dear friends

MONDAY - FRIDAY
5:00 a.m.
Morning Edition–West Michigan with David Moore
9:00
WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin
11:00
The Diane Rehm Show
12:00 p.m. WGVU Mid-Day West Michigan
1:00
Fresh Air with Terry Gross
2:00
Talk of the Nation
4:00
All Things Considered–West Michigan with Scott Vander Werf
6:30
Marketplace
7:00
Jazz with Scott Vander Werf
10:00
Monday-Thursday JazzWorks
Friday
Friday Night Blues (until 5 a.m.)
SATURDAY
5:00 a.m. Beale Street Caravan
6:00
Travel with Rick Steves
7:00
Commonwealth Club
8:00
Weekend Edition Saturday
10:00
Car Talk
11:00
Whad’Ya Know? with Michael Feldman
1:00 p.m. Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!
2:00
This American Life
3:00
Basically Big Bands
5:00
Reel Music
6:00
Motown Soul Party
7:00
Saturday Night Blues (until 6 a.m.)
SUNDAY
6:00 a.m.
The Parent’s Journal
7:00
Common Threads
7:30
Open Mind
8:00
Weekend Edition Sunday
10:00
Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz
11:00
Jazz Spotlight with Harvey McKnight
3:00 p.m. Traditional Jazz with Dr. Jazz
4:00
JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater
5:00
Sunday Classic Jazz with Scott Vander Werf
7:00
Putumayo
8:00
World Music Caravan
10:00
Music from The Hearts of Space
11:00
JazzWorks (until 5 a.m.)
WGVU JAZZ NIGHT AT Z'S
The first and third Thursday of the month, join us at Z’s
Grille & Bar in downtown Grand Rapids 8 – 10:15 p.m. to
hear the best local and regional jazz acts live. This month,
we welcome the Cooper, Hay, Van Lente Trio on February 5
and Groove Merchant on February 19. If you can’t make it
to Z’s for the show, you can still hear the first set live from
8 – 9 p.m. on WGVU FM. Visit the Events section of our web
site at wgvu.org for more upcoming bands.
The Great Wine &
Food Symposium
Digital Conversion
It’s been a long time coming, but the
Digital Transition is finally here.
On the 17th of this month, television
will change forever, as stations all
over the country turn off their analog signals. WGVU will be among
them, and we want to make sure
that you’re ready for the big day.
Remember, after the 17th, if you
haven’t made the switch to digital, your signal may be lost. If you are ready,
please take a moment to check with your family and friends to make sure that
they are prepared as well. Here are the answers to some commonly asked
questions about the transition that you can share:
Who NEEDS a converter box? If you watch TV using only “rabbit ears” or a
rooftop antenna, you need a converter box for every television in your house.
(Newer television sets with digital tuners and televisions hooked up to cable or
satellite services do not need converter boxes.)
Where do I get a converter box and how much do they cost? Converter boxes
are available for $40 - $70 at retail stores that sell televisions and other electronics,
including Meijer, Best Buy, Radio Shack, Circuit City, Kmart, Sears and Target.
Can I still get a coupon for a converter box? Yes, you can still request up
to two $40 coupons by calling 1-888-388-2009 or visiting dtv2009.gov. As of
this writing, the government funds for the program have run out, and you will
be placed on a waiting list. Coupons will be mailed on a first come, first served
basis, as older coupons expired unused.
I requested a coupon, but I haven’t received it yet – how do I know when
it’s coming? You can check the status of your order by visiting dtv2009.gov and
clicking on “Where are my coupons?” If you do not have access to the web, give
us a call at 800-442-2771, and we can check the site for you.
How do I know whether my TV has a digital converter already? If you have
a newer model of TV, then it may already have an internal digital converter.
Check your owner's manual, or call the customer support number for your TV's
manufacturer to find out. Many DTV-ready televisions will say “DTV” on them
somewhere, as well.
I heard that the conversion date may be pushed back – is this true? As of
this writing, we do not know whether the conversion date will be postponed. It’s
best to plan on the February 17 date so you will be ready no matter what the
final decision is.
If you have more questions, give us a call at 800-442-2771. You can also find
more information and DTV tips at wgvu.org.
