PEORIA -- Unbelievable as it sounds, Peoria's PBS station, WTVP-TV, Channel 47 is apparently threatened with going dark, depriving thousands of viewers of educational, artistic and scientific programming unless they buy cable or satellite coverage.
This in a city with almost 70 percent of its public school children living in households so poor the kids are eligible for free or reduced school lunches!
So much for the great children's programming on PBS. Oh well, let the kids watch soap operas or whatever else comes on during daytime network TV.
Just as serious are the questions that remain over what has happened to this station and who is at fault. One of many unanswered questions: what about the station's valuable license apparently owned by its not-for-profit parent organization? No one has ever addressed this issue.
Is this a license grab?
State and federal laws require tax exempt organizations that convert to for-profit status to compensate the public for its donations. Is this a clever new way to subvert the law?
WTVP-TV has posted addresses and e-mail addresses on its website, so people can write to the banks.
I sent the following letter via e-mail to the banks:
It’s simply incredible that Peoria’s PBS station is threatened with closure by your organization’s actions.
This station provides educational and artistic programming to thousands of people who cannot afford cable TV bills.
I have personally written to the Illinois Attorney General to ask that an investigation take place into this potential theft from the public whose tax funds and charitable donations have built this station.
Thieves should go to prison, not profit from their misdeeds and/or abusive financial deals.
Rest assured that my family will NEVER do business with you again if this station closes.
Navigating the bank websites is a bit complicated. Here are some e-mail addresses:
Bank of America; Commerce Bank, national and local.
Send them a message.
-- Elaine Hopkins
Comments