HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-20-08 City, WNIT-TV to sign pact for public media center
Office of the Mayor
NEWS RELEASE
November 20, 2008
4:15 p.m.
City, WNIT-TV to sign pact for public media center
Contact:
Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564
or Jennifer Laurent, Economic Development Specialist, 235-9371
WNIT Television, the Public Broadcasting System station serving a 22-county area, is
relocating from Elkhart to downtown South Bend, and the City of South Bend will
support the creation of a $6.5-million state-of-the-art center for public media.
A development agreement between Michiana Public Broadcasting Corp., which
operates WNIT Television, and the South Bend Redevelopment Commission received
unanimous approval during the Commission’s meeting Friday.
“The new WNIT Center for Public Media will create new excitement with its public
atrium and video-screen façade at a landmark downtown intersection. We’re delighted to
have our public television station in the heart of downtown South Bend. There will be
many opportunities for community uses at this site,” said Mayor Stephen J. Luecke.
“With its connection to the Metronet, WNIT will become a key component in our
telecommunications infrastructure. We’re already in conversation about partnerships that
will take advantage of emerging media technology to benefit the public in new ways.”
In the agreement, the Redevelopment Commission will support $1 million of work to
create a new façade, including exterior Jumbotron monitors, and lobby/public gathering
area for the station as WNIT invests nearly $3.7-million toward the renovation of the
former WSBT studios at Jefferson and Lafayette boulevards into a full-service media
broadcasting center.
“As we relocate to our new facility, WNIT renews its commitment to the entire Michiana
area,” said Mary Pruess, WNIT’s President and General Manager. “The new building
will allow us to make innovative use of technology to bring a new level of service to all
the communities of Michiana. From WNIT’s new home, we will be able to access
northern Indiana’s Metronet and other networks to link all eight public television stations
in the state through one fiber-optic system. We will also be able to provide video on
demand, a live video stream on our web site and, with our new Regional Mobile Unit,
live broadcasts from anywhere in our 22-county broadcast area.
“We are excited and pleased to work with the City of South Bend on this historic
venture. The Tax Increment Financing which the City is providing is a significant step to
making WNIT’s dynamic vision a reality while keeping downtown South Bend growing
and vital. It’s definitely a win-win situation.”
“I appreciate the positive role that WSBT has played in making this facility available for
WNIT,” Luecke said. “It will continue a tradition of excellence at the site and strengthen
quality of life for the greater South Bend area.”
WNIT is expected to employ between 30 and 40 people with an annual payroll and
benefits package starting at $1.2 million and expenditures exceeding $1.5 million.
The City’s contribution to the project comes from Tax Increment Financing revenues
from the downtown Central Business District. In a TIF district, the increase in tax
revenue generated by new development stays within the boundaries of the district to fund
infrastructure improvements, including curbs, sidewalks, streets, landscaping and other
public improvements. These resources are available for economic development but not
for general city services.
WNIT already has provided video coverage of South Bend Common Council meetings,
and City staff have discussed a potential long-term relationship with WNIT regarding
public education, governmental and community-affairs programming.
The station’s programming interests include convening community stakeholders around
specific topics for televised town meetings, developing an Indiana Channel that would
feature live coverage of sessions from the Indiana Statehouse and creating awareness of
community challenges with an invitation to residents to participate in their resolution.
WNIT will provide meeting space to individuals and community groups.
“The station will become a hub for the region, attracting arts and cultural events and
activities to the downtown area,” according to the agreement. “Connectivity between arts
and cultural venues in the city will be engaged through the technology assets owned by
the station.”
WNIT, which provides media training for students, will conduct a studio and field-
production training program organized into a five-semester program in partnership with
Ivy Tech Community College in South Bend.
The City’s portion of the work, conducted under the auspices of the Board of Public
Works, is expected to take six months. The entire project is expected to be complete by
Oct. 1, 2009.
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