Spring 2008

By now, you’ve no doubt seen or heard a spot about the magical date of February 17, 2009. That’s when television, as we know it, will officially change. Televisions older than about a year will not be able to receive most signals after this date unless additional equipment is purchased. The good news is that there are coupons, provided compliments of the federal government, to aid you in making this transition. But, of course, as with anything there are some pitfalls to avoid and some processes to undergo. For additional information on the February 17, 2009 digital conversion, go to DTV Answers.

All of the television stations in the region are working to do their part to educate viewers about this transition. In particular, KSMQ is hosting free workshops in cooperation with local electronics retailers designed to arm people with everything they need to know in order to make a decision that is right for them. Coming up in Mankato on April 12 at DeGrood’s Electronics and Appliances is a free workshop, followed by one in Austin on April 19 with our friends at Direct Communications and finally one is scheduled at the Home Technology Store in Rochester for May 10. Seating is limited, so interested persons should call the station soon to get their name on the list for one of these workshops or one yet to be scheduled in their particular community.

It’s been exciting to hear from early adopters from Cresco, Iowa and just south of Winona, Minnesota and other locations who are now able to pick up KSMQ’s digital signals. We encourage others of you to call us and let us know what you think of what you see. Currently, we’re feeding three streams of programming: a replication of our analog signal, an all-educational channel and the MN Channel which is a combination of legislative coverage and programs for, by and about Minnesotans.

On another note, after two years in development, KSMQ is pleased to be launching a new 52-week series called Family Connections. The initial shows will begin with a focus on early childhood and then evolve into other family-related topics. Many have told us they would like to see us put together programs dealing with teenagers and the world of opportunities that surround raising children during these years. Interested viewers can tune in Thursdays at 6:30pm or Saturdays at 10:00am to see any one of our six talented hosts moderate a discussion of relevance to parents, caregivers and others. This series and all of KSMQ’s locally-produced programs are also available online for viewing, as part of our commitment to make this information available at a time that is convenient for our viewers. I encourage you to log on and see what you are missing. We’re putting a lot of Southern Minnesotans and Northern Iowans in the spotlight.

Finally, as KSMQ grows its lineup of locally-produced program offerings, we need help. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering an hour or two a week to be a crew member on one of KSMQ’s programs, we would welcome you. You’d not only have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re doing something good for your community, but you’d learn some new and exciting skills. In addition to being able to devote the time and get to the studios, all we ask is that you bring an open and enthusiastic mindset; we’ll train you to do the rest. Call us at KSMQ to sign up for training and/or learn more about the opportunities available. Make it an outing with friends. Some of our volunteers carpool to our headquarters in Austin one night a week and enjoy the experience with friends. It really is a great team builder for co-workers and a way for retired people who want to remain active to learn something new.

This summer, KSMQ will launch two more locally-produced series so stay tuned for more details on those. We’re moving forward with our pledge to provide programming you won’t see anywhere else that puts the residents of Albert Lea, Austin, Faribault, greater Mankato, Mason City, Rochester, Owatonna, Winona and surrounding areas in the spotlight. Your continued support of this station has enabled us to do our part to serve as an electronic public square for the region around topics such as agriculture, nutrition, economic development and others as well as to use our resources to champion early literacy, serve ethnically-diverse audiences and aid formal education. There is so much potential to use this Southern Minnesota and North Iowa based public television resource to do great things for our own residents. Your continued support will help make it happen!

Warmest regards,

Sandra Session-Robertson

Read Sandra's message from Fall/Winter 2007.