Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
05/07/2019 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR19 | |
| HB69 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HJR 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 69 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 69-REPEAL AK PUBLIC BROADCASTING COMM.
8:58:42 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 69, "An Act repealing the Alaska Public
Broadcasting Commission; and providing for an effective date."
8:59:34 AM
KELLY TSHIBAKA, Commissioner, Department of Administration,
introduced HB 69. She said the proposed legislation would bring
statutes into alignment with Governor Mike Dunleavy's proposed
budget, which would rescind funding for the Alaska Public
Broadcasting Commission (APBC). She informed the committee that
Kelly Hanke would provide a PowerPoint.
9:01:41 AM
KELLY HANKE, Legislative Liaison, Department of Administration,
read "informational documentation" provided by Commissioner
Tshibaka [and included in the committee packet], which read as
follows [original punctuation provided, with some formatting
changes]:
HB 69
Repeal Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission
Informational Documentation
Across Alaska, 183 rural and village communities
receive emergency notifications through a satellite
service, Alaska Rural Communications Service (ARCS),
made available via a contract between the Department
of Administration (DOA) and AT&T. These notifications
include tsunami, extreme weather, and child abduction
alerts. The population of the 183 communities is
approximately 102,291.
Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc. (APBI) has managed
ARCS and served as the DOA's source of satellite
expertise. ARCS also is used to provide a mix of
public and commercial television network content.
FY19 funding for the satellite service is $879,500
which includes the DOA/AT&T contract and some
management contracts with APBI. The contract details
between the State of Alaska and AT&T is internal to
the DOA.
For the 3-year period from 2015 through 2018 there
were 29 emergency alerts on ARCS. ARCS alerts are sent
statewide, regardless of the location of the
emergency:
3 Tsunami Warnings
4 Amber Alerts
22 Extreme Weather Warnings
Total costs for operating the system from 2015 through
2018 was $3,809,500. On average, each alert cost
$131,362.
Of the 183 communities, 90 have more than one
alternative way of receiving emergency alerts (e.g.,
symmetrical broadband service, fiber optic
connectivity, telephony). In addition, APBI has
confirmed all 183 communities can receive emergency
alerts via telephone; however, widespread distribution
of the information would not occur as quickly or
effectively.
Included with this document, please find graphs that
illustrate the above information.
The emergency alerts that the Alaska Public
Broadcasting Commission pushes do not include forest
fire alerts.
9:04:19 AM
MS. HANKE began the PowerPoint presentation. She drew attention
to slide 2, titled "AKPBC Rural Communities," and noted that the
blue area of the circle graph shows the Alaska population [of
736,239, 88 percent] versus the orange area, which shows the
rural site community population of 102,291, [12 percent]. Slide
3, titled "AKPBC Rural Sites - Community Size," depicts bar
graphs showing that the average community size is 565, the
largest is Fort Wainwright, with 7,374, and the smallest is
Bettles, with a community size of 13. The median is
approximately 237.
9:05:16 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND referred back to slide 2, and noted that by
adding the two numbers together, it appears that the department
is saying Alaska's population is approximately 838,000.
9:05:48 AM
MS. HANKE answered that the numbers came to her from "another
department," and she stated her assumption that "these are
probably older numbers." She said DOA worked directly with APBI
to get a lot of the information.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND said she does not think Alaska's population
has been declining, and she would like explanation about the
numbers that have been provided for the graph on slide 2.
9:06:54 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND, in response to Co-Chair Hannan clarified that
the graph on slide 2 "appears to be representing too many
Alaskans."
9:07:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE REVAK suggested that the number in blue may
represent the entire population; the maker of the circle graph
may have forgotten to subtract the number in orange to get the
number in blue.
MS. HANKE said she would have to check to see if that is what
happened.
9:07:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON, referring to slide 3, noted that Fort
Wainwright is completely within the City of Fairbanks, thus he
questioned what "Wainwright" means in the graph.
CO-CHAIR HANNAN asked, "Fort Wainwright or the Village of
Wainwright?"
MS. HANKE apologized and explained that the graph should read as
the Village of Wainwright.
