Here & Now

Budget Proposal Cuts Funds for Agency that Runs WPT

Frederica Freyberg:

The state agency that runs Wisconsin Public TV and Radio, along with the UW-Extension, also took a hit in the Governor’s budget. Not, as has been reported, the State de-funding of Public Broadcasting, but a cut to the Educational Communications Board (ECB). The budget would cut State funding to the ECB by 34%, or $5 million over two years. It would also reduce the number of State-funded positions at the agency from 35 to 12. We asked the ECB director whether 12 positions is enough to keep us on the air?

Gene Purcell:

There’s a couple answers to that. I would say– The initial answer is no, because we have more people involved in that now. We have people here in the facility that I’m standing in. We also have engineers that work throughout the state. And, remember, they’re responsible for six television transmitters, five television translators, about 32 Public Radio stations, and another 28 weather service transmitters throughout the state. And so there is a big bunch of gear out there that needs to have attention. Can you do it with 12? In the short term, probably. In the long term, you’re going to have severe reliability issues. And so we don’t do it now with 12. And dropping to that level I think would have– It would really affect service.

Frederica Freyberg:

The Governor’s budget would have ECB cover functions except for Emergency Alert transmissions out of Program Revenue funds, as in pledge funds, corporate revenue, and member contributions. WPT and WPR also expect to see their share of the $300 million cut to the University System.