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Idaho Public Television seeks $300,000 to replace aging broadcast automation hardware; committee questions procurement and funding split
Summary
Idaho Public Television requested $300,000 in one-time funds to replace end-of-life broadcast automation and server hardware and a separate request for a replacement pickup truck. Lawmakers pressed IPTV officials for a plan showing itemized purchases and clarification on which expenditures the state will pay versus private nonprofit funds.
Idaho Public Television General Manager Jeff Tucker told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Jan. 15 that the agency needs one-time funding to replace aging servers and automation hardware that support statewide content delivery and the emergency broadcast function.
Tucker described the $300,000 request as replacement — not growth — for a proprietary broadcast automation system made up of Windows servers and specialized devices that control recording, playback, routing and switching of television signals to IPTV's five statewide channels. He said the current servers are about four years out of date and no longer patchable, which creates maintenance and security risks. "It's a system we just, it's hard to upkeep," Tucker said.
Committee members asked for an itemized plan showing which equipment will be purchased and how it fits into IPTV's 10-year replacement plan. Tucker said IPTV has a plan and committed to provide it; he also said there are few vendors that sell compatible equipment and purchases will follow normal state procurement procedures.
IPTV also requested $42,400 (the agency's submission and the budget manual rate differ modestly) to replace a heavy-duty pickup used for mountaintop maintenance in North Idaho. Committee members and analysts noted state budget replacement rates are conservative and may not match market prices for heavy-duty diesel trucks used in remote, winter conditions; Jeff Tucker said the agency will auction the replaced vehicle and try to use general fund allotments to cover any shortfall.
Representative Tanner raised questions about the firewall between IPTV's state-funded operations and its nonprofit fundraising arm (Friends of Idaho Public Television). Tucker said general-fund expenditures are transparent and the private side pays for content production; he said the agency's 10-year plan lists which items the private side will fund. Tucker said 14 FTPs are paid from the general fund, including engineers who maintain broadcast and master-control systems.
Committee members requested a more detailed plan for the $300,000 network/automation replacement, including an itemized list for procurement consideration before releasing one-time funds.