9:08:35 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND observed that the graph on slide 3 shows [the
Village of] Wainwright as having a population of 7,374. She
said a quick "Google search" shows that as of 2010 the village
had 556 people. She told Co-Chair Hannan that she has "serious
concerns with the numbers in this PowerPoint."
MS. HANKE said, "These numbers actually came directly from AKPBC
as to who they service." She said she could check with the
commission regarding the numbers.
9:09:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON surmised the number could include the
area around Wainwright.
MS. HANKE answered that could be possible.
CO-CHAIR HANNAN noted that AKPBC would be testifying and could
be asked to clarify.
9:10:00 AM
MS. HANKE moved on to slide 4, titled "Emergency Alerts By
Year." She noted the alerts on the bar graph show for years
2015 through 2018. She said the alerts "go out to everybody."
To slide 5, "Emergency Alerts by Type," she said the graphs
lists tsunami, extreme weather, amber alerts, and total alerts.
She offered her understanding that the graph does not include
earthquakes. She showed slide 6, titled "AKPBC Rural Community
Sites By Population," and she explained the sites listed depict
the number of people the commission reaches through its system.
9:11:44 AM
MOLLY KABLER, Executive Director, Alaska Public Broadcasting,
Inc., explained that APBI is a small nonprofit which serves in
an executive capacity for APBC. Regarding the system and
information just discussed, she explained that Alaska Rural
Communications System (ARCS) is not under the purview of APBC;
therefore, HB 69 has no direct relevance to ARCS. She said ARCS
is a low-powered television system owned by the State of Alaska,
and APBI, under contract with the Department of Administration,
manages ARCS; however, HB 69 is actually about the APBC, which
is, under statute, a group of nine commissioners appointed by
the governor that oversee Alaska Public Broadcasting stations.
She further clarified that there are 27 licensees of radio and
television stations funded through APBC. She explained, "ARCS
is something that we collaborate with and share some services,
... but the commission has no oversight of ARCS."
9:13:37 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS asked if the commission is
responsible for the allocation of resources among public radio
stations in Alaska on "an equitable and rational basis."
MS. KABLER answered that is correct.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS offered his understanding that the
role the commission plays is similar to the role the Council on
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) plays in dispersing
resources to domestic violence and sexual assault prevention
organizations. In other words, one main entity with the
expertise is charged with distributing the resources. He asked
Ms. Kabler to describe the process and considerations of the
commission.
MS. KABLER responded that the commission spends considerable
time learning how the 27 licensees serve their communities, work
together, receive federal funding, and how that federal funding
may match that which comes through the commission. It is a
complex system. She said there is a large annual survey and
there are service reports, which help in understanding where the
dollars go.
9:16:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON asked how Ms. Kabler's clarification may
relate to the PowerPoint slides the committee had just viewed.
MS. KABLER answered that she had not seen the slides before, and
while some of the community names are that of the ARCS
community, she did not compile the information. She continued:
I'm a little surprised, because although we work well
together with the commissioner of the Department of
Administration and the liaison, Kelly Hanke, this is
not under the purview of the commission. So, this
isn't particularly relevant to the bill. ... I think
this demonstrates the problem ... that there's a lot
of detail here, and it's, in my mind, the reason why
we have the Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission:
... those are nine volunteers from around the state
that understand what public broadcasting does in
communities and spend their time and energy on that
topic. They don't actually work on ARCS for this ARCS
information that's been presented by the Department of
Administration.
9:18:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN mentioned the governor's proposed budget
and suggested that without any funding in place it would make
sense to eliminate the commission, but with funding still in
place, it would "be in our interest to keep the commission
running." He asked, "Have I got that right?"
MS. KABLER answered yes. She said at this point both bodies of
the legislature have included funding for public broadcasting in
their budget proposals and, while HB 69 "would represent a
companion to eliminating funding," she surmised that the
Department of Administration would support the need for a
commission "if there's going to be funding coming through."
9:19:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON asked if nine commissioners would still
be necessary if funding was cut in half.
MS. KABLER answered yes, because regardless of the amount of
money, the process would be the same for those commissioners.
In response to follow-up questions from Representative Jackson,
she reviewed that there are 27 stations, and they are all
broadcast licensees that are licensed through the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC); therefore they all have an
over-the-air broadcast component, and most have a digital
stream, as well.
