Transparency and Public Files

The following resources are available on this page:

• WCBU's Vision, Mission, Strategic Objectives and University Alignment 2022-2026
• WCBU Mission and Vision Statements
• WCBU FCC Quarterly Issues and Program Reports
• WCBU Annual FCC EEO Reports
• Public Media Code of Integrity
• NPR Ethics Handbook
• WCBU Annual Reports
• WCBU Annual Audited Financial Statements
• CPB Annual Financial Statements
• CPB Annual Employment Statistical Reports and Local Service Reports
• Information on Bradley University's governance
• Information on WCBU's advisory board
• Funding disclosures
• Content Republishing, Reprinting and Licensing
• Other news policies

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.

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 is a joint service of Bradley University and Illinois State University, both of which are equal opportunity institutions. 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.

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

NPR and member-stations like WCBU report, produce, acquire and distribute news, information and other content that meet the highest standards of public service in journalism and cultural expression.

Learn more and review NPR's Ethics Handbook.

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

Bradley University Board of Trustees

Current Members and Meeting Schedule

WCBU is committed to including different and representative 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.

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

WCBU is guided in its employment practices by its operating institution, Illinois State University. Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

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.

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.

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.

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.