This month, WGVU and D&W Fresh
Market present an evening full of
gourmet foods, classical music
and over 300 imported wines and
beers from around the world. Join
us for The Great Wine & Food Symposium at The Public Museum in
Grand Rapids on Friday, February
27, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. and escape the winter blues. Tickets are $50 per person
in advance, or $55 per person at the door, if available. WGVU members, reserve
your tickets before February 6 for only $40! You can also make a full night of it
with a special hotel package from the J.W. Marriott – for $219 (plus tax), you’ll get
two tickets to the event and a room overlooking the city for Friday night. Call the
Marriott at 888-844-5947 to make your reservation. You must be 21 or older to
attend. To purchase tickets, call 800-442-2771 or visit wgvu.org. The Great Wine
& Food Symposium is sponsored in part by Amish Oak Warehouse, Centennial
Securities and Keyboard World.
Hope vs. Calvin !
It’s time for game two of the biggest rivalry around – the Hope College Flying Dutchman versus the
Knights of Calvin College. On
Wednesday, February 11 at 7:30
p.m., WGVU brings you LIVE coverage of this famous match-up. Tune in early at 7 p.m. for an exclusive pre-game
show and stick around after the game for interviews and highlights. As one of
the most famous rivalries in college basketball, these two teams never fail to
disappoint. Catch all of the excitement, only on WGVU TV!
The Auction is Coming!
It’s hard to believe, but the WGVU
Auction is just around the corner!
Bookmark wgvuauction.org right
now to make sure that you’re keeping
wgvuauction.org
up on all of the updates – new items
are being posted all the time! The
WGVU Auction offers great deals on those services, excursions and experiences
that you can’t find anywhere else, and we’re looking for unique, intriguing, oneof-a-kind items from around the world. The sooner you get on board, the more
exposure your item and your business will receive! If you have an item to donate,
give us a call at 800-442-2771. You can also register now to bid in the 2009 Auction at wgvuauction.org – all registrants, new and existing, will be entered to win
an X-100 Dream Maker Spa from Zagers Pool and Spa!
MONDAY - FRIDAY
5:00 a.m. Morning Edition–West Michigan with David Moore
9:00
WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin
11:00
The Diane Rehm Show
12:00 p.m. WGVU Mid-Day West Michigan
1:00
Fresh Air with Terry Gross
2:00
Talk of the Nation
4:00
All Things Considered–West Michigan with Scott Vander Werf
6:30
Marketplace
7:00
Fresh Air with Terry Gross
8:00
Monday
Living on Earth Extra
Tuesday
Common Threads
Wednesday
TechNation
Thursday
Newsmakers
8:00
Friday
Movie Talk
8:30
Monday
The Better Life Show with Dr. Chet
Tuesday
Open Mind
Thursday
Latino USA
Friday
Counterspin
9:00
All Things Considered–Late Edition
10:00
NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
11:00
Charlie Rose
12:00 a.m. BBC World News (until 6 a.m.)
SATURDAY
6:00 a.m. Travel with Rick Steves
7:00
Commonwealth Club
8:00
Weekend Edition Saturday
10:00
Car Talk
11:00
Whad’Ya Know?
with Michael Feldman
1:00 p.m. Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!
2:00
Travel with Rick Steves
3:00
TechNation
4:00
Living on Earth
5:00
All Things Considered
7:00
Commonwealth Club
8:00
Saturday Night Blues
12:00 a.m. BBC World News (until 6 a.m.)
SUNDAY
6:00 a.m. The Parent’s Journal
7:00
Common Threads
MOVIE TALK
7:30
Open Mind
8:00
Weekend Edition Sunday
Every Friday night at 8,
10:00
Car Talk
WGVU AM lets its hair down
11:00
Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!
a little with the most entertaining entertainment show
12:00 p.m. Fresh Air Weekend
on the air – Movie Talk. Join
1:00
Harry Shearer’s Le Show
Music Director Scott Vander
2:00
Movie Talk
Werf and Production Coor2:30
The Better Life Show
dinator Rick Bierling (you
with Dr. Chet
know, the guy working the
3:00
Open Mind
soundboard at Jazz Night)
for reviews of new releases,
3:30
Common Threads
art films, DVDs… really
4:00
The People’s Pharmacy
whatever strikes their fancy.
5:00
All Things Considered
It’s the best time that you
6:00
This American Life
can have listening to other
7:00
Humankind
people talk about movies
8:00
Reel Music
you haven’t seen yet. Catch
9:00
BBC World News (until 5 a.m.)
a repeat Sundays at 2 p.m.
