The Florida Channel Explained

The Florida Channel
Country:United States
Area:Florida
Language:English
Owner:Florida State University
Florida Legislature

The Florida Channel is a government-access television network operated by Florida State University's WFSU-TV and the Florida State Legislature. The channel is currently carried by 46 cable TV systems throughout the State of Florida either on a part-time or full-time basis as well as through up to 18 live Internet streams and via satellite.[1] The station operates 24 hours a day though its normal broadcast schedule starts at 6:00 a.m. ET and ends at 6:00 p.m. ET with the day's programming repeated in a loop throughout the night. The Florida Channel also airs on the digital subchannels of most Florida PBS member stations and on some public independent and local cable-only stations.

When the state legislature is in session, live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives is carried until the end of legislative business and is then usually followed by Capitol Update at 5:30 p.m. ET, which provides comprehensive coverage of each day's most significant legislative events.

When the legislature is not in session, other live gavel-to-gavel programming is carried, including the Florida Supreme Court, the meeting of the governor and cabinet and the Florida Public Service Commission meetings. When there are no live gavel-to-gavel meetings, other local or statewide public affairs programming is carried out.

The Florida Channel's offices and studios are located on the 9th floor of the Capitol Building in Tallahassee.

Current affiliates

The following is a list of current affiliates of the Florida Channel which includes "over-the-air" and local and systemwide cable networks in addition to the live stream available on their website and using the Roku streaming device.[2] [3]

City of License Station ID Channel Notes/Air Times
(all times ET, except where noted)
BartowPolk County Government TVComcast 5
Frontier FiberOpic 20
Spectrum (Except Poinciana) 644 / Poinciana 497
5:30pm to 7:30pm Monday thru Friday
Boca RatonCity of Boca Raton TVComcast 20
U-verse 99
6:00am to 12:00pm Monday thru Friday
12:00pm to 8:00pm Saturday & Sunday
BunnellFlagler County TVSpectrum 49212:00am to 8:00am Monday thru Friday (Preempted by local commission meetings)
Cocoa/OrlandoWEFS68.4Programming available 24 hours a day
CrestviewOkaloosa County School District TVITV Wireless Cable 6Programming available 24 hours a day (Internal ITV Network)
Daytona BeachWDSC-TV15.2Programing available 24 hours a day
Fort MyersWGCU30.4Programming available 24 hours a day
Fort MyersLee TVComcast 973:00am to 8:00am Monday thru Friday
6:00pm to 7:00pm Monday thru Saturday
Fort PierceSt. Lucie County TelevisionU-verse 996:00am to 6:00pm Monday thru Sunday (Preempted for local government programming)
Fort Walton BeachFort Walton Beach TVCox 98Programming available 24 hours a day (Unless preempted by Commission meetings)
GainesvilleWUFT5.3Programming available from 8am to 6pm Monday thru Friday
JacksonvilleWJCT7.4Programming available from 6am to 6pm Monday thru Friday
LeesburgLake Sumter TVComcast 13
Prism 83
Spectrum 498
6:00am to 8:00pm (Unless preempted by local programming)
MiamiWPBT2.2 Carriage when the Florida Legislature is in session only (First Monday in March until adjourned)
MiamiMiami-Dade College TVComcast (Miami-Dade County)
Comcast (Homestead) 21
Atlantic Broadband 78
KG Comm. 21
11:00pm to 8:00am Monday thru Friday (Daily during legislature session)
MiamiMiami-Dade County TVComcast 76
Atlantic Broadband 76
U-Verse 99
Check MDC-TV schedule for TFC programming schedule
OrlandoOrange TVComcast 9
Spectrum 488
U-verse 99
Programming available during legislative session only
PensacolaWSRE23.3Programming available from 5:00am to 5:00pm (Central Time) Saturday & Sunday
Panama CityWFSG56.2Programming available starting at 10:30am (Outside of legislature session)
Programming available starting at 5:30pm Monday thru Friday (During legislature session)
Programming available starting at 11:00pm Monday thru Friday (During legislature session)
Panama CityEscambia Government TVCox Cable 98
Spectrum 98
U-verse 99
12:00am to 7:00am (Central Time) Monday thru Sunday
Port CharlotteCharlotte County Government AccessComcast 20 & 9712:00am to 7am Monday thru Sunday
TallahasseeWFSU11.2Flagship station, Programming available 24 hours a day
Tallahassee4FSU (Florida State University Educational)Comcast 412:00am to 6:00am Monday thru Sunday
TallahasseeSchool District of Lee County TVComcast 231:00am to 5:00am Monday thru Sunday (Subject to preemption)
TampaWEDU3.3Programming available 24 hours a day
TampaHillsborough County TelevisionComcast 22
Frontier FiOS 22
Spectrum 637
12:00am to 7:00am Monday thru Friday
12:00am to 6:30am Saturday & Sunday
TitusvilleCity of Titusville Government TVSpectrum 4986:00am to 7:30am Monday thru Sunday (Preempted by City Commission meetings)
VieraSpace Coast GovernmentComcast 13 & 51
Spectrum 499
6:00am to 8:00pm Monday thru Friday (Preempted for local programming)
West Palm BeachWXEL42.3Programming available 6:00am to 6:00pm Monday thru Friday
West Palm BeachPalm Beach County TVComcast 2012:00am to 7:00am Monday thru Sunday

Controversy

In June 2011, it was revealed that the Florida Channel would receive $1.8 million for continued operation of the network, as part of the $2.8 million in funding that WFSU will receive. This is despite the $4.8 million of funding to other public radio and television stations vetoed by Governor Rick Scott in May 2011.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Florida Channel - LyngSat. www.lyngsat.com.
  2. https://thefloridachannel.org/about-tfc/where-to-watch/ The Florida Channel, Where To Watch
  3. https://thefloridachannel.org/about-tfc/how-to-watch/ The Florida Channel How to Watch including Roku
  4. Web site: Gov. Rick Scott's veto of public TV and radio funds spares capital's WFSU – St. Petersburg Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20110609052219/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/gov-rick-scotts-veto-of-public-tv-and-radio-funds-spares-capitals-wfsu/1173819. dead. 2011-06-09. 2011-06-09. 2018-11-19.