WEFS

{{Infobox television station

| callsign = WEFS

| city = Cocoa, Florida

| logo =

| branding = WEFS-TV

| analog =

| digital = 30 (UHF)

| virtual = 68

| translators =

| affiliations = {{ubl|68.1: Educational Ind.|for others, see {{Section link||Subchannels}}}}

| network =

| founded =

| airdate = {{start date and age|1987|6|18}}

| location = Cocoa–Orlando, Florida

| country = United States

| callsign_meaning = Eastern Florida State College

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WRES (1987–1991)|WBCC (1991–2013)}}

| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|Analog: 18 (UHF, 1987–1991), 68 (UHF, 1991–2008)|Virtual: 30 (2003–2005){{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-college-tv-station-changes/149290045/|date=July 2, 2005|page=2B|title=College TV station changes its digital channel|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024}}}}

| owner = Eastern Florida State College

| licensee =

| sister_stations =

| former_affiliations = PBS (2002–2012)

| erp = 300 kW

| haat = {{convert|491|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}

| class =

| facility_id = 6744

| coordinates = {{Coord|28|36|35|N|81|3|35|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline, title}}

| licensing_authority = FCC

| website = {{url|https://www.easternflorida.edu/wefs-tv/}}

}}

WEFS (channel 68) is a television station in Cocoa, Florida, United States, serving the Orlando area. The station is owned by Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) and maintains studios at the EFSC campus in Cocoa; its transmitter is located on Brown Road near Christmas, Florida.

The station's history begins with the activation of Cocoa's non-commercial educational channel 18 as WRES, a church-owned, family-oriented television station that began limited telecasting in June 1987. Three months later, Press Broadcasting acquired WRES and immediately agreed to donate it to Cocoa-based Brevard Community College. While the station switched to offering primarily instructional television programming including telecourses, Press set in motion a series of channel improvements. It had owned WMOD in Melbourne but found that its signal hindered it from competing in Orlando. The donation of the channel 18 license was contingent on permitting a swap with another station. That station, WKCF, began broadcasting on channel 68 in 1988. After objections from several Orlando TV stations, WKCF moved to channel 18 in October 1991; simultaneously, WRES switched to channel 68 and changed its call sign to WBCC. The move permitted both stations to upgrade their signals.

At the start of 2002, WBCC became a secondary PBS station. With the arrival of digital television, it began providing subchannels with content from the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Brevard Public Schools. The presence of WBCC and WDSC-TV in the market eroded viewer support for Orlando's primary PBS station, WMFE-TV, and contributed to financial exigencies there. In 2011, that station ceased airing PBS programming while a sale was pending. Brevard Community College partnered with UCF to launch "WUCF TV", the new primary PBS station for Central Florida, as WBCC's main channel on July 1, 2011. This partnership was unwound the next year when UCF purchased the WMFE-TV license and transmitter facility, making WUCF-TV a station in its own right. WBCC programming had continued on a subchannel throughout the run of "WUCF TV" on channel 68, minus PBS shows, and returned to the main channel as PBS programming moved to channel 24. The station changed its call sign in 2013 as part of the renaming of Brevard Community College as Eastern Florida State College. Its local programming includes EFSC athletic and official events and public affairs shows for Brevard County and the Space Coast.

History

=Early years on channel 18 and swap to channel 68=

WRES made a quiet debut on channel 18 on June 18, 1987.{{Cite book|chapter=WBCC|page=A-2557|title=Television & Cable Factbook|date=2006}} The original owner was the Glorious Church of God in Christ, a Tampa-based church whose pastor had been known for promoting vegetable ice cream. The station broadcast with a low effective radiated power—1,000 watts—from a facility that had belonged to cable company Florida CableVision. Its initial broadcast schedule ran for just three hours a day, six days a week, consisting of family-oriented secular programming.{{Cite news|first=Daniel II|last=Horgan|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-pastor-has-big-plans-for-n/149288614/|date=August 7, 1987|page=16C|title=Pastor has big plans for new Cocoa TV station|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050234/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-pastor-has-big-plans-for-n/149288614/|url-status=live}}