On Wednesday, February 4 at 9:45 a.m. and Wednesday,
February 11 at 5:40 p.m., we’ll be conducting our last two over the air DTV Tests. If
you haven’t already, please take the opportunity during these times to check every TV
in your home. Any television that shows a GREEN message during the test is ready
for the conversion; any TV showing a RED message is not. If you see a red screen
on any of your televisions, there are a few things that may help you to get ready:
If you have a new television set, and you’re sure it has a digital tuner, try rescanning through the channels (new TVs with digital tuners most likely say “DTV” on
them somewhere). Look for a button on your remote that says “Scan,” “Easy Scan,”
“Set-Up,” or something similar. Your television is probably still picking up the old
signal – rescanning will allow it to find other available channels, and you should pick
us up on our new digital frequencies.
If you have an older television set without a digital tuner, you have a few options. You
can sign up for a cable or satellite service; every TV that you hook up via this service
should then be ready. You can also purchase a converter box at any electronics store,
or stores like Meijer, Target and others. Each television in your house will require its own
converter box, and you’ll have to scan through the channels on the box as well to make
sure that you’re picking up all of the available signals. Remember that with both television
sets and converter boxes, you should scan now, and then rescan again on and after the
upcoming conversion date to insure that you have found every local channel.
As of this writing, funding for the government converter box coupon program has
been depleted and those requesting coupons are being placed on a waiting list. New
coupons will be sent out as old coupons expire unused, freeing up additional funds,
or as additional funding becomes available. Visit our web site at wgvu.org or visit
dtv2009.gov for up-to-date information.
If you are ready for the transition, please join us in helping to get the rest of our
community prepared. Check with your friends and family to make sure that they are
ready for the transition to happen. As we approach the upcoming conversion date,
the best thing we can do is be sure that everyone is aware and educated about the
facts. In the meantime, if you or anyone you know has any questions, call us at 800442-2771. We’re also available to appear at any meetings your organization may
have to further explain the digital conversion.
We’re here to make sure that everyone is ready, as we move into the final countdown. It’s exciting times for those of us in the broadcasting industry, and we can’t
wait to share it with you!
Michael T. Walenta
General Manager
WGVU - TV 35/DT 11 • TV 52/DT 5 • 1480 AM & 88.5 FM • 850 AM & 95.3 FM
Executive Staff
General Manager
Michael T. Walenta
Assistant General Manager
Ken Kolbe
Director of Engineering
Robert Lumbert
Business & Information Manager
Barbara Christl
Marketing Manager/Development
Pamela Holtz
Underwriting Manager
Gary Hunt
Program Manager-TV
Carrie Corbin
Printed on recycled stock
News Director
Patrick Center
Volunteer Coordinator
Linda Kennedy
Showplace Program
Guide Staff
Publisher & Editor
Pamela Holtz
Managing Editor
Emily Maurin
Copy Editor
Linda Kennedy
Graphic Designer &
Production Manager
Mark Tobin
by Gilson Graphics of Grand Rapids.
SHOWPLACE (USPS 456-310; ISSN 0897-8875;) Vol. XXII, No. 2, is published monthly by WGVU
public TV and radio, a non-profit organization licensed to Grand Valley State University and located in
the Meijer Public Broadcast Center. SHOWPLACE is mailed to all members of WGVU AM • FM • TV
who contribute at least $50 annually to the station, of which $5 is designated for a 12-month subscription. Periodical postage paid at Grand Rapids, Michigan. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to:
SHOWPLACE Membership Department, 301 West Fulton St., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504-6492.
Our sincere thanks to all of the following
underwriters for financially supporting
WGVU Public Television and Radio.
