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By WILDA J. WHITAKERCorrespondentKUAC FM and TV could be off the air permanently by Sept. 1 if budget reductions at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks are carried out as recommended, said Chuck McConnell, program manager for KUAC TV.A budget task force has recommended to UAF Chancellor Patrick O’Rourke a $450,000 cut to KUAC-TV as a high priority and elimination of all general fund support to KUAC-FM and TV, another $450,000, as a lower priority.Such cuts effectively would shut down the television station, McConnell said.KUAC depends on three revenue sources: university general fund support, the federal revenue, and private support. After earlier cuts this year, KUAC received $900,000 from the university general fund. Last fiscal year KUAC received $420,000 in federal money and $328,000 in private funds.McConnell said he doesn’t know what will happen to the remaining two sources of revenue if the university portion is cut.“I’ve had a lot of phone calls from people saying they made significant contributions to KUAC in good faith and they feel this would not be fulfilling that agreement,” said Mary Kay Barsdate, chairman of the KUAC community advisory council. “Many people are expressing great distress not only over the specific cuts, but on the major picture for UAF.”Barsdate fears cuts of this magnitude will be irreversible.The task force suggested the station seek private funds or form a non-profit community corporation. Barsdate does not believe this is a viable option for the immediate future.The task force has expressed interest in KUAC-FM and TV continuing as translator stations of Anchorage. A translator station would broadcast exactly the same programs in Fairbanks that areSee KUAC, back page)
Newspaper Details
Fairbanks Daily News Miner
Fairbanks, Alaska, US
Wed, Jul 30, 1986
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Sammi B.
NA 17 Jun 2020
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