WGCU Public Media provides PBS television and NPR radio programming to all of Southwest Florida.
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14/07/2025
Last week on Southwest Florida In Focus, we broke down what makes a resume stand out—and the critical mistakes job applicants kept making. Whether you were entering the job market for the first time or just looking to learn industry expectations, these insights could have made all the difference.
📺 Catch Southwest Florida In Focus Fridays at 6:30 & 9PM, Saturdays at 5:30AM & 6:30PM, and Sundays at 11:30AM on WGCU.
14/07/2025
State and federal lawmakers toured Florida’s new immigrant detention facility in the Everglades — nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz by the state — for the first time this weekend.
Some officials described the conditions as humane and orderly. Others raised concerns about heat, overcrowding, and limited access to detainees.
The facility, which houses around 900 people, has been open less than two weeks. Lawmakers were not allowed to speak directly with detainees or bring phones on the guided tour.
More coverage at wgcu.org.
WGCU | By Eileen Kelley
State and federal lawmakers got a glimpse Saturday inside the controversial and hastily built detention center in the middle of the Everglades. And depending on who you ask, the conditions of the so-called Alligator Alcatraz are comforting like home, or flat out appalling.
14/07/2025
Stay safe on the water this summer! 🚤 The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Fort Myers Beach Flotilla 91 is hosting a Boat America Responsible Boating Course on July 19 at Pine Ridge Community Center in Fort Myers. 🌊☀️
Learn the rules of the water, emergency prep, lifejacket safety, and more — all for $45 per person.
🗓️ With World Drowning Prevention Day coming up July 25, it's a timely reminder: education and preparation save lives.
📍 Register here: aux91fmb.org/safeboating
By WGCU Staff
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Fort Myers Beach Flotilla 91 is promoting water safety awareness in the summer heat.
13/07/2025
Discover the adventures, mysteries, dramas, and more that PBS has to offer!
This month on WGCU Passport, new programs are available to stream. With
titles such as "Velvet," "Grantchester," and "Great American Recipe," you'll never run out of shows to watch.
To embark on this exciting journey, become a WGCU member for as little as
$5/month! Learn more at the link in bio.
12/07/2025
Catch it all on WGCU PBS!
11/07/2025
On this week’s Southwest Florida in Focus, we’re diving into the issues shaping our region and beyond:
🗳️ New rules for citizen-led ballot initiatives raise questions about voter access
🏚️ Arcadia’s downtown gets a facelift while holding onto its “Old Florida” roots
📉 Federal funding for public media is under threat—NPR’s CEO weighs in
📄 Struggling with job apps? An Amazon exec turned coach shares resume tips
🤖 Hungry FGCU students meet robot-powered food delivery
Tune in for thoughtful local reporting and expert insight on the stories that matter.
Catch these stories and more on Southwest Florida in Focus—airing Fridays at 6:30 & 9PM, Saturdays at 5:30AM & 6:30PM, and Sundays at 11:30AM.
🎵 On this day in 1804, Alexander Hamilton was fatally wounded in a duel with Aaron Burr.
Sheldon Zoldan’s is “The World Was Wide Enough” from Hamilton — a haunting, theatrical retelling of that fateful morning. 💔⚔️
11/07/2025
Got property you’re not using? 🏠🌴 Donate it to WGCU! Your real estate gift helps support trusted news, inspiring stories, and educational programming across Southwest Florida — 24/7.
We accept land, homes, or commercial properties anywhere with equity — even if you owe taxes or have a mortgage. It’s simple, secure, and may come with a tax deduction. 🙌
🎨 Iranian American artist Leila Mesdaghi left college in New York and risked everything to care for her elderly aunt in war-torn Tehran.
With air travel shut down, she made a 24-hour bus journey from Armenia — and found herself surrounded by bombings, empty streets, and trauma.
Now, she’s turning her pain into art.
Her story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and finding purpose in chaos.
