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KEDV drive for funds in mid-swingCHARLIE CftlXBLL MtriW *«tert«lnment WriterKEDV-TV (Channel 60), the Valley's second go-round at aPublic Broadcasting System(PBS) station, will probably miss its target date for going on the air, station general manager John Siqueiros said last week.But, he added, that’s not necessarily bad news.“About eight years ago someone took a survey of stations thatwent on the air, and the medium delay was about four months from the time they predicted/’ said Siqueiros, who had projected a May 1 air date when announcing formation of the station last August. “I had one in Dallas that took nine months (past the predicted date) to get on the air. Right now, we’re probably looking at the middle of June, so we're well ahead of that mediumdelaySiqueiros should know. The affable co-founder of the Texas Association of Public Broadcasters said he has helped put five other stations on the air to date, including a highly successful PBS station, KCOS, in his hometown of El Paso. He said his quest to do the same in the Valley, which had a previous try at a PBS station (KZLN) fall, is going just fine, despite a tediously slow start in raising fonds.1 We’re OK,” don't think I19Siqueiros said. I could have made that statement SO days ago. But it all starts to accumulate.A possible KEDV schedule when the station goes on the airzation of the station is already here. In fact, it is officially recorded in the minutes by the PBS board of directors that weKEDV still has not reached its are a PBS affiliatett92.2 million goal which was targeted for January. In fact. Siqueiros said the station has raised $1,325 million, more than a million of which came from the Diocese of Brownsville and all but $25,000 of which had already beenThatpledged$25,000back in August.formally presented Thursday as a donation from Southwestern Bell.“But we have commitments from sources for about half a million more, Siqueiros pointed out. And the money for capitalist 11, Siqueiros admitted some disappointment in the fond raising, which he labeled about a six on a scale of one to 10.We've done really well with large corporate gifts, Siqueiros said, but the Valley in general... well, we haven’t gotten the kind of response we had hoped for.Ruben Cardenas, a McAllen attorney who chairs the Steering Committee of KEDV’s Founders Campaign” fund-raising effort, admitted the campaign wasn’t in the home stretch but added wecan see the light at the end of the tunnel.Obviously, like anyone else we’d like to have it all complete and done, Cardenas said. But we presently have got well over 50 percent of our goal, and that’s very good for a station that’s not even on the air yet. We think the fond raising is going very well.Siqueiros noted the station al-ALDANATravel AgencyFor ,i i i yo11r !mvp! 'loods rnmr t) y Our off'Co Forcomcho'olsready has enough money pocketed to have construction of its studio, to be based in Harlingen, under way and he anticipates construction of the tower in La Feria to start in the next five to six weeks. KEDV, which will be a non-com-mercial, ultra high frequency (UHF) station, is also negotiating to move its satellite disc from its temporary base in San Benito to its permanent Harlingen home.And, he added, the KEDV Community Advisory Board is alive and well with 90 names to its credit. The voluntary organization was formed to advise the station on the Valley’s programming needs. Siqueiros has said KEDV’s programming will include about 65 percent from the PBS network, 25 percent instructional and human development programs in conjunction with local schools, colleges and Pan American University, and 10 percent non-de-nominational religious programs. ■ Anybody who wants to join (the advisory board) is fine, Siqueiros said. We will probably have our first meeting in the middle of April.When KEDV goes on the air, all Valley televisions equipped with a UHF antenna will be able to pick up the station. Most Valley residents already have such an antenna, which is also a requirement for picking up the NBC affiliate KVEO (Channel 23). The antenna is not necessary for Valley cable subscribers.Heritage Cableviskm will be required under FCC regulations to carry KEDV in its basic package. Heritage general manager Neil Haman has said the cable company will carry both KEDV and KEDT, the Corpus Christi-based PBS affiliate which it now offers.UNITED ARTISTS«(□A CIN F M AMM 542-4371M'S Amtr.ik soremxmm h.NTIM BMAIflACT fllM »l
Newspaper Details
Brownsville Herald
Brownsville, Texas, US
Sun, Mar 03, 1985
Page 61
Full Page
Clipped by
Sammi B.
NA 08 Feb 2020
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