Public broadcasting stations like Austin’s KSMQ could soon lose a big part of what makes them “public” — state funding.

As part of his modified budget proposal, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has called for a $1.361 million cut to the state’s six public broadcasting stations in fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1. That is every penny the stations were slated to receive from the state’s general fund between this summer and June of 2011 — and the governor has proposed the cuts stay on the books until at least 2013.

For KSMQ, this would mean a loss of $226,811, or roughly 20 percent of the station’s budget, this year. The smallest of the six Minnesota Public Television Association stations, KSMQ would proportionally be taking the biggest hit.

“It would have quite a huge effect on KSMQ,” station president Marianne Potter said. “Particularly being a smaller station.”

If Pawlenty’s proposal went through, Potter said she could see the station losing three employees, or 20 percent of the staff, to stay afloat. There would also be drastically reduced programming, Potter said, meaning weeknight series such as “Garden Connections”, “Health Connections”, “Cities on the Move”, “Farm Connections”, “Diversity Connections” and “Entre Amigos” could be eliminated.

On top of those immediate results, Potter said the cuts in state funding would hurt the station when it next vies for federal funding. Typically, the president said, KSMQ must meet a certain threshold of local funding to qualify for federal dollars. Not meeting the threshold — and not qualifying for federal funds — would cost the station roughly $540,000.

To combat the possible cuts, Potter has joined with other public station presidents in rallying support within the state Legislature. So far, news there has been better — a Senate proposal calls for significantly smaller cuts, something Potter said she could live with.

“We’re certainly willing to take some kind of a cut,” she said.

But the proposed “zeroing-out” would have drastic effects on all member stations, MPTA President Allen Harmon said.

Harmon, who owns stations in Duluth and Hibbing, said diminished funding will mean less access to original programs focused on the arts, culture and local histories.

Like Potter, Harmon also said a cut from the state would make it much harder to leverage federal funding.

“Each station will react independently,” Harmon said. “But the consistent message is that this is a significant budget cut.”

The MPTA president also acknowledged that the six members were ready to endure some cuts — but they weren’t ready to have the rug pulled out from under them.

“Frankly, we were expecting something more in-line with other (state) funded agencies,” Harmon said. “It was definitely an unpleasant surprise.”

Harmon said he tries to remain positive during situations like this — and doesn’t want to speculate about a possible station closing or merger — but he did admit that it will be hard for MPTA stations to make up for the cuts. That’s because as public broadcasters, they are limited in how they raise money, specifically because they don’t utilize traditional advertising.

Instead, stations like KSMQ rely on a number of public sources beyond state funding to make up their budgets, including grants and membership pledges.

Potter said she fears that a loss of state funding may have a negative, snowball-type effect on these areas as well. For instance, if the station is forced to reduce programming, it may lose a grant or private sponsorship. In turn, this could push potential new members away, leaving the station with more lost than just the original budget cut, Potter said.

Harmon agreed that this is a real possibility, and said he doesn’t foresee many stations being able to offset the state’s proposed cuts by ramping up other forms of public support.

“Given the limits of what we can do on-air, I can’t see that happening,” he said.

The governor’s office maintains that the state must prioritize spending given Minnesota’s roughly $4.57 billion projected budget deficit over the next two years. Rising to the top of the list of Pawlenty’s priorities are “core” areas like K-12 funding and public safety, spokesman Bruce Gordon said in an e-mail.

“Public broadcasting is not a core government function,” Gordon said in the e-mail. “Public radio and TV stations are able to raise funds through listener and viewer donations and underwriting, and they have received millions of dollars for arts and cultural programming through the voter-approved Legacy Amendment.”

Harmon said it’s unfair to claim that the stations’ losses will be offset by funds from the Legacy Amendment, which altered Minnesota’s constitution to provide more money for the arts and outdoors.

Indeed, the MPTA has received Legacy funding, but Harmon said the money is generally tied to a particular program or initiative. It is not, he said, available to be used as an overarching safety net in case of state budget cuts.

Ultimately, Harmon, Potter and others within the MPTA are hopeful that their message resonates. Harmon said the Senate’s proposal was an encouraging sign, and he intends to keep pushing to save these funds.

“I think the simple answer is: We’ll do whatever we need to do,” he said.

If Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s proposed cuts to Minnesota public broadcasters become reality, six stations would lose a combined $1.361 million:

-Austin (KSMQ): $226,811

-Bemidji/Brainerd: roughly $230,000

-Appleton/Worthington/Fergus Falls: roughly $230,000

-Moorhead/Crookston: roughly $227,000

-Minneapolis/St. Paul: roughly $226,000

-Duluth/Hibbing: roughly $221,000

Source: Minnesota Public Television Association