Shortly after launching, WRES was sold to Press Broadcasting. Press, a division of the Asbury Park Press newspaper in New Jersey, then turned around and donated WRES to Brevard Community College (BCC). The deal was part of a plan by Press that foresaw the move of WRES to another channel number so that a commercial station could use channel 18.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-ch-43-donates-educational/149288496/|date=September 11, 1987|page=1B|first=Roni Bea|last=Kayne|title=Ch. 43 donates educational station to BCC|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050231/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-ch-43-donates-educational/149288496/|url-status=live}} In the deal, BCC received the TV station facility, $1 million in operating funds, and another $240,000 to forge partnerships with the University of Central Florida (UCF), the Florida Institute of Technology, and public schools.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-bcc-may-soon-have-t/149288919/|date=September 12, 1987|page=34|title=BCC may soon have TV station: Agreement with WMOD awaiting FCC approval|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050232/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-bcc-may-soon-have-t/149288919/|url-status=live}} Press owned WMOD (channel 43) in Melbourne, which it intended to be the second major independent station for Central Florida. In spite of a $7 million outlay on programming, it ran into considerable difficulty because WMOD's transmitter site could not provide adequate full-market coverage.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-tower-of-power-new/149227362/|date=February 22, 1988|pages=Central Florida Business 1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-tv/149227325/ 20], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-tower-of-power-3/149227398/ 21]|first=Susan G.|last=Strother|title=Tower of Power: New independent stations rise to challenge WOFL's supremacy|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050207/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-tower-of-power-new/149227362/|url-status=live}} The deal called for a swap, but not necessarily with WMOD; Press Broadcasting hinted at further announcements on the matter.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-press-donates-money-to/149288680/|date=September 19, 1987|page=A6|title=Press donates money to college|newspaper=Asbury Park Press|location=Asbury Park, New Jersey|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050237/https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-press-donates-money-to/149288680/|url-status=live}} Meanwhile, Brevard Community College had been providing educational programming on cable systems since May 1986, featuring a mix of pre-produced telecourses and college-produced programming.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-station-blankets-brevard-w/149289196/|date=September 9, 1990|page=15A|title=Station blankets Brevard with educational programs|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050234/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-station-blankets-brevard-w/149289196/|url-status=live}}

Two months later, in November 1987, Press acquired the construction permit for channel 68 at Clermont, which became the other half of the proposed swap arrangement.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-swap-shop/149226968/|date=November 6, 1987|page=C-1|title=Swap Shop|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050240/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-swap-shop/149226968/|url-status=live}} Robert McAllan, the vice president of broadcasting for Press Broadcasting, declared that the channel 68 permit purchase "culminate[d] a two-year search for improved transmission facilities" for WMOD.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/press-journal-press-broadcasting-applies/149227005/|date=November 8, 1987|page=19A|agency=Associated Press|title=Press Broadcasting Applies For Purchase|newspaper=Press Journal|location=Vero Beach, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050843/https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-journal-press-broadcasting-applies/149227005/|url-status=live}} By August 1988, WRES was back on the air with a full schedule of educational programming: this included telecourses and instructional series as well as programs such as UCF Views the News and Florida's Backyard.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-wres-tv-channel-18/149288973/|date=August 14, 1988|page=TV Week 13|title=WRES-TV, Channel 18|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050710/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-wres-tv-channel-18/149288973/|url-status=live}} By 1990, the station offered 17 courses for BCC credit taken by some 500 students.{{r|Flor900909}} Meanwhile, Press put WKCF on the air—on channel 68—in December 1988.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-tv-time/149302630/|date=December 5, 1988|page=Central Florida Business 2|title=TV time|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050845/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-tv-time/149302630/|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|chapter=WKCF|title=Television & Cable Factbook|date=2006|page=A-457}}

Press Broadcasting and Brevard Community College then approached the FCC with the proposal to swap WKCF to channel 18 and WRES to channel 68. Two Orlando stations vehemently opposed the switch: WMFE-TV (channel 24), Orlando's public television station, and WOFL (channel 35), the market's established independent outlet. Both feared that the upgrades planned to channels 18 and 68 in the swap would create issues for them. WMFE feared that an upgraded WRES could become a competing public TV station, vying for viewers and donors with channel 24. WOFL believed Press Broadcasting had illegally controlled the channel 18 permit and that the two facilities did not serve the same area. Also objecting was a low-power TV station on channel 19 in Orlando, fearing displacement from the proposed WKCF facility in the Orlando-market tower farm at Bithlo.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-fuss-over-switching/138851182/|date=June 19, 1989|page=Central Florida Business 5|first=Susan G.|last=Strother|title=Fuss over switching channels: 2 broadcast groups fight plan by Orlando, Cocoa TV stations|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050712/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-fuss-over-switching/138851182/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-channel-swap-plan-causes-f/149227622/|date=July 10, 1989|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-channel-plan-causes-flap/149227647/ 2B]|first=Sara-Ellen|last=Amster|title=Channel swap plan causes flap: Orlando public station fears it stands to lose audience|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050827/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-channel-swap-plan-causes-f/149227622/|url-status=live}} The FCC approved the proposal in December 1989,{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-going-through-the-p/149227776/|date=December 4, 1989|page=Central Florida Business 5|first=Susan G.|last=Strother|title=Going through the proper channels: FCC approves, but broadcasters may appeal the switch of stations|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050828/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-going-through-the-p/149227776/|url-status=live}} affirming the decision in October 1990 after further appeals from WOFL. This allowed Press to pay for WRES to relocate to a new tower site in the Deseret Ranch development.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-wkcf-to-enter-market-with/149227712/|date=October 3, 1990|page=19C|first=Scott|last=Solomon|title=WKCF to enter market with swap|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614050742/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-wkcf-to-enter-market-with/149227712/|url-status=live}}

