USDA Rural Public TV Grants

The Department of Agriculture announced $4.75 million in grants to assist rural public television stations complete the digital transition of their programs.

Grant recipients are noncommercial educational television broadcast stations serving rural areas across the country and were selected for awards under the Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program on a competitive basis. Administered through USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, the program is one of several designed to help rural communities expand and modernize their infrastructure and technology. Specifically, the Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program is helping bring the digital age to rural America and ensure the availability of broadcasts for communities still served by analog equipment.

Funding under the grant program can be used to acquire, lease, and/or install facilities and software necessary to the digital transition. For instance, Northern Minnesota Public Television (Lakeland Public Television) will be able to complete their digital transition and related tower work to ensure digital service for audiences in northern and central Minnesota, including five Indian reservations.