KRCB, the North Bay’s 32-year-old public television operation, just won a big boost for its immediate broadcasting and facility needs as well as enough funds to consider investments in its future.
A one-time payout of $72 million is being awarded KRCB by the Federal Communications Commission as part of a nationwide auction of television airwaves for use by the wireless telecom industry.
“The auction funds will allow us to begin to establish an endowment, the interest from which will allow KRCB to weather difficult times in a fast-changing technological landscape, and will help with operational costs in the coming decades,” said Nancy Dobbs, president and CEO of KRCB North Bay Public Media.
Dobbs said the funds also will be spent on long-needed facility and technology upgrades at the Rohnert Park-based facility.
By participating in the “spectrum” auction, KRCB had to agree to give up its previous designated channel. Dobbs said the pending realignment of the TV airwaves should be unnoticeable to the public with KRCB retaining its Channel 22 call letters.