NEW THIS MONTH
BLAZERS SPORTS BAR/
BUTTERNUT EVENT CENTRE
CORE TECHNOLOGIES
ENVIRO COMFORT
GMB ARCHITECTS AND
ENGINEERS OF HOLLAND
JOHN BALL ZOO
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
SEIDMAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
TACO BELL
UNITED STATES NAVY
WEST MICHIGAN WOMAN’S
STUDY COUNCIL
CONTINUING UNDERWRITERS
ADVANTAGE HEALTH
AMISH OAK WAREHOUSE
ANNIS WATER RESOURCES INSTITUTE
ANN STREET AUTO SALES
ARCADIA BREWING COMPANY
AUDIBEL HEARING
BARNES & THORNBURG
BERENDS, HENDRICKS, STUIT
INSURANCE AGENCY
BOICE COMMUNICATIONS
BROADWAY GRAND RAPIDS
CALVIN COLLEGE
CANTEEN SERVICES
CENTENNIAL SECURITIES
COMERICA BANK
CRAIG’S CRUISERS
FAMILY FUN CENTERS
D&W FRESH MARKETS
DELTA DENTAL OF MICHIGAN
DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
DREAMERS
EASTERN FLORAL & GIFTS
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY
CREDIT UNION
EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS
FIELD’S FABRICS
FIFTH THIRD BANK
FOSTER, SWIFT, COLLINS AND SMITH
FREEDOM VILLAGE
FREMONT AREA COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
GALL SEWING & VAC CENTERS
GERALD R. FORD MUSEUM
GODWIN HARDWARE,
PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
GOOD GMC TRUCK
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF
GREATER GRAND RAPIDS
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF
WEST MICHIGAN
GRAND AUTO FAMILY
GRAND RAPIDS ANTIQUES MARKET
GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM
GRAND RAPIDS CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
GREATER GRAND RAPIDS
END OF LIFE COALITION
GREAT HARVEST BREAD COMPANY
GREEN BUILT MICHIGAN
GVSU – PADNOS COLLEGE
OF ENGINEERING
HEALTH HUTT
HEART AND WELLNESS INSTITUTE
HOLISTIC CARE APPROACH
HOLLAND HOSPITAL
HOME AND BUILDING ASSOCIATION
OF GREATER GRAND RAPIDS
HOME CARE SERVICE STAFFING
INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST
COMMUNICATIONS
INTERSECTION, THE
IRVING S. GILMORE FOUNDATION
JOHNSON CONTROLS
KALAMAZOO COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
KALAMAZOO INSTITUTE OF ARTS
KALAMAZOO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
LAKE POINTE CONDOMINIUMS
LAKESHORE SEWING
LEE’S ADVENTURE SPORTS
LIFE EMS
LORENCE & VANDER ZWART
MAGNA DONNELLY
MASON STREET GARAGE/AC DELCO
MASON STREET WAREHOUSE
MCINTYRE BUILDERS
MERCY HEALTH PARTNERS
MICHIGAN BUILDING TRADES
CONSTRUCTION
MIKA MEYERS BECKETT & JONES
MILLER AUDITORIUM
MOKA FOUNDATION
MUSKEGON CIVIC THEATRE
MUSKEGON MUSEUM OF ART
NATIONAL HERITAGE ACADEMIES
NOORDYK BUSINESS EQUIPMENT
NORTHPOINTE BANK
OPERA GRAND RAPIDS
PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP AT
NATIONAL CITY BANK
PRO-MOW LAWNCARE &
LANDSCAPE
RIVER CITY SLIM’S
SMG – VAN ANDEL ARENA &
DEVOS PERFORMANCE HALL
SMITH HAUGHEY RICE & ROEGGE
ST. CECILIA MUSIC CENTER
STEELCASE FOUNDATION
STEENLAND INSURANCE AGENCY
TEAM RESTORATION
TRY CONSTRUCTION
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
HEALTH SYSTEMS
VARNUM, RIDDERING,
SCHMIDT & HOWLETT
WADDELL & REED
WENDY’S
WEST MICHIGAN VETERINARY
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
WEST SHORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WOODCRAFT OF WEST MICHIGAN
W.g. GRINDERS
Z’S GRILLE & BAR
ZAGERS POOL AND SPA
AT
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
CORPORATE SUPPORT
of public broadcasting
weekly schedule
PAID
DEAR FRIENDS
WGVU 1480 AM 850 AM
PERIODICAL
POSTAGE
FEATURE PRESENTATION
weekly schedule
WGVU
TV 35/DT 11 • TV 52/DT 5
1480 AM & 88.5 FM • 850 AM & 95.3 FM
301 W. Fulton Grand Rapids, MI 49504-6492
Business Office: 1•616•331•6666 or 1•800•442•2771
TDD: 1•800•748•0488 FAX: 1•616•331•6625
Internet: [email protected]
WEB: wgvu.org
WGVU 88.5 FM 95.3 FM