ࡱ> bda%` ]]bjbjNN 1b,,C%DDD`xxxTTT8,6("'''''''$ +hr-'-x"""'xx'e'e'e'"$xx'e'"'e'e'xxe' T$e''(06(e'-%-e'-xe'8e'I''&v6("""" PPxxxxxx TRIBAL TV: Is it Worth the Effort? by Frank H. Tyro, PhD, Salish Kootenai College Abstract: There is a need for American Indian people to be in control of the production and distribution of information due to the long history of being passive consumers of what the dominant society considers important, but tribally controlled broadcast facilities are rare and the communication business is rapidly changing. KSKC Public TV is housed at Salish Kootenai College, which holds its licenses. Since its launch in 1987, the television station has expanded service area, attracted national interest, and become a model for other tribes and tribal colleges. With recent budget shortfalls, the College has said it can no longer afford to fully support the local public television station. In 2007, a donation was requested from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, which enabled support of the station at $100,000 for that year. For the following year, the tribes continued to support the station. These donations are continuing but the tribe recently decreased the donation by 25%. This case raises questions about the importance of tribally controlled media and how a tribally owned and operated television station might be retained. Indigenous Communications History: A brief survey For indigenous people, communication has an extensive history. Newspaper rock, petroglyphs, winter animal counts, buffalo hide story robes, ledger art, and wampum belts are all forms of ancient tribal communication. There is a need for American Indian people to be in control of the production and distribution of information due to the long history of being passive consumers of what the dominant society considers important (Tyro, 2004). As the elders say, we have to tell our own stories. Radio and television broadcast in the U.S. has primarily been a high stakes environment. Wholly owned Native American broadcast facilities are few and far between primarily because of economic issues. Broadcast licenses are scarce and buying or building new stations involve communication attorneys, consulting engineers, environmental assessments and other expensive services. Unlike newspapers, the first of which appeared in 1828 (Cherokee Phoenix), native broadcast media has been very slow to develop. Canada has supported native media to a much greater extent than the U.S. In 1994, there were over 1500 full service television stations (also called full power), just under 1500 low power TV stations, almost 12,000 radio stations and nearly as many cable TV (CATV) systems (Hilliard and Keith, 1999). There were only about 2 dozen Native owned radio stations and only 5 LPTV (low power television) stations, most licensed to educational institutions (OTA, 1995). KSKC and Blackfeet Public TV were two of the five. No Native peoples or tribes own full power stations. Although many radio and television stations broadcast programs directed at Native American populations, this might consist of a single half-hour program once a week. Some mainstream radio stations focus on Christian ministry to the Indian listeners. KNDN, a non-Indian owned station employees all Navajos and bills itself as All Navajo, All the Time. Both PBS (Public Broadcasting System) and NPR (National Public Radio) have been receptive to Native programs and issues although many of these are non-Native financed, produced or directed. NAPT, Native American Public Telecommunications is funded by CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and distributes money to projects for both radio and television that have native themes with native involvement in concept, production, or post-production. There are a number of cable access stations that feature native programming for viewers in their systems, especially in South Dakota, North Carolina and Oklahoma, where large numbers of Native people reside. In 1972, the first Native owned and operated radio station KTDB began broadcasting. It is owned by the Ramah, Navajo schools. KOTZ owned and operated by Kotzebue Broadcasting of Alaska, a native owned company started a short time later. Since then KILI began serving Pine Ridge in1983, KTNN serving the Navajo Nation in 1985, and others have followed (Keith, 1995). These stations fill a niche market, serving indigenous communities that are geographically isolated. In most cases, tribal dollars subsidize these operations. History of KSKC The Salish Kootenai College television project was originally launched with a grant from the Department of Commerce Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) and local donations in 1987. The intent of the operation was to provide PBS programming to an unserved audience, but more importantly to provide a way for the communities to communicate to itself. Since that time, the television station has expanded service area, attracted national interest and has become a model for other tribal organizations. In 2000, KSKC station became a Class A Television Station broadcasting at least 3 hours of local programming per week with enhanced status that protects it against larger stations encroaching on its assigned channel. KSKC-TV has remained a conduit for the Tribes' languages, medical information, community events and local issues for over 20 years. SKC Mission: The mission of Salish Kootenai College is to provide quality postsecondary educational opportunities for Native Americans, locally and from throughout the United States. The College will strive to provide opportunities for individual self-improvement to promote and help maintain the cultures of the Confederated Tribes of the Flathead Indian Nation. KSKC Mission: The mission of KSKC Public TV is