One of top goals this year for NTIA’s Public Telecom Facilities P...

One of top goals this year for NTIA’s Public Telecom Facilities Program (PTFP) is to ensure that its administrative procedures and funding “can support public television’s (PTV) needs in meeting the FCC’s” May 1, 2003, DTV signal broadcast deadline. House-Senate conference committee recently negotiated (CD Nov 14 p2) $42.5 million for PTFP, which helps fund public station planning and construction. House and Senate since have passed conference report (H.-Rpt. 107-278) on FY 2002 Commerce, Justice and State Depts. appropriations bill (HR-2500). NTIA published notice in Federal Register Tues. soliciting applications and announcing that several of program’s DTV policies enacted last year were being continued for FY 2002 grant cycle, such as giving higher priority to funding DTV conversion projects rather than DTV production equipment. Policy changes made since last year include creation of 3 “subpriority” levels for DTV conversion grants, which sets criteria for consideration based on needs of underserved vs. multi-PTV markets: “NTIA recognizes that meeting the FCC’s deadline is one of the greatest challenges facing America’s [PTVs]. Over 350 stations must overcome both technical and financial challenges in order to complete the conversion to digital broadcasting within the FCC’s timetable.” NTIA last year awarded $34.7 million to 52 DTV conversion projects, with individual grants ranging from $121,600 to $1.8 million. Broadband distance learning projects also are eligible for FY 2002 PTFP grants. NTIA said it encouraged proposals for “unique or innovative distance learning projects” that used digital technologies to benefit public: “All distance learning applications must address substantial and demonstrated needs of the communities being served. NTIA is particularly interested in distance learning projects which benefit traditionally underserved audiences, such as projects serving minorities or people living in rural areas.” Distance learning projects eligible for grants can use either broadcast or nonbroadcast facilities. NTIA in FY 2001 awarded $1.4 million for 5 projects from $34,560 to $549,715. Unrelated to distance learning, PTFP also provides funds to public stations for fiber, cable TV equipment and “apparatus necessary for the production, interconnection, captioning, broadcast or other distribution of programming.” Applications are due Feb. 5 (202-482-5802).