PRESS RELEASE - Monday, August 3, 2009
For Information Call Karen Svea Johnson at 208-373-7369
or Anne Peterson at 208-373-7368

CPB Board Chairman Presents Award to IdahoPTV at Idaho State Broadcasters Meeting in Sun Valley

Idaho Public Television’s IDAHO LEGISLATURE LIVE was presented a My Source Community Impact Award for Engagement from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) last weekend.

Chris Boskin, chairman, CPB Board of Directors, made the presentation during the Idaho State Broadcasters banquet in Sun Valley.

“This award is about honoring those who are investing in our communities, strengthening our civil society, and providing a lifelong learning journey for all Americans,” Boskin said in her remarks. “IDAHO LEGISLATURE LIVE is an example of how one station provides a vital service to its local community and strengthens our democracy.”

The My Source award gives recognition to public television and radio stations nationwide for their commitment and responsiveness to their communities, providing innovative services on-air, online and on the ground with measureable results and benefits for the community.

IDAHO LEGISLATURE LIVE provides statewide gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Idaho House and Idaho Senate through unedited live video — on-air on two of IdahoPTV’s digital channels and online on IdahoPTV’s Web site (idahoptv.org).

“We do this through a unique partnership among Idaho Legislative Services, the Idaho Department of Administration and Idaho Public Television, under the direction of IdahoPTV Production Manager Jeff Tucker,” IdahoPTV General Manager Peter Morrill said. “I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank the leadership of the Legislature for their confidence in the project.”

He also thanked the Idaho State Broadcasters Association, which for three years has provided the major operational funding for IDAHO LEGISLATURE LIVE.  “They have been a quiet and steady supporter of making sure that the people of our state stay connected with their elected representatives.”

Additional support for the effort has come from the Union Pacific Foundation, and from the Friends of Idaho Public Television’s Endowment Fund.

Pat Harrison, president and CEO of CPB, said, “Now more than ever, communities are relying on local public broadcasting stations for information they can trust, for connection to community that matters and for a safe place where children can learn.”

Idaho Public Television is a statewide system with five digital transmitters and a network of translators, which carry the signal to 97 percent of Idaho’s households. IdahoPTV broadcasts three standard definition channels and one high definition channel 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and maintains an extensive Web site.

CPB, a private nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,000 locally-owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related online services.