Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412210096
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Allen advocates cutting all state funding for public radio stations and half the community-service funding for public television stations.
At WVTF public radio, station manager Steve Mills said Allen's plan would reduce the station's income by more than $105,000 - almost 10 percent.
That size budget hit "would be tough, but manageable," Mills said.
However, if it were combined with cuts proposed by incoming House Speaker Newt Gingrich at the federal level, "that would be fatal."
In that worst-case scenario, the station would lose $294,000 - "almost one-third of our funding. I think that would be impossible to make up in a year. I'm not telling you we couldn't do a little more to raise money. But that would be a few thousand, not these huge amounts."
Allen's proposal would eliminate about $250,000 - or more than 8 percent - of the $3million budget of Blue Ridge Public Television, which operates Channel 15 in Roanoke, Channel 47 in Norton and Channel 52 in Marion.
Much of that money goes to support community efforts, some of which "are not necessarily on-air projects," said general manager Larry Dyer. Those include the station's award-winning Homework Helpline, economic forum town meetings, Employment Service promotions to help place job applicants, and a proposed Blue Ridge Electronic Village computer network that station executives hope to get running early next year.
Allen's plan would leave intact the state money that funds instructional programming - televised classes on science or foreign languages, for example. The station serves 36 school divisions with 186,000 students in an 11,000-square mile area. But Dyer said funding for those instructional programs - subsidized by the community-service money stations receive - has been level for eight years.
"The reality is, we are losing instructional money," Dyer said.
If the cuts are passed by the General Assembly, Mills contended, the government should revoke "the restrictive rules that keep us from paying our own way - the noncommercial rules." Public television and radio stations are prohibited from selling advertising time to support their operations.
"I think it would be detrimental" to allow public broadcasting outlets to go commercial, even if restrictions, such as nonprofit financial operations, were enforced, Mills said. "I don't like it. I don't think it's the answer, and I don't advocate it, but it's better than going out of existence."
Still, Dyer said, "it's not panic-city time yet," and he warned that public broadcasters could overreact to the proposed cuts.
"The true bottom line is that if the community wants you, you will be around; and if they don't, you won't. I think the community does want us around, and I think they will help us."
Both Dyer and Mills said they will urge viewers and listeners to let their congressmen and state legislators know the value they place on public broadcasting.
"Basically, people do watch us and support us," Dyer said. "I believe they will be very supportive when it comes time to write their congressman or legislator."
by CNB