to provide free over-the-air cultural, documentary, news, public affairs and educational programming to the Flathead Reservation. The station also strives to provide relevant local programming, local messages and connections between tribal and non-tribal residents. The missions of the two entities agree on several points, particularly about the importance of culture and education. The station has broadcast courses for credit in the past and assists departments who use classroom and Internet based e-learning in producing audio-visual content. The station faced a challenge in 1994 when the state supported pubic television entity called MontanaPBS proposed erecting a transmitter at a site northwest of Missoula, Montana. If sited there, the state owned facility would force SKC-TV as well as three other small local pass through stations in the region to cease broadcasting PBS programming unless they became translators of the state system. This scenario meant that SKC-TV and others would no longer have the ability to broadcast local programs and messages without state permission and destroy the local identity and ability to raise funds for operation. After a series of high-level meetings between the presidents of Salish Kootenai College and the University of Montana (the lead institution for the state in that endeavor) and attorneys for both institutions, the talks came to a standstill. SKC pressed its case at the Montana University Board of Regents where the University system gave in and moved to a different site that would not blanket four of the existing local entities service. KSKC is a pass through PBS station which has authority to broadcast to areas unserved by "full service" Corporation for Pubic Broadcasting (CPB) stations. Programming covers subjects of interest to the tribal members of the Salish, Pend d' Oreille and Kootenai Peoples as well as non-Indians. Language classes have been a part of programming since its inception as well as programs like Good Medicine with discussion of health and well being topics for Native Peoples and the general reservation population. Another popular program was Cooking with the Colonel where a local tribal entrepreneur cooked dishes made with wild game. A cookbook was also included in the packaged DVD offered for sale. Programs on good food, healthy living, local candidates (both tribal and general election), and Cooking with Commodities were all important topics for native and non-Indian peoples on the reservation. In addition, the station broadcasts programs for children like Sesame Street, Clifford: The Big Red Dog, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, and Reading Rainbow. All of these programs were purchased with funding from local underwriters, private supporters, and through fund raising efforts every December. The unique nature of KSKCs approach to fundraising includes not taking themselves too seriously. Local talent has included Monty Moose, (a puppet), The Bagel Lady, Oscar the Fish Monger, Groucho Glasses and a rubber chicken. Fundraising efforts do not cover the salaries for the two full-time staff but generally covered the cost of PBS programs, program switching services, and transmitter site leases and maintenance. Salary funding came from the College's general fund although at times outside contract work was used to fund parts of the salaries of staff. The amount needed was dictated by the business office and varied over the years from 100% to 25% of one salary. Economically, the reservation has high unemployment, lower wages and small population, all detriments to high viewer contributions. Between programs, local messages announcing meetings, school news and community events are broadcast. Since its inception, the station has depended on a yearly fund drive asking for donations, underwriting and live on-air promotions. These generally highlight local talent such as Christmas carols sung in Salish, local musicians from schools and other entities. In 1997, a live on-air auction of donated arts, crafts and services was very successful, raising over $10,000 in several hours in the last several years. Five years ago the station initiated another fund raising endeavor through the sale of bottled water under the name of Mission Mountain Mist. The station receives $.25 for each bottle sold. The water has raised from $1250 to $2500 per year from this endeavor. Several other small items have also been sold to raise money including mousepads, cups and vehicle license plate brackets. In the past, various other fundraising endeavors have been tried including fun runs, concerts and silent auctions. Several other community organizations dominate the concert venues and so no other major fundraising events have been attempted in recent years. Viewer support has always been an issue in that a small percentage of viewers contribute. The reasons for this may be because it is free over-the-air or the perception that the college and tribe are flush with money. The actual cost of operation of the station is about $140,000 per year. The salaries of the primary staff that devote time to the station totals approximately $100,000 per year. Yearly operational costs are about $40,000, which includes PBS program fees, site leases, underwriting acquisition and program switching fees. This $140,000 yearly operational budget is sufficient for a 24/7 two-channel operation that has 4 transmission sites and serves most of the Flathead Reservation and parts of two other counties. Of the $40,000 raised yearly, about $12,000 comes from the auction, $20,000 from underwriting, $5,000 from sponsored programming and $3,000 from product sales (DVDs, water, mousepads). Most larger stations fundraise on-air for up to 6 weeks per year and have 400,000 to millions of viewers. The Problem and