Budget fight ahead for public stations

Public broadcasters are gearing up to fight President Bush’s proposed 2004 budget appropriations for public broadcasting, which executives said in a statement would “seriously compromise our ability to deliver the services we are required by law to provide to the American people.”

Sent to Capitol Hill on Monday, the budget proposal includes a slight increase in general funding but eliminates extra funds for converting stations to digital transmission. The budget will be a focus when executives of local public television stations gather in Washington at the end of the month to lobby their lawmakers.

The proposed budget is the first step in a long process before the actual budget is enacted. No date has been set for spring appropriation hearings, at which officials from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which administers the federal appropriations, will be able to testify, along with those from the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio.

In a statement, CPB, PBS and NPR said the proposed 2004 budget would mean a $100-million cut for programming and station operations. The broadcasters have known for two years that their proposed 2004 budget appropriation would be $380 million -- up from 2003’s $365 million.

But the budget suggests that $80 million of that be used for the federally mandated conversion to digital transmission and $20 million for a satellite interconnection service; both had been funded separately.

Moreover, the budget makes no provision for a previously earmarked $68.5 million for digital and interconnect services in fiscal year 2003.

If that money doesn’t come through, CPB said that nearly half of the 357 public TV stations will be unable to meet an FCC-mandated minimum standard for converting to digital by May. More than 90 stations have completed conversion, which overall is costing public television $1.7 billion.

“We understand that times are tough and there are a lot of demands on the budget,” a CPB spokeswoman said. “At the same time, we have actual statutory mandates to provide services, and we’re hopeful Congress will provide sufficient funds to do so.”

Public broadcasting knows only too well tough times, which also have meant cuts in state funding. CPB may have to give back $10 million to $15 million appropriated for fiscal 2003, which is nearly half over, as Congress hammers out the final 2003 budget. In response to budget pressures, the PBS board last weekend approved a change that allows it to accept 30-second underwriting messages, up from the previous 15-second limit, in an attempt to entice more corporate sponsors to PBS programming.

Both PBS’ national programming service and local stations have been grappling with a drop in corporate support, which has led to layoffs in some cases.