Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program

Post Date

May 22nd 2014

Application Due Date

July 7th 2014

Funding Opportunity Number

RDUP-14-01-PTV

CFDA Number(s)

10.861

Funding Instrument Type(s)

Grant

Funding Activity Categories

Other

Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program

Number of Awards

10

Eligibility Categories

Other

Public Television Stations. Public television station means a noncommercial educational television broadcast station that is qualified for Community Service Grants by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting under section 396 (k) of the Communications Act of 1934. These are over-the air broadcast stations that meet the specific program definition for public television stations. Typically they are PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) member stations, although that is not a requirement. Public access cable TV stations and PEG channels (public, educational, government access channels) are NOT eligible for this grant program. Low power television (LPTV) stations or any other broadcast stations that are not on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting eligibility list are also NOT eligible.

Funding

• Estimated Total Funding:

  $2000000

• Award Range:

  $0 - $750000

Grant Description

As part of the nation's transition to digital television, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required all television broadcasters to have converted their transmitters to broadcast digital signals by June 12, 2009. While stations must broadcast their main transmitter signal in digital, many rural public television stations have yet to complete a full digital transition of their stations across all equipment. Rural stations often have translators serving small or isolated areas and some of these have not completed the transition to digital. The digital transition has also created some service gaps where households that received an analog signal are now unable to receive a digital signal, and the public television station would like to install a fill-in translator to continue service to these areas. Some rural stations also have not fully converted their production and studio equipment to digital. Grant funds may be used to acquire and install facilities and software necessary for the transition as well as equipment to facilitate local origination and management of programming. Grant funds may also be used for associated engineering and environmental studies. The program is targeted at public television stations that serve rural areas.

Contact Information

• Agency

  Department of Agriculture

• Office:

  Utilities Programs

• Agency Contact:

  Petra Schultze
  Financial Analyst
  Phone 202-690-4493

• Agency Mailing Address:

  Program contact for applicant questions

• Agency Email Address:

  petra.schultze@wdc.usda.gov

• More Information:

  USDA Rural Development Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program website