Columbia Access Television will receive less funding from the City of Columbia next year.
The station was receiving $200,000 from the city according to the station’s most recently published financial audit from 2014. The city’s 2017 fiscal budget is proposing $35,000 toward the station, a $10,000 increase from City Manager Mike Matthes’ original proposal. Columbia Finance Director Michele Nix says the money is being redistributed between the general fund and the city’s community relations. The proposed budget without amendments is about $10 million less than 2016 according to Nix.
CAT-TV Program Director Sean Brown says that the station has cut one full-time position so far this year and may be in line to cut another in the next month. Brown is optimistic about the funding they are set to receive and wants the city to coordinate with the station to provide them support in other ways.
“One of the asks that we have gone to them with is just for space,” said Brown. “We’re looking to see if they have any available space that we can move into, potentially rent-free, and that would be a contribution obviously from the city to us.”
Nix says Fourth Ward council member Ian Thomas is looking for a long-term solution for the station’s finances.
“I can’t speak to the future, but I can say that he has mentioned giving them a permanent allocation within the budget in future years,” said Nix. “Now, what that might be or if it would happen would be up to the council.”
Brown says Thomas might propose an allowance of around $50,000 to go to CAT-TV after the current budget process.
“We feel like we are a part of the city,” said Brown. “Not only just the community but actually the city and we interact with them all the time and we have a great relationship with lots of city employees and that kind of thing, so we are a valuable resource to the city.”
Columbia City Council plans to approve the 2017 fiscal budget on Monday and goes into effect October 1, 2016.