the Conflict: Two years ago because of budget constraints at the College, the Vice President for Business and President indicated that the station was expendable and indicated they could not provide the funds to carry the salaries of the two staff persons even though those individuals also performed select duties for the College such as providing A/V services to the faculty and staff, teaching courses and managing adjuncts who teach in the photography area, and managing and repairing the audio-visual equipment for faculty. In light of the College budget problems, the college president and the station director appealed to the Tribal Council to support the station. The tribal council agreed to provide $100,000 for support in 2006. This did not completely cover the salaries of the two staff persons, but the additional expense was covered by funding through the College General Fund. In 2007, the station director was put on two 6-month contracts. The stated reason was because the College was fearful that the Council would not live up to its commitment. In 2008 he was put on a three-month personnel action form without a contract, which had expired in September. This was explained to be for fear of the tribe not following through with donations. Following assurances from the Tribe, a nine-month contract was offered. A 12-month contract for 2009 was offered and accepted, but early in the 2009 fiscal year, the Tribe notified the college that the donation would be cut to $75,000. In the case of funding shortfalls, the College easily breaks all contracts with College personnel. There are no tenured faculty or staff, which is commonplace in tribal colleges. The Confederated Tribes and SKC have been innovative in promoting Native self-governance and cultural revitalization, and many believe that tribally controlled media is a critical element of self-determination. Satellite delivery of television and cable are very popular on the reservation. KSKC is available on all local cable systems but not on satellite. Dish network (a satellite television provider) is the most prominent on the reservation. They were approached about carrying KSKC but declined because of the percentage of programming that was duplicated by other PBS sources. There are two cable systems on the reservation; one carries only KSKC, the other carries an out of state PBS station and KSKC. The state system is not on local cable systems because of KSKCs Class A status. The station has transitioned from analog to digital broadcast, which gives it the ability to broadcast multiple program streams. The station currently broadcasts a high definition stream, and a standard definition stream that consists of local messages and some other programs. The possibility for a third video stream exists, but would require an additional cost and greater time investment by staff. In the current television market, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and the CW Network are available free over-the-air (FOTA). KSKC-TV is the first and only Federal Communications Commission Class A license public television station located on an Indian reservation. KSKC-TV provides a rural, disadvantaged population with free access to Public Broadcasting System news, arts, science, history, current events, childrens programs, and locally produced programming on nutrition, health care, political issues, the environment, and tribal languages. It produces over 3 hours of local programs per week for its viewers. KSKC-TV has also produced national and international award winning documentaries. At the same time, distribution methods are changing. Television programs and video can now be accessed on iPhones, the web, DVDs, satellite and cable. Some new televisions now can stream movies directly from Internet sites. The number of people who receive free over-the-air broadcast television is now below 20%. Is over the air broadcast a dying entity and not deserving of continued investment? The station director is seeking ways to move ahead and keep the station viable. The station has served the reservation for over 21 years and could be eliminated if the Tribal Council decides to pull all funding. For many of the residents of the reservation, this station is the only link they have with local current events and activities. The station's local programs and community message board would be eliminated. Although the State PBS system is available on satellite and a PBS station from Washington State for some viewers on translators and a cable system, they dont provide any local content. They also are not free. How might the station broaden their appeal to a greater audience and thereby increase funding? What relationship does sovereignty have to a tribes ownership of local media? How could the revenue streams be increased? What other services might the station be able to provide on a regional basis to generate more operating funds such as local sports broadcasts? The station has the option to provide a for profit channel in their digital mix. What might that be? References: Hilliard, Robert L and Keith, Michael C. (1999) The Hidden Screen: Low-Power Television in America M.E. Sharpe, Inc, Armonk, New York. Keith, Michael C., (1995) Signals in the Air: Native Broadcasting in America, Paeger, Westport Connecticut. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), Congress of the United States (1995) Telecommunications Technology and Native Americans: Opportunities and Challenges. Tyro, Frank H., Localism and Low-Power Public Television on the Flathead Indian Reservation( , Wicazo Sa Review - Volume 16, Number 2, Fall 2001, pp. 19-28 Tyro, Frank H. (2004) More than Smoke Signals, unpublished dissertation. Copyright held by The Evergreen State College. 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