9:20:42 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN asked for the Section Analysis [included in the
committee packet] to be covered.
9:21:13 AM
MS. HANKE reviewed the Sectional Analysis, which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Sections 1 through 3: repeal state statutes
establishing the Alaska Public Broadcasting
Commission and removes responsibilities from the
Department of Administration pursuant to
Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission activities.
Section 4: provides that the Alaska Public
Broadcasting Commission transfer all assets to the
Commissioner of Administration and allows the
Commissioner to transfer the assets at no cost
to Alaska nonprofit broadcasting entities.
Section 5: establishes an effective date of June 30,
2019.
CO-CHAIR HANNAN next asked someone to speak to the four fiscal
notes included in the committee packet.
9:22:42 AM
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA said each of the fiscal notes in the
committee packet assumes that funding for APBC is being
repealed. The commission carries all the funding for radio,
television, and emergency satellite service, which are separated
in the fiscal notes. Commissioner Tshibaka highlighted the
amounts in each fiscal note and the entity assigned to each
amount: [fiscal note 1], $46.7 thousand to the Public
Broadcasting Commission; [fiscal note 2], $2,036.6 thousand to
radio; [fiscal note 3], $633.3 thousand to television; and
[fiscal note 4], $879.5 thousand to satellite.
9:24:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON asked for clarification regarding what
was proposed under HB 69.
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA responded that HB 69 would transfer any
assets in the commission to the Department of Administration;
however, the intent is that "it goes in parallel with the
proposal to eliminate all of the funding under the commission."
She continued, "And so, there would be very minimal assets at
this point that transfer into the Department of Administration.
And so, when we represent the fiscal note as carrying all these
consequences, it's because it's supposed to be read in tandem
with the other proposal."
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON said the Division of Homeland Security,
through the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs (DMVA),
administers the emergency alert system (EAS). He said he has
read that "the FCC is a mandated function that we're supposed to
do." He asked Ms. Tshibaka if she has considered how
eliminating the satellite funding would affect Alaska's
emergency alert system and whether the state would then be out
of compliance with federal mandate.
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA said the commission has considered
alternative ways of reaching communities if it cannot fund
satellite service. She said there are approximately 91 smaller
communities that would have emergency connectivity only to a
telephone; other communities have multiple ways of sending
emergency alerts, such as through fiber optic cables. She said
the department would have to work with DMVA or the Department of
Public Safety (DPS) to develop emergency management plans "for
each of those communities." She said telephone is obviously not
as optimal a method by which to reach a mass audience as is
satellite, so the department would have to work with those
communities to development emergency management plans specific
to each community.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON expressed curiosity about "the
television side of it being unfunded." He said, "No we've got a
hundred and some thousand people in the state that have no ...
ability to see what's going on with our state legislature, with
Gavel to Gavel." He asked if it was "part of this" to eliminate
the ability of people to watch Gavel to Gavel.
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA answered that HB 69 only addresses the
commission and "the group that Ms. Kabler runs" and whether
"they would be part of deciding who these funds go to." She
said "the broader package" considers whether to eliminate the
commission altogether and the state funding of those funds. She
said, "Altogether, what that would represent is a 17 percent
reduction in funding for public broadcasting across the state;
83 percent of the funds - local and federal - would be
preserved." That said, she remarked that Representative
Thompson is correct that the communities currently receiving
television service through the satellite funds would no longer
be able to receive that service if the legislature decides not
to fund the service.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON asked for information regarding fiscal
note 4, which shows a proposed reduction of $879,500.
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA explained that amount reflects a contract
the state had with AT&T for satellite service. Approximately
$719,000 was for the actual use of the satellite, while
approximately $160,000 was for maintenance agreements to service
the satellite.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON expressed that he does not understand
how eliminating that satellite is going to help anybody in such
a vast state with so many miles between locales. He said he
thinks this would be a disservice to anyone living in rural
Alaska, and this bothers him.
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA responded that the reason for the
PowerPoint that was given was to provide the numbers for the
legislature in order for them to best make a difficult policy
decision.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON said, "I understand on the ... emergency
alert system, but how about just for Gavel to Gavel? I mean,
that television, I'm sure that connection must be utilized for
that also, isn't it, in rural areas?"
