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(Posted February 1, 2003)
KSPS Public Television went on the air in 1967, but by 1972, financial difficulties
threatened the demise of the Spokane, Washington station.
Three community leaders, Lois Rubens, Ethel Grossman, and Ron Miller
(pictured above), met with Station Manager Walter Schaar to discuss the future of KSPS. “That meeting resulted in the Friends of
Seven, the organization that has supported the station, which is owned by the Spokane
Public Schools, for more than 30 years and ensured its continuous growth,” said KSPS
Board President Don Lukes.
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The station that almost failed is now a 24/7 operation with 42 employees who serve a
“neighborhood” that includes parts of four states (Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
and Montana) and two of Canada’s western provinces.
The potential audience is more than one million households, and 35,000 of
them are current Friends of Seven members. Their
contributions are 80% of the station’s income and enable KSPS to purchase quality
programming and make major improvements, such as the 1995 renovation of the station’s
building.
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KSPS also has corporate partners throughout its service area. Underwriting, corporate pledge challenges, and
sponsorship of special events (Family A Fair, Sesame Street Night at the Ballpark, The
Baby Fair), provide crucial funding. There is
a Friends of Seven Corporate Club and a Corporate Club Member Corner in Prevue Magazine, which goes to 37,000 homes
monthly.
As KSPS continues
to grow, the quality and quantity of its local productions reflect its progress. Silver
Linings is a history of Idaho’s Silver Valley, from its boisterous
mining camp era to World War I. Providence, Women on the Frontier tells
stories of the Catholic Sisters who risked their own safety to bring health care and
education to the rowdy Oregon Territory. Spirit of the Inland Northwest treats
viewers to the rugged beauty of the region that includes Glacier National Park. Sculpted
by Floods (winner of a 2001 NETA award) reveals how Lake Missoula, created
thousands of years ago, affects life in the area today. This April, NETA will distribute
KSPS' newest production, The Davenport Hotel - Grand Again, to public
television stations across the country.
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Public affairs programming includes Spokane This Week, which features
discussions among regional journalists and key players in community issues. Northwest Profiles introduces
viewers to some of their most interesting neighbors; recent segments featured an eccentric
local artist and volunteer pilots who fly the sick and injured to medical facilities.
KSPS uses a multi-dimensional approach to achieve its educational mission. The station’s Parents for Public Television
organization provides support for the more than forty hours of KSPS children’s
programming each week. The
Instructional Television Center operates on four cable channels, providing programming to
all Spokane School District 81 classrooms. The
station’s Ready to Learn service provides educational children’s programming and
conducts workshops for parents and caregivers throughout the Spokane area. “We strive to provide vital community
services and to be an educational resource valued throughout our entire viewing
area,” said General Manager Claude Kistler.
KSPS has reached a major milestone in its effort to enhance all its services through
digital conversion. “Friends of Seven
contributions made it possible for us to match our digital grant, and now we are working
to raise funds to transform our educational, cultural, public affairs, and entertainment
programming into the digital age with high definition,” said Friends of Seven
Executive Director Patty Starkey. "This
is a critical time for KSPS. The cost of digital technology comes when traditional funding
sources are not keeping pace with operational needs. At the same time, digital technology
offers new service opportunities and demands that make us re-examine who we are, what we
do, and how we fund our exciting future," said General Manager
Claude
Kistler.
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The station that almost failed in the 1970s is continuing to grow and expand services to
diverse communities. Now, KSPS is moving
confidently into the digital age, still depending on its many friends, both old and new.
- Diane Jowers |
 Visit
KSPS' Web site: www.KSPS.org |
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