MPR wants $200,000 more from state for biennium

Minnesota Public Radio is seeking $1.07 million in state funding in the upcoming biennium, a $200,000 increase for emergency alert systems, equipment maintenance in Greater Minnesota and its Radio Talking Book service.

Insistent that state spending doesn’t go to stations in the Twin Cities, programming, employee salaries or travel and food, MPR President and CEO Jon McTaggart told the House State Government Finance Committee Tuesday the additional funds would be directed to emergency repairs, transmission line replacements, rack mount replacements and other infrastructure upgrades throughout its 45-station web.

Other revenue streams, like individual contributions and corporations’ philanthropic arms, pay for employees and programming.

During Fiscal Years 2016-17, McTaggart said MPR spent its $870,000 state allocation by installing a massive air conditioning unit that controls transmission equipment cooling at its Austin-based facility, replacing bad transmission pieces in Bemidji and Brainerd, and addressing unforeseen problems in Worthington, Moorhead, Solderville and Buhl. Plans for Fiscal Years 2018-19 include more repairs in Bemidji and Brainerd, along with improvements in Duluth, Warroad, Rochester and Richmond.

Some expenses, like painting towers, are because of regulations from the Federal Communications Commission.

John Kavanagh, MPR’s director of public affairs and government relations, said the total “vital” and “necessary” needs exceed $2 million.

The emergency alert system, which requires broadcasters to inform the public of natural disasters, severe weather and child abductions, is “the backbone” of MPR, Kavanagh said. “It’s vital to keep broadcasters … aware of what’s going on in Minnesota.”