Alert (09/29/2026): Our Parkersburg TV transmitter is still undergoing maintenance and remains temporarily inoperative. We apologize for the inconvenience.
All our programming is available via our TV livestreams on our website and WVPB Passport. Thank you for your patience!
To Educate, Inform, and Inspire by Telling West Virginia's Story
Mountain Readers Week will be held Oct. 5-9, 2026! Celebrate and foster a love of reading in children across West Virginia.
Nominate an exceptional West Virginia K-12 teacher today!
On Demand
On Demand
Stream original productions from WVPB
Watch locally produced documentaries & more.
On Demand
On Demand
West Virginia Morning
Inside Appalachia
West Virginia Week
Mountain Stage
Us & Them
The Legislature Today
The Legislature This Week
Send us your comments and questions.
Stream our board meetings.
Check out the latest WVPB news.
Sign up for our newsletter and get weekly updates.
Meet the WVPB staff.
WV Educational Broadcasting Commission, the WVPB Foundation, and the Friends of WVPB.
Come work with us!
Read our annual report and learn how we educate, inform and inspire with your support.
Sponsor impactful and engaging media and entertainment.
Use your IRA to make a gift to WVPB.
Become a member with your gift of $1,000 or more.
Make WVPB part of your legacy.
Manage your membership account.
Learn how you can Protect and Sustain West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Women make up nearly 60 percent of the professional workforce, yet they hold 25 percent of jobs in the area of computer science. That gender gap one reason why West Virginia University’s Reed College of Media hosted a Hackathon that focused on women, media and wearable technology.
Over 40 students signed on to participate in the “Women’s Hackathon on Wearables.” Few came with technical backgrounds. The event was co-produced by PBS Media Shift, an online publication that looks at changes in the media industry. Events Coordinator Beth Laing said the all-female environment created a more comfortable atmosphere for the participants.
“They don’t feel like they’re going to put themselves in a bad position by asking a question, be thought less of,” Laing said.
Hackathon Features:
*Wearables: mini-computers that can be found in watches, glasses or bracelets. They can perform tasks like taking video or monitoring fitness.
Innovation: BIOBIT
The Hackathon ended with eight teams pitching ideas. One team came up with what was applauded as the best idea: an accessory to the popular FitBit (a wireless, wearable device that tracks activity).
They call their innovation the BioBit. It would connect to the FitBit bracelet and could measure certain nutrient levels and notify the wearer if they’re deficient. Judges told the creators to try to patent their idea immediately. There was no monetary award, but Media Shift will publish an article on BioBit.
The take away for all was about process: the process of innovation.
Universities Represented:
Some thoughts going into the Hackathon:
Hilary Godin (WVU): “I think it will be a learning experience. Yeah. I think it will also help me decide if I want to major in something with technology.”
Maggie Kong (WVU): “I know that traditionally there is a gender gap in media and technology fields, so I really want to improve my skills in this event, yeah.”
Katherine Dye (Health Sciences and Technology Academy at WVU): “I’ve read all the collateral that was sent out prior and hoped that that would give me an idea, but I think part of what this weekend entails is not having those boundaries.”
Some thoughts coming out of the Hackathon:
Katie Heller (WVU): “I think that when women get in an uninhibited environment, then we do amazing things, and this really showcases our ability.”
Add WVPB as a preferred source on Google to see more from our team
West Virginia has seen the largest population decline in the nation - nearly 1.5% - and many of those leaving are young people. In an episode that aired last month, Us & Them host Trey Kay heard from some young people who think they may stay in the state to launch their futures. This month, Kay talks with those who say living their dreams may well require moving away from the Mountain State. We listen to an excerpt from the latest Us & Them.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsThey love West Virginia, but love alone may not be enough to keep them here. In the second of two Us & Them episodes, Trey Kay talks with young West Virginians who say they may need to leave in search of careers, community and a place where they can imagine their futures. Their decisions reveal what the Mountain State risks losing when young people cannot see a place for themselves at home.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsStories abound of people using large language models, colloquially referred to as artificial intelligence (AI), to write reports, only to discover that the computer used fake sources and made-up references. This interview explores the best way to use AI to get what you want – and not fabricated or false answers that seem real.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsMany of the devices we use in our daily lives run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Be aware that damaged or incorrectly charged batteries can overheat, start a fire, or even explode.
Continue Reading Take Me to More News
