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1998 Special Session I

Budget Bill - HB4001 (Introduced)

Department of Information Technology

Item 84

Item 84

First Year - FY1999Second Year - FY2000
Financial Assistance for Cultural and Artistic Affairs (14300)$5,007,116$4,178,366
Financial Assistance for Public Broadcasting (14303)FY1999 $5,007,116FY2000 $4,178,366
Fund Sources:  
GeneralFY1999 $5,007,116FY2000 $4,178,366

Authority: Title 2.1, Chapter 35.2, Articles 6.1, Code of Virginia.


A. Out of this program shall be expended $3,499,602 the first year and $3,499,602 the second year for community service grants to public television stations and $678,764 the first year and $678,764 the second year for community service grants to public radio stations. Of the amounts for community service grants to public radio, $10,000 the first year and $10,000 the second year shall be allocated to Allegheny Mountain Radio. Grants to public television stations shall be used to develop, acquire, produce and deliver programs and services which support pre-school and adult education, disseminate information on governmental and public affairs issues, promote tourism and economic development within the Commonwealth, and inform, educate, and entertain families with program content which offers alternatives to commercialized television programming.


B. The funds herein appropriated are to be administered by the Virginia Public Broadcasting Board in accordance with such rules and regulations as it may prescribe provided that: (1) the Virginia Public Broadcasting Board shall certify that recipients of the community service grants provided for in paragraph A of this item are noncommercial radio and television stations that are owned and operated by entities which qualified to receive community service grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and whose offices, studios and transmitters are located in the Commonwealth, and (2) it shall carry out its purposes and functions and engage in its activities in ways that will most effectively assure the maximum freedom of the aforesaid noncommercial radio and television entities and systems from interference with, or control of, program content or other activities.


C. Community service grants to public television and public radio stations shall be paid in equal quarterly installments.


D. Out of the amounts for this program shall be paid $233,750 the first year to Central Virginia Educational Telecommunications Corporation, as the state share of funding, to be matched in cash or in-kind in an amount at least equal to the State share, for the relocation of WNVT-TV to the new Stafford County satellite campus of Mary Washington College.


E. Out of the amounts for this program shall be paid $245,000 the first year to WVPT-TV, in Harrisonburg, as the state share of funding, to be matched in cash or in-kind in an amount at least equal to the State share, for facility and equipment improvements.


F. Out of the amounts for this program shall be paid $75,000 the first year to WBRA-TV in Roanoke, as the state share of funding, to be matched in cash or in-kind in an amount at least equal to the State share, for facility and equipment improvements.


G. Out of the amounts for this program shall be paid $275,000 the first year to WHRO-TV in Norfolk, as the state share of funding, to be matched in cash or in-kind in an amount at least equal to the State share, for equipment improvements.