GRANITE FALLS, MINN.—The Minnesota Legislature has written a check of $1.95 million to Pioneer Public Television to acquire equipment for the station’s new building in Granite Falls. The funding is part of the Capital Investment Bill signed by Governor Dayton on May 29.
Pioneer Community Relations Rep. Nicole Zempel and Postcards producer Dana Conroy outside the nearly completed Pioneer Public Television studio in Granite Falls.
According to Pioneer General Manager Les Heen, the funds will be used to acquire permanent studio lighting, relay towers and other infrastructure to assist with broadcasting from the new building. It will also help with equipping the building’s 24-7 master control center. Pioneer expects the transition process into its new building to take about a year.
PPTV will still need to raise an additional $2.5 million from private sources to complete the new studio financing package.
The appropriation bill for the facility was introduced by Rep. Chris Swedzinski, (R-Ghent) and Sen. Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls). The final capital investment bill was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support under the leadership of Sen. Dave Senjem (R-Rochester), Rep. Dean Urdahl (R-Grove City) and Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul).
