Idaho Delegation Announces Public Broadcasting Grant

Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senators Larry Craig and Mike Crapo and Idaho Representatives Mike Simpson and C.L. â??Butchâ?? Otter announced today that Boise State University will receive a grant for $63,930 from the Department of Commerceâ??s Public Telecommunications Facilities Program. The funds would be used to upgrade radio facilities in the Wood River Valley and activate a new public radio repeater station on 91.1 MHz in Sun Valley, including a digital-capable transmitter, antenna, transmission line, and inter-city relay/STL.â??This award will assist in delivering educational and cultural radio programs to the citizens of Sun Valley by improving the public broadcasting infrastructure,â?? Crapo said. â??BSU Radio provides an important public service for radio listeners all around Idaho, and it is great news that those in the Wood River Valley will now be able to listen.â?? â??I am pleased that Boise State University was able to secure this important grant,â?? Craig said. â??This is an exciting program that will highlight the extraordinary talents working at BSU Radio.â??â??This grant is great news for the people of Wood River Valley who soon will be able to enjoy the quality programming of Boise State Radio,â?? said Simpson. â??In a rural state like Idaho, we rely heavily on radio transmitters to help bridge distance between listening areas.  I'm pleased the Idaho Delegation and the Department of Commerce worked together to make this project a reality.â??â??Information is the key to economic success today,â?? Otter commented. â??It also is critical to full citizen participation in American society. Residents and businesses in Idaho's far-flung rural areas deserve access to the latest information just as much as they need safe highways,â?? Otter said. â??I'm pleased that this funding is available to help extend the reach and improve the service of BSU Radio.â??The Idaho delegation has been a strong supporter of the expansion project and recently wrote a letter of support for the grant application. BSU Radioâ??s signal will now be available to more than 6,000 people who were unable to access it previously, and added service to about 750 people. The award is part of $14 million in grants meant to extend public broadcasting to unserved areas of the country, maintain public broadcasting service, assist public television with digital conversion, and develop new distance learning services.# # #