U.S. Taxpayers Helping Public TV Go Digital
After requiring public television stations to convert to digital broadcasting, the federal government must now use taxpayer dollars to help them comply. On July 21, 2003, the USDA announced it would offer $15 million in grants to help small rural public television stations convert to digital programming.
Why do small rural public television stations need to make the costly conversion to digital broadcasting?
Because, the federal government told them to. Under a mandate issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), all of the nation's 357 public television stations -- rural and urban -- were required to convert to digital by May 1, 2003. Fewer than half the stations met the deadline.
So, who's going to pay for this?
The reason many public television station could not convert to digital by the May 1 deadline is pretty simple. It's just too expensive. To transition to digital broadcasting, a station must install a new antenna, transmitter or translator, and new digital program management facilities consisting of computer-controlled processing and storage systems. If a station is to perform a program origination, which many do, digital cameras, editing and mastering systems are required, as well.
According to the USDA, the digital conversion assistance grants will go only to the most rural and most needy public television stations capable of proving that the communities they serve have a "critical need" for their programming.
The relative average incomes of the people served by the stations applying for the grants will also be taken into consideration so, once again, poorer is better.
Many rural communities depend on public television stations for services ranging from educational course content in their schools to local news, weather and agricultural reports.
"The Bush Administration is committed to helping communities improve their technology infrastructure," said Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman in a USDA press release. "These grants will assist the most rural, isolated communities to have access to public broadcasting in this digital age."
Grants awarded will be limited to a maximum of $2 million for an individual station, or if it is an application representing a group of stations, the first will be limited to $2 million and the others to $1 million each.
Through the USDA's office of Rural Development, your tax dollars help support increasing economic opportunity and improving the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, USDA's Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.
Why do small rural public television stations need to make the costly conversion to digital broadcasting?
Because, the federal government told them to. Under a mandate issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), all of the nation's 357 public television stations -- rural and urban -- were required to convert to digital by May 1, 2003. Fewer than half the stations met the deadline.
So, who's going to pay for this?
The reason many public television station could not convert to digital by the May 1 deadline is pretty simple. It's just too expensive. To transition to digital broadcasting, a station must install a new antenna, transmitter or translator, and new digital program management facilities consisting of computer-controlled processing and storage systems. If a station is to perform a program origination, which many do, digital cameras, editing and mastering systems are required, as well.
According to the USDA, the digital conversion assistance grants will go only to the most rural and most needy public television stations capable of proving that the communities they serve have a "critical need" for their programming.
The relative average incomes of the people served by the stations applying for the grants will also be taken into consideration so, once again, poorer is better.
Many rural communities depend on public television stations for services ranging from educational course content in their schools to local news, weather and agricultural reports.
"The Bush Administration is committed to helping communities improve their technology infrastructure," said Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman in a USDA press release. "These grants will assist the most rural, isolated communities to have access to public broadcasting in this digital age."
Grants awarded will be limited to a maximum of $2 million for an individual station, or if it is an application representing a group of stations, the first will be limited to $2 million and the others to $1 million each.
Through the USDA's office of Rural Development, your tax dollars help support increasing economic opportunity and improving the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, USDA's Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.