📍 Read the full story at the link below.
WGCU | By Elizabeth Andarge
Family is everything to a lot of people. Important enough that putting oneself in harm's way isn’t even a consideration. One local woman shares her version of that journey.
10/07/2025
A federal judge in New Hampshire says he will block President Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship — calling the potential loss of U.S. citizenship “irreparable harm.”
The judge plans to certify a class action on behalf of all affected children and issue a preliminary injunction.
💬 Advocates say the ruling offers hope and protection as legal challenges continue.
WGCU | By The Associated Press
A federal judge in New Hampshire said he'll certify a class action lawsuit including all children who'll be affected by President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship and issue a preliminary injunction blocking it. Judge Joseph LaPlante announced his decision Thursday after a...
10/07/2025
🎭 Students from Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s Stage of Discovery camp will take the stage this weekend with Alice in Boogie Wonderland — a groovy, two-act musical packed with pop, disco, R&B and classic characters 🎶✨
Written by WBTT’s Jim Weaver just for these young performers, the show features 34 students ages 11–18 and marks the culmination of a five-week immersive summer camp.
📅 Performances:
📍 July 12 at 7:30 p.m.
📍 July 13 at 2:00 p.m.
📍 WBTT’s Donnelly Theatre
🎟️ Tickets: westcoastblacktheatre.org
WGCU | By Tom Hall
On July 12 and 13, students from Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s Stage of Discovery summer musical theater camp will perform “Alice in Boogie Wonderland.” It’s an original musical written just for them by Jim Weaver, the Troupe’s Education Director and Artistic Associate.
10/07/2025
Sarasota County Assistant Administrator Mark Cunningham has resigned — the highest-ranking official to step down after an investigation revealed years of failures in the county’s stormwater system.
His departure, effective July 31, follows mounting public pressure and the recent creation of a new standalone stormwater department.
📲 Tap the link to read more.
WGCU | By Michael Barfield - Florida Center for Governmental Accountability, Suncoast Searchlight staff
Sarasota Assistant County Administrator Mark Cunningham resigned on Wednesday, becoming the highest-ranking official to step down in the wake of revelations about widespread failures in the county’s stormwater management system.County officials did not disclose the reason for Cunningham’s resign...
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WGCU Public Media
THE MISSION OF WGCU PUBLIC MEDIA
“To inspire, inform, educate, engage and entertain through the power of public media.”
WGCU Public Media is Southwest Florida’s source for PBS and NPR. WGCU provides quality programming 24-hours a day and is a trusted storyteller, teacher, theater, library and traveling companion. As a member-supported service of Florida Gulf Coast University, WGCU’s mission is to provide educational programming that inspires, informs and engages our community.
Serving seven counties (one-fifth of the state of Florida) with five distinct digital TV channels, two FM radio channels, two HD radio channels, and one subcarrier, WGCU delivers national and international programming and develops, produces and delivers relevant, informative and educational local programs to the Southwest Florida community.
WGCU’s educational programs, community-based initiatives, and informative and entertaining events make public media integral to the vitality of Southwest Florida. WGCU is reaching beyond its service area to the country and the world through web-based applications.
Many of its locally produced programs have been broadcast throughout the country. WGCU has received numerous national, regional, state and local awards for its locally produced television and radio programs.
THE HISTORY OF WGCU
WGCU Public Media and its predecessor, WSFP-TV/FM, have served Southwest Florida with the finest in public television and radio programming for 35 years. Originally a satellite operation licensed to the University of South Florida, WGCU Public Media became an independent entity in 1996 when the broadcast licenses were transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University, a new public university that was being built to serve the Southwest Florida region.
The stations’ call letters were changed to WGCU-TV/FM, and a new state-of-the-art broadcast facility was built as part of the new university’s campus. The building is named the Myra Janco Daniels Public Media Center, in honor of Ms. Daniels’ major gift to local arts programming.
