Florida Channel offers firsthand look at Legislature

April 4, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida public television station WUFT-TV/DT digital channel 5.2 will feature 12 hours of programming, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily from The Florida Channel beginning today, April 4.

This digital channel is available over the air on 5.2 or on Cox Cable channel 113 in Gainesville and Ocala. The 5.2 stream will feature PBS Create programming from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“As the University of Florida’s media properties we felt providing The Florida Channel to the viewers of north Florida was an important thing we could do to further ensure that citizens have open access to state government and can see it in action on a daily basis. The Florida Channel is a high quality programming product and we’re proud to offer it on WUFT-DT2,” said Randy Wright, UF College of Journalism and Communications Division of Multimedia Properties executive director.

The Florida Channel was founded in 1995 as a public service of the Florida Legislature and covers all three branches of state government year round. Similar in scope to C-Span on many cable networks, The Florida Channel produces more coverage than any other state and broadcasts a wide variety of public hearings as well as state task force, board and committee meetings.

The Florida Channel also produces a documentary series, an in-depth interview program, and a 30-minute legislative update. “Florida Crossroads” chronicles a variety of events, activities and topics of interest outside of Tallahassee. “Florida Face to Face” features interviews with government leaders and “Capitol Update” captures the daily activities of the Legislature while in session and produces a weekly review program outside the session. The complete program schedule is available at http://thefloridachannel.org/.

WUFT 5.1 will continue to feature PBS programming and WUFT 5.3 broadcasts PBS World and the Florida Knowledge Network.