Backchannelmedia

Post-Bulletin

By Roxana Orellana, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.

Jun. 27--The local public television station might be more than 30 years old, but with the recent changes it will be like starting up again.

"We're doing a lot of internal things right now, setting up some procedures, so there are some clear definitions when we begin to implement programs and add things," said Sandra Session-Robertson, president and CEO of KSMQ.

As the final step of the license-transfer process to the nonprofit Southern Minnesota Quality Broadcasting Inc. is completed, the new license holder looks to make the station "a bridge-builder" for the region.

In May, the final step of becoming its own entity took place.

The station transferred its books from its former license holder, the Austin school district, to its new fiscal agent. A physical move put the station north of the previous building in Riverland Community College's former electrical labs.

Session-Robertson announced she would take the president and CEO position.

"I see that KSMQ has a role to play for the region," Session-Robertson said. "We can present what nobody else in this region can."

For now, the priority is to settle in, seek the support needed to make the station financially sound and create local programing.

The next big project for the station will be to enlist community support so the station can work on local programing. Now, the station has one local show that runs once a month.

Session-Robertson envisions five local shows every week. She said the station also is looking at a monthly program featuring city profiles, a health program and profiles of distinguished people. In the next year, the station will work "heavy into that" because of the little local programing available right now.

"I would really like to see us show up the local program and have a nightly presence of some kind with a local program every night," Session-Robertson added. "I think that's a big goal, but it's very doable."

Having had some input in the budget planning this year, Session-Robertson feels more confident about some of the things she wants to do at the station.

The station is funded through state and federal funds, corporate underwriting, individual memberships, grants and the community.

Seeing the "unbelievable" potential the station has and the positive encounter with the managing board helped Session-Robertson decide to stay.

She was intrigued by people who readily admitted they didn't know much about broadcasting but were willing to get in and start working.

"I think KSMQ could become the public square of the region," she said.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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