The University of Toledo is partnering with WGTE Public Media to present Season 2 of “The Four Hundred & Nineteen,” WGTE’s award-winning, hourlong talk show spotlighting the people and institutions that make northwest Ohio a great place to live, work and play. The university announced the partnership Friday, Oct. 23, ahead of the new season’s premiere on Monday, Oct. 26.
Hosts Gretchen DeBacker, Matt Killam and Kevin Mullan return for the second season, and one of their first guests will be UToledo President James Holloway, fresh off his 2026 State of the University address. This season marks the first with UToledo as a presenting sponsor of the program.
The show will air weekdays at 5 p.m. on WGTE HD, Channel 30.1, and at 3 p.m. on WGTE-FM 91. Episodes will also be available on the WGTE App and on the station’s YouTube channel, widening the audience for a program built around conversations with people driving positive change in their communities.
“‘The Four Hundred & Nineteen’ has become the flagship program for WGTE,” said Dr. Adam Fineske, president and CEO of WGTE Public Media. “Bringing the show to our HD channel represents an opportunity to bring more community voices to a broader audience. We are grateful for the support we have received from The University of Toledo, and we look forward to continuing our partnership and bringing excellent local programming to people throughout the region.”
Holloway made the same regional case from the university’s side. “Our region has incredible stories to tell, and public media has long played an important role in bringing those stories to life,” he said. “UToledo’s success is inseparable from the success of Northwest Ohio. We believe in the power of sharing ideas, celebrating the people who make our community special and building pride in the place we call home.”
The program comes into its second season with fresh recognition: in September 2026, “The Four Hundred & Nineteen” was honored by the Press Club of Toledo with a Touchstone Award in the category Podcast: News and Opinion.
WGTE Public Media is licensed and operated by the Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio, a nonprofit, noncommercial educational television and radio broadcaster and center of learning for northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Season 2 premieres Monday, Oct. 26, with President Holloway among the first guests.
Photo: MrJacon000, CC BY-SA 4.0