Money that would allow Minnesota’s six public television broadcasters, including Austin’s KSMQ, to upgrade to digital technology isn’t in Gov.

Friday, February 02, 2001

Money that would allow Minnesota’s six public television broadcasters, including Austin’s KSMQ, to upgrade to digital technology isn’t in Gov. Jesse Ventura’s budget recommendations, however, the full $21 million is included in bills already introduced by lawmakers.

"None of us expected it to be in the budget," KSMQ General Manager Jude Andrews said Thursday. "It wasn’t a surprise."

The public broadcasters are under a mandate by the Federal Communications Commission to convert their analog TV transmitters to digital stations capable of transmitting up to five streams of programming within the same bandwidth by May 2003.

The six public broadcasters in Minnesota operate 10 stations. Although the $21 million being sought is only half of that needed to accomplish the upgrade, the amount would allow the stations to qualify for matching federal funds.

"We do believe it will be appropriated," Andrews said of the spending proposals.

KSMQ needs $5 million to make the upgrade.

"We could do it with $5 million … over several years … in stepping stones," Andrews said. "This $5 million will not come in one magnificent lump sum."

Andrews said that the process to upgrade Channel 15’s 20-year-old transmitter, located near its studios on the Riverland Community College campus in Austin, would take three to four years. New digital television technology allows stations to compress up to five streams of simultaneous programming in the same bandwidth they use now for programming.

Andrews said KSMQ is planning one of their new channels to offer resources. The station would work with agencies throughout its coverage area to offer programming that would help young fathers and mothers, teach elderly how to write wills or to explain to people how to do taxes.

Eventually, KSMQ would hope to offer an interactive channel that would offer a more intimate and personalized service for viewers.

KSMQ staffers recently attended a Minnesota Public Television Association event at the Capitol in St. Paul to visit with legislators about the importance of the digital conversion that the stations need. Sens. Kenric Scheevel, R-Preston, and Grace Schwab, R-Albert Lea, were among those visited.

If stations don’t upgrade to digital, they face losing their FCC licenses.

"Digital technology brings much more than theater-quality sound and pictures," MPTA President Allen Harmon said in a prepared news release. "Public television’s long-standing commitment to education, culture and the arts means that Minnesota’s stations will use this technology to create television that people will really use instead of watch."

KSMQ, which is owned by Austin Public Schools, has 14 full-time workers, 20 part-time workers and numerous volunteers, Andrews said.

The other stations in the statewide organization include WDSE in Duluth, KFME and KGFE in Fargo-Moorhead, KAWE and KAWB in Brainerd, KWCM and KSMN in Appleton-Worthington and KTCA and KTCI in the Twin Cities.

Locally, only one station – KTTC in Rochester – already is transmitting in a digital high-definition television format.