A public broadcaster battles the recession and the evolving media world: KBDI channel 12 has embraced the digital era.

• Author: Rowland, Wick
• Position: GUEST

How does a small nonprofit public broadcaster survive--and thrive--in a down economy? One answer: with a clear sense of purpose, a compelling vision and a comprehensive strategic plan.

KBDI was founded by a group of television visionaries. They were citizens, volunteers, community activists and media organizers who imagined a different kind of public television, one dedicated to serving diverse populations throughout Colorado, providing vigorous community affairs debate and giving voice to independent, underrepresented and frequently unpopular views. They wanted to provide a real alternative, even to the otherwise important and still somewhat new PBS service of other public stations.

That spirit still infuses the KBDI hallways in Denver's Five Points Media Center. But we're working now in a much different media environment than our founders. In those days television was largely a mass medium, and the number of outlets far fewer.

With the rise of the broadband digital world and the internet, the conditions of television production and distribution have dramatically changed, and the nature of the communication process is rapidly transforming into an interactive, nonlinear, blog-driven process. Audiences are now themselves their own producers, and they don't necessarily need traditional media institutions.

How, then, does a small outfit like KBDI navigate these turbulent waters without getting sucked under? If once mighty daily newspapers with strong national corporate backing are facing extinction, how can a modestly budgeted independent local public service medium survive?

During the past eight years Colorado Public Television has gone through two strategic planning cycles. While stretching to improve its technical infrastructure and to increase services, the station has not over reached. Production and distribution systems and overall facilities have been slowly, steadily improved, all within a carefully monitored budget. In short, KBDI remains lean and light on its feet.

As we considered the new digital world, we saw that many manufacturers and broadcasters saw in digital only the higher resolution experience of high-definition television--prettier pictures.

KBDI looked at digital and asked, "How can we use the DTV opportunity to do more of what we do well?"

In addition to enhanced video we chose to provide more video streams. We strengthened local public affairs programming (doubling it) and added two new multicasting channels--The...