Station Announcements

Photos: WGLT and The Vidette host open house for new shared space

WGLT | By Emily Bollinger

Published May 7, 2024 at 3:29 PM CDT

Highlights from WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024. Photos show guests around WGLT's new building.

1 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger42.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1, 2024. The McLean County Chamber of Commerce helped cut the ribbon on the new building.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

2 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger02.jpg

WGLT morning host Ariele Jones, right, talks with Normal Town Council member Chemberly Harris in a studio at the open house on May 1, 2024.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

3 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger03.jpg

WGLT news director Eric Stock, right, talks with former WGLT staffer Pat Peterson at the May 1 open house.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

4 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger04.jpg

WGLT program director Jon Norton, left, shows off Studio A at the May 1 open house.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

5 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger05.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1, 2024.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

ISU President Aondover Tarhule and Jeanne Morris at WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024.

6 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger06.jpg

ISU President Aondover Tarhule, center, talks to retired ISU faculty member Jeanne Morris at the open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

Executive Director RC McBride giving remarks at WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024.

7 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger07.jpg

Executive Director and General Manager R.C. McBride speaks at the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

8 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger13.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1, 2024.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

ISU President Aondover Tarhule and Executive Director RC McBride at WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024.

9 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger08.jpg

ISU President Aondover Tarhule and Executive Director and General Manager R.C. McBride at the open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

ISU President Aondover Tarhule giving remarks at WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024.

10 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger09.jpg

ISU President Aondover Tarhule speaks at the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

Mayor Chris Koos at WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024.

11 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger30.jpg

Mayor Chris Koos, left, and others at the WGLT and Vidette open house May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

12 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger01.jpg

Visitors check out Studio A inside the new WGLT-Vidette building on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

13 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger12.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1, 2024. The McLean County Chamber of Commerce helped cut the ribbon on the new building.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

14 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger15.jpg

WGLT reporter Lyndsay Jones, right, gives visitors a tour of the new building on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

15 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger14.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

16 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger17.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

17 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger18.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

18 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger16.jpg

WGLT program director Jon Norton, left, shows off Studio A at the May 1 open house.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

19 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger19.jpg

WGLT senior reporter Charlie Schlenker, left, talks to former WGLT staffer Pat Peterson at the open house.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

Tom Lamonica (left) and ISU President Aondover Tarhule at WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024.

20 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger29.jpg

School of Communication faculty member Tom Lamonica, left, with ISU President Aondover Tarhule at the open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

21 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger20.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

22 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger21.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

23 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger23.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

24 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger22.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

25 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger25.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

Jeanne Morris at WGLT's open house on May 1, 2024.

26 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger24.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

27 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger33.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

28 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger26.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

29 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger28.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

30 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger27.jpg

WGLT program director Jon Norton, left, shows off Studio A at the May 1 open house.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

31 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger31.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

32 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger37.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1. The McLean County Chamber of Commerce helped cut the ribbon on the new building.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

33 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger36.jpg

Executive Director and General Manager R.C. McBride giving remarks at the open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

34 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger40.jpg

Executive Director and General Manager R.C. McBride giving remarks at the open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

35 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger47.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

36 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger46.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

37 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger39.jpg

ISU President Aondover Tarhule giving remarks at the open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

38 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger41.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

39 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger43.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

40 of 40 — WGLTOpenHouse_Bollinger45.jpg

Highlights from the WGLT and Vidette open house on May 1.

Emily Bollinger / WGLT

The Illinois State University campus and Bloomington-Normal community came together May 1 to celebrate the opening of the new shared home of WGLT and The Vidette.

WGLT staff provided tours of the new building at 500 W. Locust St. in Normal, including inside the five new studios. Executive Director R.C. McBride and ISU President Aondover Tarhule gave remarks before a ribbon-cutting with the McLean County Chamber of Commerce.

The move caps a multiyear fundraising campaign to build new studios paired with generous support from ISU to update The Vidette building. The deeper partnership between WGLT and The Vidette is already paying dividends, including the launch this spring of the Democracy's Future podcast tied to the election.