Mission, Vision, and Values Statements

WTIU Mission Statement

Television can make you laugh. It can make you cry. Television can help you to see the world with a sense of wonder and excitement—and to understand it in a whole new way. Public television was created to provide a community-based, high-quality alternative to commercial, ratings-driven, lowest-common-denominator programming.

From our youngest viewers to our oldest, WTIU harnesses the power of television to bring the world to the communities we serve, to examine what those communities have in common, and to inspire, enlighten and entertain all individuals.

WTIU Vision Statements

Children

We produce children’s television to make a difference, not to make a profit.

Citizenship

We are committed to providing a forum for discourse, a voice for the underserved, and a platform for analysis and understanding. There should be no cost of admission to participate in our democracy.

Community

We promote understanding through preserving the past, enlivening the present and preparing for the future.

Culture

We are a museum, a theater, a concert hall, a library—all rolled into one. We inspire, enlighten and entertain.

Knowledge

We challenge the mind, educate and inform, from teaching children their numbers and alphabet to providing college credit classes. We recognize that learning is not limited to taking place in a classroom.

WTIU Values Statements

Localism: We take seriously our role as the only local television station.

• We are partners with organizations in all the communities we serve. We try to understand and serve our various constituencies by being responsive to community needs.
• We extend the mission of Indiana University and communicate our value within the university.
• We improve the quality of life in the communities we serve through our involvement.

Quality: We serve viewers, not advertisers.

• We provide the only safe place on television for children.
• We are leaders within our industry for the quality of the programs we produce and broadcast.
• We strive for excellence in everything we do—from television production to customer service.
• We encourage innovation in all areas of our business. We have the courage to take intelligent risks and attempt new ways to reach our audiences.
• We are entertaining.
• We are passionate about our work, as well as pragmatic about how we do it.
• We are fiscally responsible.

Respect: We respect the intelligence of all our viewers.

• We serve all viewers. We identify underserved audiences and strive to meet their needs through all our services.
• We respect diversity in all aspects of what we do.
• We promote character development, ethical and social responsibility, commitment to civic engagement, awareness of global issues, and recognition of the need for stewardship of the future.
• We foster a productive environment of learning, collaboration, creativity, mutual respect, tolerance, and civility among students, faculty, staff, graduates, and the broader community.
• We consider the employment of students to be an extension of their educations, and the practical skills we teach them prepares them for successful careers.
• We rely on volunteers to provide assistance of critical importance, and demonstrate our appreciation whenever possible.

Knowledge: We encourage a sense of discovery and wonder through learning.

• We cultivate intellectual curiosity, lifelong learning, and the development of skills necessary to adapt and excel in a changing world.
• We facilitate discussion and understanding among various audiences.
• We embrace new technology and play a role in explaining that technology to viewers.
• We thoroughly research topics and extend content beyond the television screen, through outreach, the web and educational services.