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Governor's Budget Cuts Public Broadcasting Grants

JEFFERSON CITY - A state program for funding of public broadcast is among the programs that would be eliminated under the governor's proposed budget cuts.

This budget year, $526,153 was allocated to assist with operating costs for public broadcasters across the state and funding at the same level was requested this year.

"We expected to share the pain," said Bill Reed, president of Kansas City Public Television. "We didn't expect to get butchered. That's what he has done."

KCPTV in Kansas City received a total of approximately $226,000 from the state this year, Reed said, more than half came from direct public television and radio grants.

Another $90,000 came through a fund that allows schools to partner with public broadcasters for educational purposes. The governor has proposed a total cut in that fund.

Money from the fund is based on the estimated revenue the state collects in sales tax on video rentals. The current budget year, the fund is projected to get $1.2 million.

"It's going to be a real blow to us," Reed said.

A 1998 law allows a portion of the state's estimated revenue from the nonresident entertainers and athletes tax to be allocated to public broadcasting. The allocation from that tax, 25 percent of which goes to public radio, dropped from $649,258 two years ago to $432,838 last year.

"Anytime that you get cut it's unfortunate," said Mike Dunn, general manager of KBIA-FM in Columbia.

KBIA received $8,993.14 in state public broadcasting grants in fiscal year 2002, according to the office of administration. Elimination of the grants would force KBIA to find money from other sources, Dunn said, but most likely won't effect what listeners hear on the air.