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South Dakota Public Television
- by Diane Jowers |
| (Posted January 31, 2002)
In public broadcasting, government policy and related programming are
always important aspects of the job. For South Dakota Public Television (SDptv),
that means much more than communications with the governor’s office and coverage of
legislative news. There are nine tribal governments, all advocates for South Dakota’s
approximately 60,000 Native Americans. "We feel a great
responsibility to provide programs that not only reflect the diversity of the state’s
population but also the breadth of its interests; SDptv is the only public television
signal available to most of the state, which is almost 50 percent rural," said
Director of Television Michelle Van Maanen. |
That signal comes from the flagship station of the SDptv network, KUSD on the University
of South Dakota campus in Vermillion. SDptv is part of South Dakota Public Broadcasting
(SDPB), which has 67 employees who deliver public television and radio to the state seven
days a week. The television broadcast day is approximately 5 a.m. to
1 a.m. (CST).
Programming tailored to regional culture includes "Buffalo Nation Journal,"
which presents a Native American perspective on timely topics. "South Dakota
Focus," now in its 14th season, is an SDptv production that takes a
broader view of statewide issues. "Dakota Life" features entertaining
topics, such as the buffalo roundup at Custer State Park. DakotaCast (SDPB Online), a portal to
information about South Dakota, often enhances news with historical or cultural content;
coverage of the World War II Memorial dedication and parade in Pierre was also a history
lesson. For up-to-the-minute news, there is The
Dakota Daily, SDPB’s real-time newspaper. |
The programming, varied in content and perspective, has also been recognized for quality.
SDptv won regional Emmy awards for Lost
Bird of Wounded Knee, a program based on the true story of a survivor of
the Wounded Knee massacre, and for Wild Horses: An American
Romance (a co-production of SDptv and Nebraska Educational
Telecommunications).
At the 2002 NETA conference, SDPB won three
awards in the Promotion category; these were for the "A
Falconer’s Memoir" website, for "I Watch" (promotion of public
television’s life-long learning opportunities), and for the "Lost Bird of
Wounded Knee" publicity campaign. "I was
honored to accept our NETA awards on behalf of a very talented and creative staff. We've
really put an emphasis on promotion and ‘enhancing’ our productions. It's nice
to know that we're on the right track," said SDPB Executive Director Julie Andersen. |
In addition to diverse programming, SDptv’s original legislative mandate, to provide
schools access to instructional
television programs, is also a primary objective. The network is linked to the Digital Dakota Network and uses RealVideo Internet
streaming for ITV programming to any computer linked to a school’s Local Area
Network. College telecourses offered through the University of South Dakota's State Wide
Educational Services are broadcast weekly.
Many SDPB education initiatives are related to the region’s Native American heritage
and to its large rural population. Exploring Our Culture Through Language: An Indigenous
Language Essay Contest is a joint project of SDPB and Rural Alliance Inc. |
A partnership with the South Dakota High School Activities Association adds a new
dimension to SDPB’s role in the educational system. The Web project is a showcase for
high school students’ talents and is supported, in part, by local corporations
(Daktronics and Midcontinent Communications). The live coverage of high school sports and
fine arts events provides enlightening entertainment, from wrestling matches to chorus
competitions, that is as varied as the audience.
The technology that makes this possible was not even a dream when KUSD, one of the first educational radio stations in the nation, was
licensed in 1922. It became South Dakota’s first educational television station in
1961. Now, SDPB is a statewide network (map) that
includes KBHE (Rapid City), KESD (Brookings), KTSD (Pierre), KDSD (Aberdeen), KPSD (Eagle
Butte), KQSD (Lowry), KZSD (Martin), and KCSD (Sioux Falls). All of the stations are both
radio and television facilities using the latest technology to develop and deliver
relevant programming - new methods, same mission - public broadcasting at its best to
benefit all South Dakotans. |
| |
|
South Dakota PTV
To see full-size photo, click on thumbnail.
SDPB's
Web
SDptv's Education Services director
Elaine Larson
talks to young readers during a library visit.
Click on thumbnail
map to view South
Dakota's state
network. |
