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e-NC Capital Expenditure Grant for PEG Channel $25,000 grant with $25,000 matching funds With the change in the local and state cable franchise agreements, e-NC is making available $25,000 matching grants for capital expenditures for Public, Educational and Government Channels. This provides an excellent opportunity for Channel 22 to receive state assistance to purchase equipment that will be required in the near future. This grant will provide for equipment to help Channel 22 to not only be more efficient and effective, but also to prepare itself for the upcoming television broadcast switch to High Definition coming in the next 2 years. Needs: Channel 22's present broadcasting system was purchased in the late 1990s and was designed primarily to broadcast slides with limited video capability. Four yeazs ago Channe122 broadcasts were 97% slides and only 3% video programs. Today, we are broadcasting approximately 3% slides and 97% video programs. We aze pushing the programming limits of our current software to the point that the creators didn't know it could perform those functions. Our technical staff is afraid that in the neaz future the system may crash and Channel 22 would be off the air for a substantial period of time. Also at this point, our broadcast system can't handle High Definition which will be required in 2009. With the substantial increase of viewership, local programming and quality of programs of Channel 22, we are looking into ways to prevent manpower costs from increasing. One way to do that is with robotic controls for with our 3-camera production unit. /this would keep production quality high with no increasing manpower costs. This also may necessary if our franchise agreement with Time Wamer changes and they no longer come to the government building to produce our regular commissioners meetings. Our edit stations are using the same brand of softwaze that Channe] 22 started with in the 1990s and the level. However, the level of sophistication of our production has changed drastically over the past 4 years resulting in our systems operating much slower and creating inefficiencies in the production chain of events. This increases manpower hours significantly. A newer, more industry-standard-type of editing system would be much more effective and reduce those problems while also preparing us for High Defmition broadcast. Solutions: Broadcast System The Leightronix Nexus playback automation combining digital video server technology, DVD and VCR control, video/audio switching/routing, and digital video messaging in one package. This company is preparing for High Definition broadcast which will be presented in the near future. Many government and educational stations use this type of hardware for their broadcast. °f'~