Selling KOCE Would Be a Loss to Orange County and Its Educators

Re “Televangelists Offer Top Cash Bids for KOCE,” Aug. 21:

The recent articles in The Times quoting the Aug. 20 speakers at the Orange Coast Community College Board of Trustees meeting leave some vital questions unanswered. First of all, if the reporters had stayed until the end of the three hours and heard those speakers who were moved to the end of the evening, there would have been more truth in reporting.

KOCE finished as of April 1 the mandated FCC requirements for the digital conversion and has now moved its broadcasting antenna to Mt. Wilson. The additional money stated to be needed in the next upgrade is not a one-time outlay. These upgrades can be done as needed but are not necessary for the digital running of the station at this time.

K-12 programming is broadcast throughout the school year on weekday mornings. This is available to all schools in Orange County and widely used by the teachers, an invaluable asset. At this time three programs locally produced are aired on KOCE: “Help ME Grow,” “Real Orange” and “Schoolhouse Video.” I do not see any of bidders continuing the above formats.

This station can be a moving force in the county with the programs that are in place and the addition of new programming to address the needs of the community. I hope the trustees will look into the future and realize that selling this station will not be a win for the college district, but a loss for the whole of the county as well as the district.

Harriet Roop

Costa Mesa

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Re “KOCE’s Future Role to Affect Its Sale,” Aug. 24:

The article was structured around three false assertions: KOCE has tiny audiences, has little programming and is a repeat of KCET.

Since 2000, KOCE’s audience has more than doubled in prime time, making it larger than that of most cable channels and some commercial stations in the L.A. market. Of course, it is smaller than those of the large network stations. Nevertheless, according to Nielsen ratings, each month about 4.5 million different individuals watch KOCE.

KOCE broadcasts more than 11 1/2 hours of Orange County shows per week. This is far more “local” than most public television and many commercial television stations. On Sept. 11, KOCE was the only broadcast medium providing real-time information on the impact in Orange County. The sheriff, head of the county Department of Education, transportation and airport officials, as well as Orange County Muslim leaders wanting to condemn the attacks, were all available to Orange County citizens that day only thorough KOCE. At the recent hearing on KOCE’s future, the Sheriff’s Department said KOCE, as the county’s only locally oriented broadcaster, is a public safety necessity for Orange County.

KOCE prides itself on providing a different public television service from that of KCET. In any given week, only 23% of KOCE programs are a duplicate of those on KCET.

Robert J. Brown

Chair,

KOCE Foundation Board

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I am having difficulty understanding a couple of factors pertaining to the two highest bids for KOCE.

First: If the Trinity Broadcasting Network is a nonprofit organization, why would it spend $25 million to buy another television station? It already has a wildly successful program. That kind of money would go a long way toward achieving the goals of feeding a lot of poor families. They are looking more like a highly profitable religious corporation in search of another avenue to enlarge their flock. Would Jesus wear a Rolex today? Not likely.

Second, as a less-than-likable neighbor, TBN and its financial success make the argument for taxing the group as a California corporation. Remember, this is a group that kept its gaudy light show on during the energy crisis.

The answer to my questions is simple. With a born-again president in the White House, this is TBN’s best chance to get federal dollars (from taxpayers) to fund its corporate ministry while using its profitable pulpit to help garner more votes for Bush in 2004. Separation of church and state? Keep an eye on your rearview mirror for that answer.

David Ohman

Irvine