MPBN revisits decision to take Fort Kent, Calais stations off air

AUGUSTA — In response to the concerns of its listeners, viewers, stakeholders, the governor and legislators, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) has rescinded its plans to limit radio and television transmissions to the eastern and northern counties of the state.     “MPBN’s decision to maintain transmitting both television and radio to the most northern and eastern counties of the state is welcome news. It recognizes that we are one state and all our people are equally important,” Gov. John Baldacci said. “In addition to providing educational and cultural programming, MPBN plays a key role in the state’s emergency broadcasting system and those services must be maintained throughout the state.”
    MPBN had previously announced that it was considering ceasing transmissions from one television and two radio transmitters in Aroostook and Washington counties. The actions were part of an MPBN effort to cut cost of operations because of reduced revenues. In addition to the reduced transmissions, MPBN also eliminated ten percent of its staffing and reduced employee compensation at all levels.
    "MPBN has heard from the people of rural Maine and responded to their needs." Sen. Kevin Raye  of Eastport added. "I understand the financial pressures MPBN is under and I appreciate the sacrifices their management and staff are making in terms of their salaries and benefits as they seek to cut costs. As they work to achieve additional cost-savings, I am pleased they have expressed a commitment to ensure that no area of the state is targeted for losing service."
    House Speaker Hannah Pingree agreed. “MPBN has demonstrated its dedication to providing quality programming and emergency operations to the state’s citizens,” Pingree, said. “We as a Legislature need to help ensure access to this essential programming. We are in hard times; we all recognize that, but maintaining in-depth news and public affairs, educational, cultural and emergency broadcasting to all the people of Maine is not an option, it is a necessity.”
    MPBN’s management came to the decision to maintain transmission to the northern counties yesterday.  
    “One thing in which MPBN takes pride is its listening ability, that is, we hear what our listeners and viewers are saying. And, we heard that they wanted us to maintain our presence in eastern and northern Maine.  We also heard our Governor and legislators concerns,” Jim Dowe, MPBN president and chief executive officer, said. “We pride ourselves in being good stewards of the appropriations we receive from the state and federal governments, as well as all our individual, business and organization supporters. That is why we have made the difficult decisions such as reducing staffing and compensation, as painful as that was. And, we will continue to do whatever it takes to maintain MPBN’s broadcast statewide. We appreciate the advice and assistance offered to us by the Governor and by legislative leaders, and we look forward to continuing to work cooperatively with them to meet the needs for statewide public broadcasting.”
    Dowe added that if any reductions in coverage had to be implemented, it would be done equitably over the entire state. However, he did not anticipate any reductions at this time. MPBN has seen a reduction in funding from several of its key sources. The majority of MPBN’s funding comes from individual memberships, donors and business and organization underwriters and contributors. Additional funding is provided through appropriations from the federal and state governments. Revenue from all these sources has been reduced over the past year.
    MPBN’s audience, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands, continues to grow as Maine people place a high value in the areas of children’s, news and public affairs, and cultural programming.