WQPT's budget plan would put station back in black
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The board that governs WQPT-TV approved a fiscal 2009 budget of $1.8 million that would put the financially embattled PBS station in the black by $566.
But that budget also includes increased fundraising and underwriting by the station, which lost financial support for the previous fiscal year by its home at Black Hawk College in Moline.
“There are some very ambitious revenue goals in the budget in order to reach a budget that is in the black,” station general manager Rick Best told the Greater Quad-Cities Telecommunications Corp. on Monday. “It’s not business as usual as far as the budget is concerned.”
The 2009 budget calls for revenues of $1,828,544 and expenses of $1,827,978.
Much of the savings comes from a switch to a different programming plan through the Public Broadcasting System, or PBS, said station business manager Cathryn Lass. A new schedule, with many programs from the national PBS service either canceled or shown on a delayed basis, went into effect on July 1.
Preliminary numbers show a deficit of $103,653 for the station for fiscal 2008, Lass said.
“We knew we wouldn’t be turning this station around in a year,” she said.
Lass said membership numbers have never been greater for the PBS station, which celebrates its 25th anniversary later this year.
A greater on-air campaign for membership will take place, and more underwriters will be sought for WQPT
programming and events.
“It’s not going to be easy,” said Kathy Michel, president of the board.
In other news, the board welcomed Joe Rives, newly named as vice president of the
Quad-City campus of Western Illinois University, to the board and accepted the resignation of Stan Lohmeier, Rock Island, who had also served as
treasurer.
David Burke can be contacted at
(563) 383-2400 or dburke@qctimes.com.
Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
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