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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 1976)
.y j rtCJ - . y Ihxnfczr Seven July 22, 1 070 By MsreEb Synovcc The public hearing Tuesday night before the Nebraska Educational Televises (NETV) (kmmissica was dominated by supporters cf a public radio network in the state. NU regents vote not to entiors Neb. public radio By Theresa Forssssn The NU Board cf Regents Saturday instructed Steven Sample, university vice president for academic affairs, not to support the establishment of public radio in Nebraska. Sample is the university's representative on the Nebraska Educational Television (NETV) Commission, which is expected to decide later this summer whether to approve a commission subcommittee report outlining? procedures for establishing public radio in the state. . Grand Island Regent Robert Koefoot said thst based on information he received from broadcasters there is no need for public radio in the state. NETV Commissioner Edwin Nelson, chairman of the subcommittee which has been studying public radio in other states for the past year, said the subcommittee's study showed that public radio does cot duplicate commercial radio services. Cost to taxpayers Koefoot said he did not think taxpayers should pay for education by public radio. MI do not think we can afford it," he said. He added that he did not think many Nebraskans watched NETV. Costs to Nebraskans of operating the public radio system proposed in the subcommittee's report would be about $350,00) initially and $358,000 annually, according to the report. Koefoot said these cost estimates could be misleading. He cited NETVs original budget compared to annual NETV operating costs now. Lincoln Regent Ed Schwartzkopf, who voted against endorsing public radio in Nebraska, questioned whether money for public radio would cut the state allocation for NETV. Robert Simmons, NU regent from Scottsbluff, said he did rot ithink public radio would be in competition with, commercial radio. "The University should want a facility which could take education outstate," he said. The hearing was broadcast live from the NETV studio. Testimony given by John Hansen, a farmer from Newman Grove, drew laughter and applause from the audience at the NETV studio. Speaking in support of a public radio network in the state, Hansen said the public radio offers pptgramming not available on commercial stations. 1 would rather listen to the squeaky bearings in my combine than hear the same AM radio tunes played 10 times a day," Hansen sail. In a more serious vein, Hansen said public radio could offer special , interest groups detailed infor mation cf concern to them. Farmers, fcr example, could hear detailed market reports, he said. Hansen also suggested that the commission reconsider the use cf AM radio bands. Previously, the commission had said that the us of the FM bands were the only feasible methods of broadcasting public radio. Commissioner Ed Nelson said FIJ frequencies had been considered for public radio because they oiler a greater transmission range and better sound quality. Also, public radio stations could transmit from television towers already existing at locations across the state. Nelson said. Ron Eurtenbach, founder of the Lincoln Gszzette newspaper and Sunrise Communications both not-for-profit media, said be supported public radio but was concerned that a clearly structured means cf public access would not be included. . Public opinions on controversial issues are not heard on commercial radio stations, Kurtenbach said, . and - public radio could : alow this. Raymond Haggh, . UNL music professor, said the educational aspect of public radio is extremely important. "Public radio would be an effective means of making the state's cultural diversity known to its people," Haggh said. Haggh added that the opposition to public radio based on reasons cf cost, unfair competition with commercial radio and duplication cf programming is not valid. "Federal funds would pay 75 per cent cf the initial cost," Haggh said. "After the first year, it would cost each Nebraska tax payer about S3 cents per year. Maintenance costs for one year would be less than a year's cost for maintaining the university's new sports complex. Most of the testimony, calls and letters from individuals and representatives of interest groups, supported public, radio. Most, commented ca the scope of cultural, informational and educational nrogramming public radio woulj effer. The main opposition heard at the televised hearing was a statement prepared by Richard Chapin, chairman of the public radio committee cf the Nebraska Broadcaster's Association. Chapin's statement outlined the following reasons for not having public radio: The ETV Commission (who would be the licensee