WXXI-TV signed on in September from the former East High School in Rochester.

• 1958

  Educational television association formed

  [1]WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Local educators and community leaders established the Rochester Area Educational Television Association, the predecessor of WXXI.

A regional, nonprofit public-media institution combining PBS television, public radio, journalism, education, arts, civic information, and community cultural services for Rochester and surrounding areas.

• Public television · 1966

  WXXI-TV

  WXXI-TV is Rochester's PBS member television station. Its broadcast operation includes the principal WXXI service and digital programming streams associated with World, Create, and PBS Kids, alongside locally produced educational, cultural, public-affairs, and informational programming.

• Public radio · 1984

  WXXI AM

  WXXI at 1370 kHz is the organization's news and talk radio service. It carries NPR and other public-radio spoken-word content together with local news, public affairs, and regional programming for Rochester and surrounding counties.

• Public radio · 2023

  WXXI-FM

  WXXI-FM at 105.9 MHz is a noncommercial FM service launched after WXXI's acquisition of WJZR. It provides an FM outlet for the news and talk programming associated with WXXI's AM service.

• Classical music radio · 1974

  WXXO

  WXXO at 91.5 MHz is WXXI's classical and fine-arts radio service, with hourly NPR News updates and digital HD distribution. The service originated as WXXI-FM in 1974 and adopted the WXXO call sign after the 2023 radio realignment.

• Government-access television

  City12

  City12 is a government-access cable channel operated and programmed by WXXI in partnership with the City of Rochester. Its schedule includes public-access programming and live Rochester City Council meetings.

• Alternative weekly newspaper

  City Newspaper

  City Newspaper is a Rochester alternative weekly acquired through a WXXI for-profit arm. It extends the organization's regional journalism and community-information activities into print publishing.

• Cinema and cultural venue

  The Little Theatre

  The Little Theatre is a Rochester cultural and cinema venue operated by WXXI under a long-term affiliation announced in 2012.

• Radio reading service

  Reachout Radio

  Reachout Radio is an accessibility-focused service carried through WXXI's radio infrastructure for blind and visually impaired listeners.

• 2023

  Radio call-sign and service realignmentGeneration change

  Background

  The WJZR acquisition gave WXXI an additional FM frequency in the Rochester market.

  Action taken

  WXXI placed its news and talk service on the new 105.9 MHz WXXI-FM signal and changed the original 91.5 MHz WXXI-FM call sign to WXXO for classical programming.

  Aftermath

  WXXI maintained separate FM outlets for spoken-word and classical services.

  Source

• 2022

  Purchase of WJZRM&A

  Background

  WXXI sought an FM frequency for its news and talk programming.

  Action taken

  WXXI agreed to purchase WJZR from Lee Rust; the structure included a $675,000 payment and a $525,000 donation from Rust.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition closed in January 2023, and the frequency relaunched as WXXI-FM at 105.9 MHz in May 2023.

  Transaction value. $1.2 million (Announced October 2022; completed January 24, 2023)

  Source

• 2018

  Acquisition of City NewspaperM&A

  Background

  The founders of Rochester's alternative weekly were retiring.

  Action taken

  WXXI's for-profit arm announced an agreement to acquire City Newspaper.

  Aftermath

  The transaction expanded WXXI's activities into alternative weekly journalism and print publishing.

  Source

• 1984

  Separate news-talk and classical radio servicesStrategy

  Background

  Audience demand for both spoken-word public radio and classical and fine-arts programming exceeded the capacity of one FM signal.

  Action taken

  WXXI acquired WSAY, converted it to WXXI AM at 1370 kHz, and moved local and public-radio news and talk programming to the AM service while the FM station concentrated on classical programming.

  Aftermath

  The reorganization created distinct radio services and expanded daytime regional coverage.

  Source

1. 1WXXI Public Broadcasting Councilen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WXXI official websiteinteractive.wxxi.org