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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Office of the Mayor <br /> <br />NEWS RELEASE <br />November 20, 2008 <br />4:15 p.m. <br /> <br />City, WNIT-TV to sign pact for public media center <br /> <br />Contact: <br />Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564 <br /> <br />or Jennifer Laurent, Economic Development Specialist, 235-9371 <br /> <br />WNIT Television, the Public Broadcasting System station serving a 22-county area, is <br />relocating from Elkhart to downtown South Bend, and the City of South Bend will <br />support the creation of a $6.5-million state-of-the-art center for public media. <br /> <br />A development agreement between Michiana Public Broadcasting Corp., which <br />operates WNIT Television, and the South Bend Redevelopment Commission received <br />unanimous approval during the Commission’s meeting Friday. <br /> <br />“The new WNIT Center for Public Media will create new excitement with its public <br />atrium and video-screen façade at a landmark downtown intersection. We’re delighted to <br />have our public television station in the heart of downtown South Bend. There will be <br />many opportunities for community uses at this site,” said Mayor Stephen J. Luecke. <br />“With its connection to the Metronet, WNIT will become a key component in our <br />telecommunications infrastructure. We’re already in conversation about partnerships that <br />will take advantage of emerging media technology to benefit the public in new ways.” <br /> <br />In the agreement, the Redevelopment Commission will support $1 million of work to <br />create a new façade, including exterior Jumbotron monitors, and lobby/public gathering <br />area for the station as WNIT invests nearly $3.7-million toward the renovation of the <br />former WSBT studios at Jefferson and Lafayette boulevards into a full-service media <br />broadcasting center. <br /> <br />“As we relocate to our new facility, WNIT renews its commitment to the entire Michiana <br />area,” said Mary Pruess, WNIT’s President and General Manager. “The new building <br />will allow us to make innovative use of technology to bring a new level of service to all <br />the communities of Michiana. From WNIT’s new home, we will be able to access <br />northern Indiana’s Metronet and other networks to link all eight public television stations <br /> <br />