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a Better programming, V greater access likelyGazette TelegraphOand news servicesPUEBLO — University of Southern m Colorado’s public television station E. KTSC and Denver public broadcast sta-Wtion KRMA may be merging,* a university official said.SGreg Sinn, executive director of university relations, said Thursday that university officials and the KTSC Community Advisory Board already have approved the merger.Sinn said if the State Board of Agriculture, USC’s governing board, approves the plan, negotiations between the two stations will begin this month.The merger could be completed in early 199S, he said.Sinn said KRMA would take over KTSC’s resources, its licensing and operation of its main transmitters.Sinn said the stations would combine to form the Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasters.The merger will be discussed Tuesday at the regular State Board of Agri culture meeting in Denver.The partnership would.allow the stations to merge some development efforts, offer more national programming to the KTSC viewing area and provide more televised courses for USC students.“I think this is definitely going to result in better programming for all over Colorado,” said James Morgese, general manager for Rocky Mountainwm-winsituation.”James MorgesePublic Broadcasters, parent company for KTSC, KRMA and Grand Junction’s PBS affiliate, KRMJ.“Through shared public affairs shows, for example, one part of the state will know what the other side of the state is thinking and vice versa.” But Colorado Springs viewers, who now have access to two PBS affiliates, generally will no longer have the option of catching the same show at different times. .“Unfortunately, you won’t have the benefit of time-shifting between twoprogram streams in Colorado Springs,Morgese said. “But I think the benefits here outweigh that minor drawback.” One advantage to Springs viewers, however, is that KRMA will expand its broadcast area, reaching more of the Front Range. Morgese said viewersshould be able to pick up the station with rabbit-ear antennas.KTSC and KRMA will each retain a few hours’ per we^ek of locally produced shows, and their call letters will remain the same.Morgese said that with federal funding on the decline, the time is ripe for merging of PBS affiliates not just in Colorado but throughout the country.“This is really a wiri-win situation. Local stations retain their localness but gain from a statewide network,” he said.
Newspaper Details
Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph
Colorado Springs, Colorado, US
Sat, Feb 01, 1997
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Sammi B.
NA 04 Jan 2022
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