Transparency and Public Files

WCBU provides this page as a resource to not only meet regulatory requirement, but also to be as transparent about our operation as possible.

The following resources are available on this page:

WCBU's full FCC public file is available on the FCC website.

If you have a disability or require assistance with WCBU's public files, please contact R.C. McBride at (309) 438-2713 or RCMcBride@IllinoisState.edu.

WCBU Mission and Vision Statements

Vision: WCBU aspires to be Peoria’s leader in local news. As one of the only nonprofit media organizations in Peoria that is freely accessible to all, we strive to continuously earn the trust and support of our audience with quality content and integrity in our reporting. WCBU will serve a thriving community from our learning laboratory on the Bradley University campus where new and experienced journalists join students with diverse backgrounds and visions for the future to find purpose, mentorship, and camaraderie. Using our first in the industry partnership between Bradley and Illinois State Universities as inspiration, WCBU will continuously innovate to develop staff and service to Greater Peoria.

Mission: WCBU is a champion for all things Peoria. We provide award-winning journalism as a public service that spans substantive daily coverage of international and national news from the NPR Network paired with current events and in-depth human-interest stories from Greater Peoria. Peoria is our home allowing WCBU to provide local coverage with nuance and to feature the real voices of Peorians to inform, discuss, and connect.

WCBU FCC Quarterly Issues and Program Reports

WCBU Annual FCC EEO Reports

2023| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |2014 | 2013 | 2012

WCBU is a joint service of Bradley University and Illinois State University, both of which are equal opportunity/affirmative action institutions encouraging diversity. WCBU employees, with the exception of engineering staff located on the Bradley campus, are employees of Illinois State University, and therefore WCBU's employment practices are guided by Illinois State University. All job searches for full time positions are conducted in compliance with Illinois State University Human Resources policy and procedure, which can be accessed via www.hr.ilstu.edu. Searches also comply with Illinois State University Affirmative Action policy.

Position vacancies are posted on Illinois State University's employment website. By Illinois State policy, position openings are listed with several other agencies and organizations. For an updated list, please contact Illinois State University Human Resources at hr@IllinoisState.edu.

Staff members at WCBU (and our partner station WGLT in Bloomington-Normal) are involved in many community groups. You can find details on each staff member's biography page at WCBU.org/Staff.

Public Media Code of Integrity

Like every public broadcasting organization, WCBU strives to meet the highest ethical standards in our work. Learn more.

WCBU's Annual Reports

2022 | 2021 | 2020

WCBU Annual Audited Financial Statements

2023 |2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018| 2017 | 2016| 2015

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Annual Financial Reports

2023 |2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Local Content and Service Report

2023 |2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Annual Employment Statistical Reports

2023 |2022 | 2021 | 2020| 2019

Information on the Bradley University/Illinois State University partnership

Management and Programming Agreement (2019)
Management and Programming Agreement (2023)

Bradley University Governance

Bradley University Board of Trustees

WCBU Community Advisory Board

Current Members and Meeting Schedule

Diversity and Inclusion

WCBU is committed to including diverse voices in every aspect of newsgathering, production, and development. This means that WCBU’s on-air and online content should reflect views from different backgrounds, such as race and ethnicity, genders, age groups, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, political viewpoints, and income levels. It is WCBU’s responsibility to reflect the Greater Peoria community as it exists and to debunk any stereotypes that distort the public’s view of it.

For content created locally, WCBU reporters are encouraged to track and periodically audit their featured sources and interviewees, to measure source diversity over time. The programming and development staff are likewise encouraged to feature station supporters and musical artists from diverse backgrounds when promoting or representing the station publicly. WCBU’s locally curated music service Highway 309 is committed to highlighting at least 50% women and artists of color.

WCBU’s commitment to diversity also extends to programming decisions about national and syndicated shows, to ensure the shows it carries address a broad range of ideas, information, and perspectives.

WCBU is guided in its employment practices by its operating institution, Illinois State University, where diversity and inclusion are a core value in its strategic plan, Educate Connect Elevate: Illinois State – The Strategic Plan for Illinois’ First Public University 2018-2023. ISU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action university encouraging diversity. As of Fall 2022, 12 of our 31 non-student employees identified as women, and half of our interns were students of color. You can track the demographics of our staff in our CPB Annual Employment Statistical Reports.

When hiring full-time staff, WCBU advertises open positions with the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. WCBU is also a paying member of Think.Public.Media, a coalition focused on diversifying the ranks of public media professionals. When recruiting for full-time positions in the next year, it is WCBU’s intent to attract a competitive applicant pool that includes women and people of color. Learn more about our hiring practices in our FCC Annual EEO Reports.

Funding Disclosures

WCBU retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news-coverage decisions and university administration, WCBU management, and all sources of revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.

WCBU may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

You can see a list of our major donors and underwriting partners in our Annual Reports.

Unnamed Sources Policy

WCBU will identify news sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge the reliability and motivations of sources. WCBU will consider sources' motives before promising anonymity. We reserve anonymity for sources who may face danger, retribution, or other harm, and have information that cannot be obtained elsewhere. WCBU will explain why anonymity is granted.

Corrections Policy

WCBU will check the accuracy of facts and report them objectively and impartially. When errors are made, WCBU will correct the online version of the story and include an editor’s note explaining the correction and why it was made. Contact us to request a correction.

Story Removal Or Change Requests

Our newsroom aims to balance the duty to inform the public with the harm that might do an individual later. As such, our newsroom will listen to requests to remove or change older stories from our website.