On October 7, 1991, the swap took place. WKCF moved to channel 18. WRES changed to channel 68 and simultaneously adopted the call sign WBCC.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-station-wkcf-to-swap/149227844/|date=October 5, 1991|page=15C|first=Joyce|last=Harris|title=BCC station, WKCF to swap TV signals Monday|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614051343/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-station-wkcf-to-swap/149227844/|url-status=live}} That same year, WBCC qualified for funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, making it eligible for state and federal support.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-brevard-focuses-on-educati/149289325/|date=December 1, 1991|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-focuses-on-educational/149289350/ 2B]|first=Ann|last=Mittman|title=Brevard focuses on educational TV|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614051345/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-brevard-focuses-on-educati/149289325/|url-status=live}} Over the course of the 1990s, the station's audience and student count increased. In 1995, Time Warner Cable in Orlando added channel 68 to its lineup.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-time-warner-cable-t/149289463/|date=January 7, 1995|page=D-3|first=Catherine|last=Hinman|title=Time Warner Cable to add channels, boost rates: TWC plans to raise its fees in metro Orlando and|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614051217/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-time-warner-cable-t/149289463/|url-status=live}} By 1997, Brevard Community College had 4,000 students in 91 courses offered over television and online.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-opens-high-tech-books/149289519/|date=January 4, 1997|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-college-uses-cable-to-reac/149289574/ 2A]|first1=Mary|last1=Shedden|first2=Keith|last2=Goldschmidt|title=BCC opens high-tech books: Community college uses cable, online courses to reach students|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614051349/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-opens-high-tech-books/149289519/|url-status=live}}

On January 1, 2002, the station became a secondary PBS member station, showing some limited programming from the network.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-wbcc-tv-to-begin-showing-p/149289691/|date=December 21, 2001|page=23|title=WBCC-TV to begin showing PBS programs|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614051218/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-wbcc-tv-to-begin-showing-p/149289691/|url-status=live}} By that April, renovations began to accommodate WBCC-DT channel 30, which took to the air on November 4, 2003.{{cite web|year=2003|url=http://www.wbcctv.org/index2.php?mainframe=/section_pages/know_wbcc-tv.html&subnavframe=/know_wbcc/content/sub_nav.html|title=History|work=Know WBCC-TV|publisher=WBCC-TV|access-date=May 23, 2006|archive-date=October 6, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061006051123/http://www.wbcctv.org/index2.php?mainframe=/section_pages/know_wbcc-tv.html&subnavframe=/know_wbcc/content/sub_nav.html|url-status=live}} WBCC offered several digital subchannels shortly after launching. The University of Central Florida entered into a memorandum to use one of WBCC's subchannels in March 2004;{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-brevard-college-to/149289878/|date=March 11, 2004|first=David|last=Damron|pages=H1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-all-tv-will-be-high/149290000/ H2]|title=Brevard college to aid UCF: University TV will get digital channel|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024}} In September, BPS-TV launched with programming from Brevard Public Schools, which was produced and transmitted by WBCC.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-brevard-schools-channel-h/149289869/|date=November 22, 2004|page= 1B|first=Kimberly C.|last=Moore|title=Brevard schools' channel hits air|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024}}

WBCC shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 68, on February 17, 2009, the original target date on which full-power television stations in the United States were to transition from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29245267|agency=Associated Press|title=List of TV stations ending analog broadcasts|date=February 17, 2009|work=NBC News|access-date=March 20, 2023|archive-date=January 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106052115/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29245267|url-status=live}} The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 30, having used virtual channel 68 since 2005.{{Cite web |date=May 23, 2006 |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}{{r|Flor050702}}

