By Greg Horner, Senior Editor.
The lecture theater was filled with citizens concerned about the future of their local PBS station, who came out to participate in the first of two public forums the college hosted in regards to the upcoming FCC spectrum auction. The meeting was held on Jan. 7 and is part of an effort by Delta’s administration to inform and hear feedback about how the college plans to proceed.
“I see the station as a beacon for the area and the school,” says Essexville native Daniel Rogalny. “I’m hoping there’s a lot of people who feel the same way that I do and might possibly convince the board to maintain the status quo and not succumb to the glitter and gold of the big bucks.”
The administration at the forum included President Jean Goodnow, Board Chair Mike Rowley, Executive Director Pam Clark and Broadcasting General Manager Tom Bennet. The four members spent roughly a half hour trying to inform the public as best they could about the details of the auction.
“The spectrum auction involves all television stations in America — not just public broadcast stations,” says Goodnow. “No spectrum auction decisions have been made; the college has only reserved its right to participate in the spectrum auction. Most importantly, all of us appreciate, respect and share your passion for public broadcasting and Q-TV.”
The FCC is using the auction to clear up bandwidth for broadband communications (such as Wi-Fi) which operates on the same frequency as local broadcasting stations. Delta’s WDCQ-QTV has been given an opening bid valuation of $166 million; broadcasters will then compete in a reverse auction to offer their station at the lowest bid. The Board of Trustees has given Goodnow, Rowley and Clark authority moving forward.
Stations have until Jan. 12 to decide whether they will participate. Once stations announce that they will participate they’ll be required to undergo a quiet period mandated by the FCC. Those stations will then have until March 29 to make a final decision on how they wish to proceed. The quiet period will not end until the auction is over which is estimated to be sometime this fall.
Delta has until March 29 to decide from the following options:
- Option 1: Delta continues to operate Q-TV on its current spectrum and the station doesn’t go up for auction.
- Option 2: Delta puts Q-TV up for auction but bids to move the station to a VHF (Very High Frequency) channel. This option depends on the availability of VHF stations, and Clark says that a firm has been hired to examine if it’s possible.
- Option 3: Delta makes a deal with another television station to share a channel in the same spectrum. This would allow Q-TV to share half of the auction earnings and airtime with another station in the market.
- Option 4: Delta participates in the auction and, in the event of a purchase, relinquishes control of WDCQ-TV. The college would receive the entirety of the agreed upon final offer, but would cease operating its PBS services.
A decision hasn’t been made on which of the four options the school will pursue; some members of the public are uneasy with the fact that those responsible won’t be able to publically discuss it after the deadline.
“Emails and letters [are] always welcome,” says Rowley. “It’s just if we’re going to take questions and answer them we can only do that through a certain time of the day on Jan. 12, and after that the federal law says we have to shut our mouth or else we could lose the station.”
When asked how much they would auction the station for Rowley responded that he wouldn’t want to give away the school’s auction strategies.
“At this point we have not even determined, ‘Will we remain in the auction or would we not remain in the auction?’ We don’t want to make that decision until we have public input…” says Rowley.
In general the opinion of the crowd was against putting the station up for auction.
“Oscar Wilde probably said it best a long time ago in one of his novels, ‘Nowadays people know the price of everything, but the value of nothing,’ ” says Terry Miller, a professor of history at Delta. “We need to value this station — not commodify it… The Board of Trustees needs to rise up and have the courage to say there’s no price for Delta’s television station and radio station.”
Stuart Barbier, a Delta English professor, was concerned that the board had already made a decision in a resolution passed during the Dec. 8 Board of Trustees meeting.
The following is the resolution Barbier referenced:
“The Delta College Board of Trustees directs President Jean Goodnow, Board Chair Mike Rowley and Executive Director Pam Clark to take all actions necessary to participate in the FCC Incentive Spectrum Auction and implement the recommendations of legal counsel as set forth in their written legal opinions, on behalf of WDCQ-TV Channel 15. The Board directs President Jean Goodnow, Board Chair Mike Rowley and Executive Director Pam Clark to consider only: 1) exchanging Delta College’s UHF channel for a VHF channel; or 2) relinquishing Delta College’s television spectrum usage rights, if President Jean Goodnow, Board Chair Mike Rowley and Executive Director Pam Clark deems that it will have a positive financial and/or community benefit. To assist in decision-making, the Board directs the President that an engineering analysis be conducted to ascertain the viability of relocating WDCQ to the VHF spectrum. The Board further directs President Jean Goodnow, Board Chair Mike Rowley and the Executive Director Pam Clark to take all actions necessary to preserve the option of entering into a channel sharing agreement after the FCC Incentive Spectrum Auction.”
Rowley responded that the motion only referred to what should be done before the first deadline presumably Jan 12. “At this point and time all options and all flexibility is still available to the Board of Trustees.”
Barbier remained unsatisfied with the answer. “I read that language. I teach language. I teach reading. The way I read the Board’s resolution to me doesn’t leave room for other options — it’s fairly clear.”
Mark Paveglio, a Bay City resident, feels the administration didn’t do an adequate job involving the public. “The first thing I knew about it was an article in the Bay City Times, it was a very large article, and nowhere did they mention public participation. I think there was some ruffling of feathers and an outcry and we’re now having these forums, but this should’ve been way before that article came out.”
Gail Hoffman, a retiree of Delta College, opposes the sale of Q-TV citing its outreach to the community and the school’s financial stability. “As a valuable well-established community resource would it really make sense to end this unique, and valued, television station WDCQ-TV for an unnecessary pot of money?”
Speaking as a member of the audience, Board Trustee Earl Selby closed the forum. “Please bear with us because, quite frankly, when you are brought a proposition that says you can receive $166 million for your place on the spectrum it creates opportunities that, to be responsible, I have to look at…I don’t think there’s a bigger advocate for broadcasting than myself. I’ve heard every word you’ve said tonight.”