Great start Govenor!!!! Keep it UP!!!
Monday Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter recommended that state funding be entirely cut from Idaho Public Television's budget. If Otter's announcement is approved, many rural residents of Idaho could lose the network's signal completely.
Currently, the State of Idaho funds about 25% of the public television's budget. The remaining 75% comes from viewer contributions, corporate sponsors, and grants. Annually the TV network receives about $1.7 million from the state, and under Governor Otter's plan that funding would be eliminated over the next four years. Idaho Public Television would then be responsible to find alternative funding sources to continue operating and make up the difference.
The general manager says it would be very difficult to continue operating the dozens of translators that Idaho Public Television has around the state. A cut in state funding would reduce the scope of their signal and rural areas would be primarily affected.
Peter Morrill, General Manager IPTV: "If this is enacted, then literally within the first year or so you will see a withdrawal and consolidation back from our rural areas to services that are more sustainable in the populated areas. "
According to Morrill, some of those rural areas affected in our region would include: Challis, Salmon, Preston, and Soda Springs among others.
Morrill has an upcoming meeting with the state finance committee where he will answer questions about Idaho Public Television's budget. He expects a decision will be made in the next couple of months about future state funding for the network.
taken from KPVI Channel 6 site
2 comments:
It would be sad to see IPT go away- even if only in rural areas. But then, I'm partial to early childhood education, which is what IPT promotes. If you think America's 'grade' on education is poor now, just see what happens when we take away public funding from early childhood education programs....It will eventually go to implement remedial programs in elementary school.
Now - don't get me wrong. I agree that the gov't shouldn't be contributing that much, and I LOVE the idea of peeling the bandaid off slowly over 4 years, but my question is why do we have to peel it off completely?
(Ugh... this is why I am a 'centrist'. The bane of my existence, I swear. The conservative in me understands the right way of doing things and thinks everyone should do it that way. And if you don't you're just stupid. DUH! But the liberal in me believes that we have to help the stupid people.
Regardless, I love Gov. Butch. He's one hot cowboy! haha! )
It would kinda suck to have your T.V. signal cut off, but I think the Governor's right-- why should everyone else's money go to pay for a 'luxury' to others. I'm sure if they really wanted T.V., they could get the dish like the rest of us??? Still, it would stink. . . . sometimes, change means pains. . . .
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