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ROME, Ga., April 15, 2004 —
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that 18 rural public
television stations will receive $14 million to assist in the conversion
from analog to digital broadcasting.
“Supporting new technologies is part
of the Bush Administration’s overall goal to create economic growth
in America’s rural communities,” Veneman said. “Conversion
to digital broadcasting will expand access to educational, agricultural
and news information available to rural residents.”
Veneman made the announcement during a
visit to the local Internal Revenue Service office here to highlight the
tax benefits that farmers and ranchers will receive in 2004 under President
Bush’s Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Joining
Veneman was Rep. Phil Gingrey and area farm families.
In its effort to advance the nation’s
conversion to digital television, the Federal Communications Commission
required all television stations to initiate the broadcast of a digital
signal by May 1, 2003 and cease analog television broadcasts on December
31, 2006. Approximately half of the nation's 357 public television stations
did not meet the required digital broadcasting deadline and were granted
extensions until May 1, 2004.
Public television stations rely largely
on public membership and business contributions to operate. In many rural
areas the cost of the transition from analog to digital broadcasting may
exceed these financial resources. To help stations with the cost of the
change, Congress recommended in the USDA Rural Development 2004 appropriations
bill that $14 million of the distance learning/telemedicine funds support
the transition effort. Through the USDA distance learning/telemedicine
program, the Bush Administration invested over $90 million, since 2001,
to enhance access to rural education and health care technology.
Initiating a digital broadcast requires
the installation of a new antenna, transmitter or translator and new digital
program management facilities. If a station is to perform a program origination,
which many do, digital cameras, editing and mastering systems also are
required.
To highlight, the Georgia Public Television Commission
(GPTV), which operates nine public television stations, will receive $751,237
to fund WDCO’s (Cochran, Ga.) switch to a full-power digital transmitter.
WDCO will be the first public television station in Georgia to broadcast
a digital signal.
The following stations were selected to receive grant
funds:
| Applicant Name |
Station or Network
ID |
State |
Grant |
| Capital Community Broadcasting |
KTOO |
AK |
$591,000 |
| Northern
California Educational TV |
KIXE |
CA |
$1,505,920 |
| Georgia
Public Television Commission |
GPTV |
GA |
$751,237 |
| Idaho
Public Television |
KUID |
ID |
$674,023 |
| Smoky
Hill Public TV |
KOOD, KSWK, KDCK |
KS |
$529,906 |
| West
Central Minnesota Educational TV |
KWCM, KSMN |
MN |
$702,796 |
| Central
Missouri State University |
KMOS |
MO |
$237,909 |
| Montana
State University |
KUSM |
MT |
$980,000 |
| WSKG
Public TV |
WSKG |
NY |
$1,291,500 |
| Ohio
University |
WOUB |
OH |
$632,336 |
| South
Oregon Public TV |
KSYS |
OR |
$181,915 |
| South
Dakota Board for Educational TV |
KESD |
SD |
$431,118 |
| South
Dakota Board for Educational TV |
KQSD |
SD |
$431,118 |
| South
Dakota Board for Educational TV |
KTSD |
SD |
$431,118 |
| Greater
Chattanooga Public TV |
WTCI |
TN |
$319,170 |
| University
of Utah |
KUED |
UT |
$308,934 |
| Shenandoah
Valley Educational TV |
WVPT |
VA |
$2,000,000 |
| Central
Wyoming College |
KCWC |
WY |
$2,000,000 |
Funding of selected applicants will be contingent upon meeting the conditions
of the grant agreement. USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver
programs that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve
the quality of life for rural residents. As a venture capital entity,
Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to finance
and foster growth in homeownership, business development and critical
community and technology infrastructure. Additional information about
rural programs is available at the local USDA Rural Development office
or on USDA's Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov
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