The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced that it has awarded a $7 million grant to the Digital Convergence Alliance (DCA), comprising 11 public television stations that serve communities in Florida, Georgia, Texas and Illinois, to combine their operations into a single master control location. Specifically, CPB’s grant will allow the DCA to establish a network operating center (NOC), resulting in lower direct costs and a projected savings of more than $20 million over 10 years.
The members of the Digital Convergence Alliance include: WJCT (Jacksonville, FL); WFSU (Tallahassee, FL); WEDU (Tampa, FL); WUCF (Orlando, FL); WBCC (Cocoa Beach, FL); WFSG (Panama City, FL); WPBT (Miami); WPBA (Atlanta); WTTW (Chicago); WILL (Urbana, IL); and KERA (Dallas). The DCA selected Jacksonville, FL, as the location for the NOC and contracted with JCT Services to manage the operation.
“The 11 stations of the DCA have come together in order to reduce costs, but also to improve our broadcast services,” said Susan Howarth, president and CEO of WEDU in Tampa and Chair of the DCA Board of Directors. “After the initial build-out, we look forward to serving additional stations, which will further increase the efficiencies provided by the project.”