="WUCF TV": Central Florida's primary public TV station=

Prior to July 2011, WMFE-TV had been the flagship PBS station for central Florida. In fall 2010, WMFE's owner, Community Communications, announced that it had been forced to furlough several employees due to financial difficulties.{{cite news |url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2010/10/wmfe-avoids-layoffs-asks-employees-to-go-on-two-week-furloughs.html |title=WMFE avoids layoffs, asks employees to go on two-week furloughs |date=October 5, 2010 |access-date=May 26, 2011 |work=Orlando Sentinel |archive-date=October 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008033933/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2010/10/wmfe-avoids-layoffs-asks-employees-to-go-on-two-week-furloughs.html|first=Hal|last=Boedeker |url-status=dead }} Fundraising for WMFE radio was strong, but donations faltered for WMFE's television service.{{cite news |url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2010/09/wmfe-fund-raising-radio-is-terrific-but-television-is-off.html |title=WMFE fund-raising: Radio is terrific, but television is off |date=September 21, 2010 |access-date=May 26, 2011 |work=Orlando Sentinel |archive-date=October 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023224017/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2010/09/wmfe-fund-raising-radio-is-terrific-but-television-is-off.html |url-status=dead }} On April 1, 2011, WMFE announced that it would sell channel 24 and leave PBS due to these financial difficulties and "critical uncertainties in federal and state funding".{{cite news |url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/04/wmfe-sale-dallas-religious-broadcaster-is-the-buyer.htm |title=WMFE sale: Dallas religious broadcaster is the buyer |date=April 2, 2011 |access-date=May 26, 2011 |work=Orlando Sentinel|first=Hal|last=Boedeker}} One cause of WMFE's financial difficulties was the "triple overlap" of WMFE-TV, WBCC-TV, and WDSC-TV (channel 15) in Daytona Beach. The latter two were secondary stations that paid less to PBS and only aired a selection of the network's programming.{{Cite news|work=Current|url=https://current.org/2011/04/orlandos-overlapped-wmfe-exits-the-public-tv-business-sells-channel-24/|title=Orlando's overlapped WMFE exits the public TV business, sells Channel 24|date=April 1, 2011}}

When news spread of the sale, a campaign was undertaken by local residents and students at UCF to try to keep an active PBS station in the Orlando market.{{cite news |url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/05/two-ucf-students-fight-wmfes-sale-of-channel-24.html |title=Two UCF students fight WMFE's sale of Channel 24 |date=May 10, 2011 |access-date=May 26, 2011 |work=Orlando Sentinel |first=Hal|last=Boedeker |archive-date=October 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024073624/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/05/two-ucf-students-fight-wmfes-sale-of-channel-24.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/board-to-vote-on-future-of-pbs-1.2578953 |title=Board to vote on future of PBS |date=May 25, 2011 |access-date=May 26, 2011 |work=Central Florida Future |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722190056/http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/board-to-vote-on-future-of-pbs-1.2578953 |url-status=dead|first=Camille|last=Thomas }} On May 26, 2011, the UCF Board of Trustees approved a partnership with BCC to create "WUCF TV", the new primary PBS station for Central Florida. The new station would lease WBCC's primary digital channel and operate from WBCC's facilities. However, WBCC would retain its license and call letters.{{cite news |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-pbs-ucf-20110526,0,1309174.story |title=PBS to play on WUCF in Orlando |date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=May 26, 2011 |work=Orlando Sentinel}} On June 2, PBS approved the creation of "WUCF TV" and announced that it would become Central Florida's primary PBS channel.{{cite news |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-wucf-pbs-20110601,0,372588.story |title=WUCF-TV will be Central Florida's PBS station |date=June 2, 2011 |access-date=June 2, 2011 |work=Orlando Sentinel}} The station served as the Orlando market's only PBS station, as WDSC-TV in Daytona Beach left PBS on July 1, concurrent with WMFE's departure from PBS and the launch of "WUCF TV".{{cite news|last=Bodeker|first=Hal|title=PBS: Daytona Beach station will stop PBS lineup July 1|url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/06/pbs-daytona-beach-station-will-stop-pbs-lineup-july-1.html|access-date=June 20, 2011|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|date=June 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110619214544/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/06/pbs-daytona-beach-station-will-stop-pbs-lineup-july-1.html|archive-date=June 19, 2011|url-status=dead}} WBCC's existing programming and UCF TV continued as subchannels.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-ucf-team-for-pbs-stat/149290439/|date=May 27, 2011|pages=8C, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-will-provide-station-a/149290467/ 7C]|title=BCC, UCF team for PBS station: Big Bird among familiar stars who will be found on new station WUCF|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024}}