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA deferred to Ms. Kabler.
9:31:30 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN said Ms. Kabler was nodding in the affirmative
that ARCS carries Gavel to Gavel as part of its programming.
9:31:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON concluded that the committee was being
told that ARCS carries Gavel to Gavel; however, she pointed out
that the committee had been told that Public Broadcasting
Service (PBS) was a different entity. She asked for
clarification.
9:32:37 AM
MS. KABLER explained that the challenge is that many of the
services being discussed are created by one entity and
distributed by another. She said Gavel to Gavel is created by
KTOO in Juneau, Alaska, and is part of PBS, which is overseen by
APBC. However, ARCS, which is not under APBC, also distributes
[Gavel to Gavel] as a service to Alaskans. She said ARCS is
owned by the State of Alaska. She said this is why the
commission is of value, because it understands this integrated
system.
9:33:59 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN opened public testimony on HB 69.
9:34:23 AM
RACHEL LORD said she is a mother, small business owner, and
member of the Homer City Council, but she is testifying on
behalf of herself. She emphasized the important service public
broadcasting provides, not only by providing Gavel to Gavel, but
also by airing city council and borough assembly meetings. She
said people "from every shade of the political spectrum" tune in
to listen. Ms. Lord shared that a couple months ago, an all-
hazards training through Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and Texas A&M University was held in Homer, and local
public radio was "a major player" in the discussion. She said
in all communities, public broadcasting is important. She said,
"Suggesting that we spend time and money recreating the
important value that they provide currently seems irresponsible
at best." Ms. Lord concluded by stating her opposition to HB
69. She said she believes it is completely unwise to divest
from a critical and wide-ranging statewide tool that leverages
local and federal support to assist in the response to disasters
and helps engage Alaskans and local and state government." She
encouraged the committee not to move HB 69 out of committee.
9:36:52 AM
MIKE COONS, President, Greater Alaska Chapter, Association of
Mature American Citizens (AMAC), said AMAC comprises 200 members
in the valley and Anchorage area of Alaska - all conservative
seniors fully in support of Governor Dunleavy's proposed budget.
He stated full support of HB 69. He said the state is in a $1.6
million deficit. He mentioned $3.5 million in state funds and
federal, local, tribal, and private entities in relation to PBS.
He also mentioned "Pick, Click, Give" - a program available to
Alaskans to donate from their permanent fund dividends (PFDs).
He opined that Alaska needs to join the 14 other states working
toward PBS getting donations and grants from private entities.
He said ARCS and Gavel to Gavel get donations "from other
people," whose names are listed "on their shows." He encouraged
the committee to move HB 69 out of committee.
9:38:11 AM
CARL BERGER said he serves on the APBC, but he is testifying on
behalf of himself. He said "we" have raised money for public
broadcasting from many sources; however, the amount of money
that the state gives to stations is important in terms of
obtaining federal match money or replacing equipment. He said,
"The loss of state funds would prevent stations from being able
to do that." He talked about how [HB 69 proposes] the
transference of power of key broadcasting decisions and funding
to the executive branch and change of the current statewide
geographic representation, which he said has worked well for
many years. He encouraged continuing with the current system
and stated his opposition to HB 69.
9:40:11 AM
BILL TREMBLAY, President, KFSK Public Radio Board, testified in
opposition to HB 69. He said Petersburg is a community of
approximately 3,200, 1,200 of which are subscribers to the radio
station. He noted that in his transmittal letter, Governor
Dunleavy had noted that the function of the commission could be
accomplished using nongovernmental entities that could be
attuned to be more responsive to local broadcasting needs of the
community. He said, "Saying that is one thing; identifying what
those are is totally something different." He said the program
manager of KFSK works hard to increase funding through various
grants, and he opined that saying that "it can be done
elsewhere" is not useful. He said the governor stated during
campaigning that he does not support public broadcasting;
therefore, Mr. Tremblay indicated that [the proposed
legislation] is a move toward eliminating the commission
altogether.
