Hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Mark Welp, this weekly public affairs program offers an in-depth look at people, issues and perspectives that are making news, and making a difference in central Illinois. Additional reporting is by Phil Luciano, respected local reporter, columnist and co-host of You Gotta See This!
Host Biography
Mark Welp is a veteran central Illinois news anchor and television reporter with more than 25 years in television journalism. He was the evening news anchor at WMBD-TV in Peoria and spent more than 11 years at WHOI-TV, where he anchored the popular Daybreak morning news program and hosted the lifestyle show, Good Company with Gretchen Wirtz. He has also worked in St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri, and Champaign, Illinois. He joined WTVP PBS as senior content producer in 2023, using his talents and experience to develop and produce content for You Gotta See This!, documentaries and the daily news summary, Central Illinois in 60 Seconds.
Since 2006, Welp has also worked with the TAPS No-Kill Animal Shelter in Pekin to increase animal adoptions. Thousands of cats and dogs have been adopted as a result of his weekly TV segment, Mark’s Furry Friends, which airs Thursdays on WTVP-HD 47.1 between This Old House (7 p.m.) and Ask This Old House (7:30 p.m.). It also appears on Facebook and other social media.
Welp lives in Normal with his wife, daughter, two dogs, two cats and six fish. His adult twin daughters live in Southern California.
How to Watch
At Issue with Mark Welp airs Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. and repeats on Sunday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. on WTVP-HD 47.1. Each episode also encores on WTVP WORLD Channel 47.3 on Fridays at 8 p.m. Check local listings for cable and satellite TV channel assignments.
