#Digital Caribbean: Michael Boylan, WJCT, USA

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50THE DIGITAL TRANSITION

Building It

Byte by Byte

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community television station

• Serves nearly 660,000 HH – 1.4 Million People

• Combined Radio and TV Operation

• Operating Budget: $ 7 Million

o Government 20%o Donor Support 30%o Earned Income 50%

ABOUT WJCT PUBLIC BROADCASTING

ABOUT WJCT PUBLIC BROADCASTING

ABOUT WJCT PUBLIC BROADCASTING

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

Developed the WJCT Plan & Budget

Raised the Funds (Federal, State, Municipal and Private Sector Dollars)

Struck a Deal for the Construction a New Tower

Purchased Two Digital Transmitters

Took the Lead with the Local Commercial Stations to Educate the Public

Implemented a Ramp Up Plan from One HD channel to Four SD Channels

Led the Creation of Centralized Broadcasting Facility

ABOUT MICHAEL BOYLAN

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

“All things are created twice…a mental creation

and a physical one.”

- Stephen Covey

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

THE SCHEDULE

Dec. 1996: The FCC established digital television (DTV) transmission standards by adopting the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard.

 Feb. 1998: The FCC issued its final DTV orders and assignment/allotment table.

 May 1999: All commercial stations in the top 10 markets must begin to transmit a digital signal.

Nov. 1999: Commercial television stations in the top 30 markets, representing approximately 50% of all TV households, must offer a digital television signal.

May 2002: All other commercial TV stations convert to digital.

USA Digital Conversion Timeline

April 2003: Stations must simulcast at least 50% of their NTSC programing on their DTV channel.

  May 2003: All public television stations must convert to digital.

 April 2004: Stations must simulcast at least 75% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel.

 April 2005: All stations must simulcast 100% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel, a requirement that

will continue until the analog channel is terminated and one of the channels is returned.

 February 2009: Stations must turn off their analog signal. (Initially schedule for 2006.)

USA Digital Conversion Timeline

April 2003: Stations must simulcast at least 50% of their NTSC programing on their DTV channel.

  May 2003: All public television stations must convert to digital.

 April 2004: Stations must simulcast at least 75% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel.

 April 2005: All stations must simulcast 100% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel, a requirement that

will continue until the analog channel is terminated and one of the channels is returned.

 February 2009: Stations must turn off their analog signal. (Initially schedule for 2006.)

USA Digital Conversion Timeline

April 2003: Stations must simulcast at least 50% of their NTSC programing on their DTV channel.

  May 2003: All public television stations must convert to digital.

 April 2004: Stations must simulcast at least 75% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel.

 April 2005: All stations must simulcast 100% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel, a requirement that

will continue until the analog channel is terminated and one of the channels is returned.

 February 2009: Stations must turn off their analog signal. (Initially scheduled for 2006.)

USA Digital Conversion Timeline

April 2003: Stations must simulcast at least 50% of their NTSC programing on their DTV channel.

  May 2003: All public television stations must convert to digital.

 April 2004: Stations must simulcast at least 75% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel.

 April 2005: All stations must simulcast 100% of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel, a requirement that

will continue until the analog channel is terminated and one of the channels is returned.

 February 2009: Stations must turn off their analog signal. (Initially scheduled for 2006.)

USA Digital Conversion Timeline

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

THE PLAN(What to Build)

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

The Laundry List•VHF Analog Transmitter•Broadcast Tower (Upgrade)•VHF Antenna•UHF Digital Transmitter•UHF Antenna•Digital Interconnect•HD/SD Master Control Facility•HD/SD Production Facilities•Conversion of VHF Transmitter

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

The Laundry List•VHF Analog Transmitter•Broadcast Tower (Upgrade)•VHF Antenna•UHF Digital Transmitter•UHF Antenna•Digital Interconnect•HD/SD Master Control Facility•HD/SD Production Facilities•Conversion of VHF Transmitter

