The Oklahoma Television Authority Board of Directors discussed options for the ‘3-5-7’ plan and ramifications of loss of state funding during their Tuesday meeting.
The plan, or scenarios as they were referred to in the meeting, is a report requested by the Legislature that projects the impacts of the organization operating without specific amounts of state funding over the course of three, five, or seven years.
The mandate for the report was added by Sen. Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, as an amendment to HB3198.
Executive Director Dan Schiedel explained the request and his reaction to loss of funds from the state. “He [Treat] wants a document that shows how we could operate without state funding in three years, five years and seven years,” said Schiedel.
He continued, “Short of a substantial investment and endowment, there really aren’t any alternatives when you look at them. The state monies that we receive go to match these other private donations (and) federal contributions. Without them we don’t receive as much. That’s why we’re as successful as we are being the most watched television station in America -- it’s because we’ve got a good mix of private and public partnerships.”
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