Digital Radio Conversion Fund

FY07 Funding Cycle

Digital Conversion Grants

CPB has awarded 644 digital conversion grants since June 03

Over 300 digitally converted public radio transmitters are on-air with HD Radio

FY 07-01 Grant Round expects up to 80 grant applications by November for $7M pool

Digital Grant Program

Objective: Convert as many station transmitters to digital radio as possible

Eligibility: all CPB-qualified grantees

Competitive priorities:

Minority and rural stations can receive 80% of eligible costs, up to $85,000

All other stations can receive 70% of eligible costs, up to $75,000

CPB-determined Hardship Status may provide for 85% of station's eligible costs, up to $110,000

Project costs average $125,000 to $140,000

Digital Grant Guidelines

Deadline: Friday November 23, 2007

Timeline: Projects typically completed within 12 months of execution of grant agreement

Applicants submitting multiple applications must rank their priority of each project

Retroactive funding is not available

After conversion complete, station must commence IBOC HD Radio broadcast and maintain on-going digital service

Stations must time-align their analog and digital broadcasts

iBiquity Agreement Remains

CPB's Preferred iBiquity Agreement remains in effect for FY 07-01 grant round

Under agreement stations enjoy favorable terms and a one time main channel license fee of $5,000.The Standard main channel license fee is $15,000 and will be $25,000 beginning July 1, 2008

Under agreement CPB pre-pays the main channel fee on behalf of qualifying station

Stations still must execute an individual Station License Agreement (SLA) with iBiquity

Due to CPB's pre-payment of license fees stations' cash awards are reduced by $10,000; $20,000 beginning July 1, 2008

These reduced prices and favorable terms remain available as long as:

Eligible, Ineligible, The Same

Eligible/Ineligible Equipment: The same for FY07-01 grant round

Still not eligible for FY07-01 funding: Transmitters that have already received Digital Radio Conversion Funding from CPB or PTFP, HD Translators, HD Boosters

Hardship Consideration

A licensee unable to complete project at standard funding level may apply for Hardship Status

Status intended for licensee whose financial match is a disproportionately high percentage of station's total revenue

To apply: Check Hardship Status box on application

Submit with standard application a detailed narrative explaining why standard funding is insufficient

Must include total station revenue (TSR) for each of the past three years

Hardship determinations are case by case at CPB's sole discretion

Media Tech Digital Grants Team

Don Lockett, Senior Director

Brian Gibbons, Director

Michelle Ranger, TV Digital Grants Manager

Djinni Field, Digital Grants Coordinator

Ernesto Beckford, Senior Contract Attorney

Liudmila Padilla, Administrative Assistant

Doug Vernier, Program's Engineering Consultant

Other Digital Radio Projects

Digital Radio Coverage and Interference Analysis Project: DRCIA

Program Associated Data: PAD

NPR:

PRI:

Separate multiple e-mail addresses with commas.