MEDIA RELEASE

WASHINGTON—PBS Hawaii will receive $370,313 to fund equipment upgrades that will allow the station to deliver high definition programming while maximizing signal strength, Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka announced today.

The money comes through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

“Public broadcasting is an important community tool that allows residents and visitors access to quality programming that educates and entertains,” said Senator Inouye. “We must work to keep the non-profit station competitive and viable.”

“PBS Hawaii creates a wealth of original programming about the state and its people, and makes educational national shows available to local viewers,” said Senator Akaka. “This grant will allow PBS Hawaii to upgrade equipment to deliver a higher quality signal to more families across the islands.”
The money will be spent on the following:

• $294,000 to PBS Hawaii in Honolulu will fund the addition of high-definition (HD) master control equipment, which will enable the station to handle the delivery of PBS HD programming and improve over-the-air and cable distribution.  Local terrain issues have a negative impact on over-the-air distribution and most of the viewers receive services via cable.
• $76,313 to PBS Hawaii will fund the purchase and installation of a power upgrade kit for the station’s transmitter as well as test and monitoring equipment.

For more information please visit: http://www.pbshawaii.org