MR. TREMBLAY reminded the committee that during the
administration of former Governor Bill Walker, public
broadcasting already had to absorb a 48 percent reduction in
state funding to local stations, which increased the need for
fundraising. He said, "The state levels, as identified for this
year, only represent 16 percent of what our total station budget
is; however, it's a critical component in meeting our federal
matches, which we probably won't do without the state funds."
Mr. Tremblay said the commission is important in understanding
"how things move across the state" and for the allocation of
funds to all the resources. He indicated that the people of
Petersburg consider the local radio station as an essential
service and don't want it to lose any more than it already has.
Regarding an emergency response system, he opined that it is
irresponsible to remove funding without having an alternative
plan in place.
9:42:57 AM
RUSSELL LYMAN testified in opposition to HB 69. He said APBC
makes decisions that keep public broadcasting operating, and
this broadcasting is vital because it provides communities with
emergency information, local government meeting broadcasting,
and safety information. He asked the committee to "block HB
69."
9:44:02 AM
REBECCA MEIRS said she is "a part of" KCAW radio station, [in
Sitka, Alaska], and strongly opposes HB 69. She said she thinks
there is "a primary misunderstanding around what public
broadcasting does," and it would be shortsighted to destroy the
infrastructure that allows communities to share important
information. She characterized herself as "a strong supporter
of public broadcasting in general," and she urged the committee
not to pass HB 69 out of committee.
9:45:06 AM
CHARLIE WILBER testified in opposition to HB 69. He opined,
"Maintaining the Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission is
essential to protecting the economic health and vitality of
public broadcasting in Alaska." He said doing away with the
commission would lead to the elimination of public broadcasting
in Alaska, and he urged that it must be maintained. Mr. Wilber
said the community of Sitka depends upon local radio to stay
informed regarding local, state, and legislative news - all of
which he said are "very important." He asked the committee [not
to pass] HB 69.
9:46:01 AM
KARY BIRDSALL, Member, Board of Directors, KTNA Radio, pointed
out that Representative Kreiss-Thompkins is the only member of
the House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee that
does not live in a large population center, and Talkeetna is
even less populated than Sitka. He listed local news, public
safety, public access, unifying community, "so many little
things that make up day-to-day life," and political campaigning,
and said "all this would be gone without public radio." He
named people on other stations across the state that can be
heard on public radio. He talked about the support that is
available, both educational and technical. He said public
broadcasting in Alaska does not pay for itself. He explained
that it costs the state less than .03 percent of its budget, and
communities triple that investment with member pledges,
volunteer support, and grants, but communities need the state
money in order to leverage the other money. Mr. Birdsall
stated, "I know this legislation does not expressly kill public
broadcasting in Alaska, but it's a pretty sizable nail in our
coffin." He urged the committee to advise the executive branch
that repealing APBC is against the best interest of Alaska. He
posited that communities are what make Alaska, and public
broadcasting connects those communities and the state.
9:47:58 AM
FRANK KELTY, Mayor, City of Unalaska, testified in opposition to
HB 69. He said public broadcasting is important to the City of
Unalaska, because it is a link to the emergency alert system.
He said the city works closely with DPS to get emergency
information to the City of Unalaska, which is "on the Ring of
Fire" and has seen numerous earthquakes and subsequent tsunami
drills. He said the City of Unalaska has given its local radio
station a grant of over $100,000. The loss of funding would
cripple the radio station. Without the station, the City of
Unalaska would have no access to public radio, because it is too
far west to receive satellite programming from National Public
Radio (NPR). Mayor Kelty said that [without its radio service],
the community would no longer receive programming for the Alaska
Public Radio Network, and "the statewide emergency system would
suffer." He explained that the City of Unalaska relies on
statewide satellite services for several of its emergency alert
channels. He said he had heard someone comment that the cost of
each alert is $100,000, and he opined that that is a small price
to pay to save even one person.
9:50:00 AM
LIN DAVIS remarked that "the quest to abolish public
broadcasting ... [is] making the rounds of state capitals." She
called HB 69 "a democracy alert." She opined that public
television and radio need to be separate from politics, because
"none of us" wants state-run Alaska broadcasting. She said, "If
HB 69 passes, we will need Voice of America to let us know what
is really going on." She indicated there have been 50 years of
attacks on public broadcasting, and PBS and NPR "continue to win
bipartisan congressional funding support." She opined, "It is a
tsunami alarm for Alaska that certain political leaders continue
to wage war against public tv and radio. There is no reason to
pass HB 69."