for the proposed station serving the Lincoln and Omaha area) has no legal right to spend time and money on radio. - The governing body of public radio should be separate from the governing body of public television. , - - The - proposed stations would interfere with television frequencies in certain parts cf the state. The NETV Commission subcommittee on public radio announced its recommendations last week for a Nebraska Public Radio Service, which is proposed as a confederation cf educational licensees represent-' isg post-secondary schools in Nebraska. The subcommittee studied public radio nationwide. Philip Heekman. commission chairman, said the testimonies, calls, tetters and petitions would be reviewed and put before the commission at their regular meeting Thursday, July 22. CGUiTOCjCdl n r i u Service Simmons said people in the western part of Nebraska are ignored by commercial television but that according to the subcommittee's report, public radio wouM "cover the whole st te. Simmons also praised NETV, saying service was "very good and valuable for what it costs." Besides Koefoot and Schwartzkopf, ether regents voting not to approve . public radio for Nebraska included Robert Moylan and Robert Prokcp cf Omaha and Hermit Wagner cf Schasykr. Omaha Regent Kermit Hansen did not vote, saying the subcommittee report was too new and complex to vote on without studying it. He and other regents had not seen the subcommittee report, whih was made public July 14. Minden Regent Robert Raun voted against disapproving public radio. He said he could see advantages and disadvantages of having public radio in the state, but said he felt "inadequate to vote against public radio, having just beard the report." Simmons also voted against disapproving public radio for the state.' Sample said the NETV Commission will vote wksthcr to accept cr rcjsct the ; rtpcrt. If the rtpaxt is accepted, ha tsii. the "csmpissisa wl prepare rsesssssdilisss fir tha Lcs2stara asd Gsv. J. Jints Eca. szi ta czSXzt wci ba put cf fcisra l:ila. More than 1CC0 UNL employees have completed the defensive driving course mandated by Gov. J. James Exon last October, according to Phillip Cross, campus police officer, who teaches the course. About 400 UNL employes still have to take the course, he said. - : Cross, Robert Myers .and Miehaela Callahan. Campus Police Training and Safety Education staff members, began teaching the course to university employes in February. . The i its will be available from Campus Police ' for an indefinite time because seme new employes will be required to take the course. Cross said. Also, employes who have vehicle accidents must retake the course. According to Excn's decree, all state employes who drive state vehicles cr ask for mileage costs frcci the state when driving their own vehicles, must, take the defensive driving' course. - "But the university has allowed some laxity concerning those who must take the course. Cross said.. Winn Sanderson, assistant vice president for budget and personnel in the university systems office, said only, those university employes whose fsb . dsscriptica "primarily involves" driving a state vehicle are required to take the coursa. No faculty members must take the course, Saadsrssa said, because their primary wcrk is net drivizg state Cross siii tka &psrtnezt dsddsd who ia Bd ilsisr, csssH ttnfcsa fts fcy t!a &sa Brr cf take the course and for keeping .boot who has taken the course. Sanderson said though the university has a low accident rate, all employes are encouraged to take the course. "I think it is a good program but it causes limitations in terms of work force, budget and time off," Sanderson said. He estimated the course would cost the univer sity about $75,CC0 if every employe took it. The $5 fee for the course is paid for by the employe's department. The eight-hour course includes films, lecture and discussioa on traffic accidents and how they can be avoided. Cross said. Cross said that his impression is . thai, many .- employes are ' not "pleased about coming to the course, but they change their minds by the time they have completed it." He said he has received many favorable comments from employes who completed the course. Course's efftcttvesesa The purpose cf the course is to save lives and money, he said, though there are no statistics en the course's effectiveness in Nebraska, according to Thomas Carroll, executive director cf the Nebraska Safety Council. Carroll said he does not "pay any attention to statistics. Any course which has bsea targht since 1225 to rations cf - people must be geed cr it wouldat have survived." The National Sifity Ccndl b a private, ssxvisa crgsniatisa whkh provides the eesr to vsriesi Natisnal Safsty Council statMics aha-w that rt.nxi!a tla ccrca rcia rr31"! by crap