CPB Awards $3 Million+ in HD-R Grants

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has awarded more than $3 million in digital conversion grants to a total of 42 non-commercial stations in 13 markets. The grants are CPB’s first for digital radio. They will help stations buy HD Radio transmission equipment.
“Digital public radio holds great promise to serve listeners in ways never before possible. For the first time, radio will be able to provide data in addition to sound – which could change how everyone uses radio,” said CPB Broadcasting President/CEO Robert Coonrod.
CPB is encouraging noncoms to go digital by providing matching funds to eligible stations in 13 seed markets targeted by Ibiquity Digital, developer of the terrestrial digital radio technology. Stations going digital license the technology from Ibiquity, although the stations getting the grants received a waiver under Ibiquity’s early-adopter program.
Public stations in the following cities are receiving the grants: Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Miami, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Atlanta, Detroit, Las Vegas and Washington.
Final grant amounts are contingent upon final equipment costs and contract negotiations.
CPB also earmarked $6.75 million in another round of funding allocated by Congress for fiscal year 2003. This funding is to assist stations serving rural and minority markets. Noncommercial stations may apply for this money later this fall.