Congress moving to okay millions for financially strapped stations
Published in Current, Aug. 3, 2009
Congress is likely to provide $10 million to $40 million in emergency aid for financially devastated public stations in this year’s budget—the figure to be determined by an upcoming Senate floor vote and a House-Senate conference.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal 2010 Labor-HHS appropriations bill July 30, including money for CPB and other system funders.
The advance CPB funding is for next year, fiscal 2011: The Senate panel set a $450 million mark, up from $430 million this year; the House had already approved $440 million.
The other appropriations are for the present fiscal year. The Senate committee voted $10 million for emergency fiscal aid and the House $40 million, requiring negotiation between the houses. On July 27 the House alloted the funds “to maintain local programming and services and preserve jobs threatened by declines in non-Federal revenues due to the downturn in the economy, to be awarded no later than 45 days after enactment.”
Both House and Senate bills provide $36 million for further digital conversion, content and services. The Senate committee provides $28.5 million for Ready to Learn, the House $25.4 million. But the Senate bill now zeroes-out Ready to Teach funding while the House retains $10.7 million.
How CPB would distribute economic assistance
On May 20, 2009, the CPB Board approved its management's "Framework of Priorities" to guide spending of any relief funds it can distribute. However, Congress could put special conditions on any funding that it appropriates, CPB spokesperson Louise Filkins points out.
The plan puts the priorities on maintaining over-the-air service but not necessarily locally produced service. It also seeks to maintain public access to broadcast channels even if local stations go away.
CPB Management’s Framework of Priorities to Ensure Universal Service
CPB will focus the efforts and resources for supporting public media stations in financial distress on the following three priorities:
- Maintain free universal service. To the extent possible, everyone that currently receives radio and television over-the-air service today will continue to receive radio and television over-the-air service.
- Support operational efficiencies. CPB will seek to maintain universal service or aid stations by supporting approaches that make the most efficient and effective use of overall resources.
- Preserve options for diversity of both services and audiences. Broadcast spectrum is a scarce and valuable resource that, particularly with digital technology, offers opportunities to provide diversity of service. Where feasible, CPB will seek to keep spectrum under public broadcasting control.
While CPB does not have sufficient discretionary funds to keep all financially distressed
stations solvent, CPB remains committed to ensuring universal service throughout the
current public broadcasting service area.
The situation in each community and at each station will be unique and solutions will be
developed on a case-by-case basis.
CPB’s goal is to preserve service for communities by fostering the development of a
system of local stations that are financially stable and sustainable, able to provide
essential media services to a diverse American public.
Web page posted Aug. 4, 2009
Copyright 2009 by Current LLC
