The station's studio is in the WGLT-Vidette Building on the campus of Illinois State University.[1] Its callsign comes from the motto of Illinois State University: "Gladly we Learn and Teach", originally "and gladly wold he lerne and gladly teche", from line 309 of The Canterbury Tales.
History
WGLT signed on the air on February 6, 1966, with only 10 watts of power and a studio in Cook Hall. It was originally student-run and heard only in the dorms. WGLT increased power to 2,300 watts and became a full-powered NPR station in July 1976, and increased power to 25,000 watts effective radiated power and adopted jazz as its daytime format in August 1992.
On August 5, 2013, WGLT dropped jazz programming from its daytime schedule to concentrate on news/talk full time. Its marquee daily newsmagazine show is "Sound Ideas," airing every weekday.
In April 2019, Illinois State University and Bradley University signed an agreement in which WGLT assumed operations of WCBU in Peoria starting June 1, 2019. WGLT's translator signal at 103.5 FM in Peoria, which had simulcast WGLT's signal, will simulcast WCBU-HD2's classical music format.[3]
Over the decades, WGLT News has been honored with scores of regional and national awards for excellence by the Associated Press, Kaleidoscope, Public Radio News Directors, Inc and the prestigious Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association.
