WKU Gets $760,000 Grant To Expand
WKYU-PBS Digital Service

March 08, 2004

Bowling Green, Ky. - The United States Department of Agriculture has awarded $760,000 to Western Kentucky University to expand the digital broadcasting service of WKYU-PBS.

The project will make WKYU-DT/18 a full-power digital TV station and enables Western to multicast and provides high definition TV broadcasting to an 11-county area of southcentral Kentucky. The grant was awarded under new the Rural Public Television Digital Transition Grant.

The project supports the specific policy aims of the USDA/RUS by providing the transition to a full-power, digital multicasting HDTV PBS station, WKYU-DT, in order to provide and enhance the educational opportunities that help meet the specific needs of a rural community.

WKYU-PBS provides international and national news and information, local public affairs, documentaries, and "safe haven" programs for children. Now, WKYU-PBS will create a digital "adult learning channel" to provide critical educational course content for higher education. WKU is uniquely positioned and committed to using DTV to expand access to post secondary education for all Kentuckians.

The federal government mandated through the Federal Communications Commission that all public television stations convert from the current analog system to digital television. WKYU-DT signed on as a reduced power digital service on May 1, 2003, as a simulcast of the current analog service provided by WKYU-PBS.

As WKYU-PBS planned the transition a fully digital service, it was clear that the lack of WKYU's essential services would be extremely detrimental to the rural audience that depends on the station. The unique combination of critical needs — WKYU's geographic coverage area; the needs for expanded educational opportunities for rural communities; and unique community needs—are distinctively met by full-power digital multicasting of WKYU.

The USDA/RUS grant enables Western to purchase the essential equipment to take the next step in the transition to a full power, multicasting, digital broadcast service. This includes: a 61 kW DTV transmitter, high definition encoder, automation system, multichannel master control switcher, three-channel video server and DVD-RAM conversion stations.

This project will activate WKYU-DT as a full-power station within 12 months. The multicasting digital broadcast service will transmit as Channel 18 from a site located five miles north of Bowling Green. The signal will originate from the studios of WKYU, operated by Western.

A Corporation for Public Broadcasting Digital Distribution Fund grant enabled WKYU to meet the FCC deadline at the minimal level. The USDA/RUS grant enables WKYU-DT to meet the full power requirement of the FCC, while increasing services for people. Western achieved the mandated transition to digital broadcasting with no direct state funding.

WKYU is licensed to WKU, a state-run, public university. WKYU Channel 24 (NTSC) signed on in January 1989 as the public television service of southcentral Kentucky.

WKYU-PBS is a CPB-qualified station and a PDP member of PBS, carrying 25 percent of the PBS schedule. The broadcast schedule includes a full range of non-commercial programs, with a special emphasis on pre-school, adult learning and locally produced shows.

For more information, contact Linda Gerofsky, 1-800-599-2424, or email wkyutv@wku.edu.

More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

-WKU-