Towering Facts

- Analog Transmitter: $600,000- Digital Transmitter: $1,200,000- Antennae: $1,000,000- HVAC System: $75,000- Generator/UPS: $530,000- Electrical Upgrade: $52,000- Ice Bridge: $145,000- Transmitter Conversion: $200,000

Total: $3,802,000

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

And then there’s…

•Master Control: $1,850,000•Production : $500,000 •Below the Line: $356,000•Marketing/Misc: $200,000

$2,906,000Transmission Total: $3,802,000

$6,708,000

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

WJCT Timeline

•2000 – Launched Capital Campaign•Jan ‘02 – Tower Construction Began•2002 – Public Phase of Capital Campaign •Mar ‘03 – Tower Construction Completed•May ‘03 – Began Broadcasting in Digital•April ‘04 – Began HDTV & Multicasting•July ‘05 – Launched HD Radio Service•Feb ‘09 – Discontinued Analog Television•Jan ‘11 – First HD Production

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50Sources of Funding

•State Government: $1,800,000•City Government: $240,000•Federal Government: $1,800,000•Capital Campaign: $3,159,000

Total: $6,999,000

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

Shaping the Digital ChildTHE CASE FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The Value of the Campaign

EDUCATION INITIATIVE

The Impact of Television on our Children

The Value of the Campaign

EDUCATION INITIATIVE

“Today, by the time they enter school, the average child will have watched 4,000 hours of television.

That is roughly the equivalent of four years of school.”

- Sen. Edward Kennedy

The Value of the Campaign

EDUCATION INITIATIVE

In Service to Our Children:

The Value of the Campaign

EDUCATION INITIATIVE

In Service to Our Children:

• 42% the WJCT Program Schedule

• 3,679 Hours of RTL Programs

• 195,000 Families Each Week

• Day Care & School Outreach

The Value of the Campaign

ENLIGHTENMENT INITIATIVE

Citizens vs. Consumers

The Value of the Campaign

ENLIGHTENMENT INITIATIVE

A Window to Government

The Value of the Campaign

ENLIGHTENMENT INITIATIVE

A Virtual Town Square

The Value of the Campaign

ENLIGHTENMENT INITIATIVE

A Front Row Seat

The Value of the Campaign

ENLIGHTENMENT INITIATIVE

A Life-long Learning Center

The Value of the Campaign

ENLIGHTENMENT INITIATIVE

A Showcase for the First Coast

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

WJCT Timeline

•2000 – Launched Capital Campaign•Jan ‘02 – Tower Construction Began•2002 – Public Phase of Capital Campaign •Mar ‘03 – Tower Construction Completed•May ‘03 – Began Broadcasting in Digital•April ‘04 – Began HDTV & Multicasting•July ‘05 – Launched HD Radio Service•Feb ‘09 – Discontinued Analog Television•Jan ‘11 – First HD Production

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

WJCT Timeline

•2000 – Launched Capital Campaign•Jan ‘02 – Tower Construction Began•2002 – Public Phase of Capital Campaign •Mar ‘03 – Tower Construction Completed•May ‘03 – Began Broadcasting in Digital•April ‘04 – Began HDTV & Multicasting•July ‘05 – Launched HD Radio Service•Feb ‘09 – Discontinued Analog Television•Jan ‘11 – First HD Production

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

WJCT Timeline

•2000 – Launched Capital Campaign•Jan ‘02 – Tower Construction Began•2002 – Public Phase of Capital Campaign •Mar ‘03 – Tower Construction Completed•May ‘03 – Began Broadcasting in Digital•April ‘04 – Began HDTV & Multicasting•July ‘05 – Launched HD Radio Service•Feb ‘09 – Discontinued Analog Television•Jan ‘11 – First HD Production

Fast Forward Six Years (2009)

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

THE SCHEDULE

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50

OUR MISSIONTo provide reliable, accurate and cost-

effective consolidated digital services to public broadcasting stations.

• Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial, community Public Television Station

• Serving 659,000 Households DMA Rank: 50THE DIGITAL TRANSITION

Building It

Byte by Byte