=Resuming independence=

On June 21, 2012, Community Communications announced that it would sell all of WMFE-TV's assets, except the studio facilities, to the University of Central Florida.{{cite news|url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2012/06/wmfe-to-sell-channel-24-license-equipment-to-ucf.html|title=WMFE to sell Channel 24 license, equipment to UCF|last=Boedeker|first=Hal|date=June 21, 2012|work=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=June 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624220414/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2012/06/wmfe-to-sell-channel-24-license-equipment-to-ucf.html|archive-date=June 24, 2012|url-status=dead}} With the acquisition of the WMFE-TV license, BCC and UCF announced that the operating agreement for channel 68 would be unwound once PBS programming returned to channel 24.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bcc-ucf-intend-to-dissolv/149290778/|date=June 22, 2012|page=5B|first=Britt|last=Kennerly|title=BCC, UCF intend to dissolve TV deal|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024}} This took place on November 15, 2012, at which time WBCC ended its PBS membership and once again became an educational independent station, with its programming returning to the main subchannel.{{cite news|last=Ryan|first=Mackenzie|title=WBCC TV to resume role as independent public station|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20121101/NEWS01/121101026/WBCC-TV-resume-role-independent-public-station|access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105034256/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20121101/NEWS01/121101026/WBCC-TV-resume-role-independent-public-station?&nclick_check=1|archive-date=November 5, 2012|newspaper=Florida Today|date=November 1, 2012}}

On July 1, 2013, Brevard Community College changed its name to Eastern Florida State College in conjunction with the offering of new four-year degrees. As part of the name change, WBCC changed its call sign to WEFS.{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-whats-driving-new-name-d/149290626/|date=May 14, 2013|page=5A|first=Matt|last=Reed|title=What's driving new name, degrees at BCC? Richey updates transition to state-college status|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 14, 2024}}{{Cite news|date=June 13, 2013|title=BCC shows signs of change|work=Florida Today|last=Ryan|first=Mackenzie|id={{ProQuest|1370970439}} }}

Local programming

WEFS produces and airs broadcasts related to Eastern Florida State College, including athletics events and college commencement. Through a partnership with the Florida Today newspaper in Cocoa, established in 2009,{{cite news|page=C10|title='Florida Today,' WBCC begin TV partnership|date=May 9, 2009|work=Florida Today|id={{ProQuest|239479104}}}} WEFS offers Brevard County–targeted public affairs programming.{{Cite web|url=https://www.easternflorida.edu/wefs-tv/original-programs.php|title=Original Programs|website=Eastern Florida State College|access-date=June 14, 2024}}

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

class="wikitable" \|+Subchannels of WEFS{{Cite web \|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WEFS#station \|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WEFS \|access-date=October 4, 2016 \|archive-date=October 5, 2016 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005234115/http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WEFS#station \|url-status=live \|website=RabbitEars }} ! scope = "col" \| Channel ! scope = "col" \| Res. ! scope = "col" \| Aspect ! scope = "col" \| Short name ! scope = "col" \| Programming
scope = "row" \| 68.1 \| 1080i \|\| rowspan=4 \| 16:9 \|\| WEFS-HD \|\| Main WEFS programming
scope = "row" \| 68.2 \| rowspan=3 \| 480i \|\| WEFS-CL \|\| Classic Arts Showcase
scope = "row" \| 68.3 \| WEFS-NS \|\| First Nations Experience
scope = "row" \| 68.4 \| WEFS-FL \|\| The Florida Channel

class="wikitable"

|+Subchannels of WEFS{{Cite web |url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WEFS#station |title=RabbitEars TV Query for WEFS |access-date=October 4, 2016 |archive-date=October 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005234115/http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WEFS#station |url-status=live |website=RabbitEars }}

! scope = "col" | Channel

! scope = "col" | Res.

! scope = "col" | Aspect

! scope = "col" | Short name

! scope = "col" | Programming

scope = "row" | 68.1

| 1080i || rowspan=4 | 16:9 || WEFS-HD || Main WEFS programming

scope = "row" | 68.2

| rowspan=3 | 480i || WEFS-CL || Classic Arts Showcase

scope = "row" | 68.3

| WEFS-NS || First Nations Experience

scope = "row" | 68.4