9:51:50 AM
MAUREEN LONGWORTH, M.D., said she has been a physician for 29
years and has practiced medicine from Ketchikan to Bethel. She
said, "Like most Americans in repeated surveys over the past 30
years, I also rely on PBS to deliver nonpartisan facts by radio
and television." She said this broadcasting benefits
communities, health, homes, education, and gives all families
equal access while providing "local news, safety messages,
public health warnings, and community social news." She said
she has championed community outreach, cancer prevention,
palliative care, public health education, and patient rights.
She talked about the growth of some of her efforts in Juneau,
Alaska, and she said she thinks "these kinds of activities would
not mushroom into the awareness they are today ... [without] the
word of public radio." She said partisan broadcasting would be
a restriction of democracy; therefore, funneling funds through a
state entity would take away the current nonpartisan management
of a public service. She asked the committee to stop HB 69 and
vote instead to preserve the state's democracy.
9:54:34 AM
MARK SPRINGER said he is a consumer of broadcast media. To
Representative Jackson's previous question, he explained that
Alaska's broadcasting is traditional AM/FM broadcasting; the
television station in Bethel broadcasts in digital, with four
channels, which is the current requirement of the FCC. He said
the nice thing about analog radio is that he can leave town, as
is typical for the traveling communities of Bethel and the
Yukon-Kuskokwim area, and bring an inexpensive radio along to
receive public broadcasting. He characterized broadcasting as
"a quilt that covers the state" and the commission as "the
quilters that keep that system tied together." He stated
opposition to HB 69 and urged the committee to "keep the bill in
committee for further study." He indicated that he appreciated
the legislature's support of "a robust public broadcasting
system."
9:56:56 AM
HANS JAMES opined that broadcast radio is an essential service
and [the commission] is part of that service that provides news,
weather, and alerts. In springtime, there are swollen rivers,
and the community has had great need for public fundraising
through radio stations. He stated his opposition to HB 69.
9:58:11 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that public testimony would be held
open.
9:58:29 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN, on behalf of a committee member no longer in
the room, asked Commissioner Tshibaka to clarify whether the
$879,00 in fiscal note 4 is currently used to pay for emergency
notification for rural Alaska.
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA answered yes.
9:58:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON asked whether the majority of public
broadcasting is paid for federally.
COMMISSIONER TSHIBAKA offered her understanding that it is not -
the majority of the funds are raised locally and subsidized
federally - but she deferred to Ms. Kabler for confirmation.
9:59:31 AM
MS. KABLER stated that the funding for each station is different
depending on the size of the station. She said, "There's
significant federal funding, local funding, and state funding;
it's a complement of all three that funds each station." She
said for small stations, a larger percentage of the funding is
sourced federally, and that is because there are only so many
people in the community from which to raise money. Conversely,
in large communities, the majority of the funding is sourced
from local members and businesses.
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON asked if "the stations would be able to
continue to move on" should the state cut funding.
MS. KABLER answered that if the funding from the State of Alaska
is cut, then the impact would be that matching federal funds
would be reduced. She said the tipping point upon which a
station would no longer be viable would vary from station to
station. Funding cuts have already been faced in fiscal year
2016 (FY 16) and FY 17. She said cuts result in diminished
service, but said she cannot predict at what point funding cuts
would cause the end of each station. She reemphasized that the
biggest impact of state funding loss would be to the smaller
stations.
10:01:31 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN [announced that HB 69 was held over].
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB0069 version A.PDF |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB0069 Sponsor Statement 3.27.19.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB0069 Sectional Analysis 3.27.19.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB069 Fiscal Note 1 Broadcasting Commission.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB069 Fiscal Note 2 Public Broadcasting Radio.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB069 Fiscal Note 3 Public Broadcasting TV.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB069 Fiscal Note 4 Public Broadcasting Satellite Infra.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB0069 Additional Documents 3.27.19.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HJR019 ver S CS.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HJR 19 |
| HB069 Letters of Support.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |
| HB 069 Letters of Opposition - Consolidated 5.10.19.pdf |
HCRA 5/7/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 69 |