The Sidney herald., 1956-01-19
Over zoo Attend
.TeleNiisiion Meet
Here Tuesday
(By Mrs Guy Ross)


The proposed Community Tele,
vision project, to serve the north
east Montana = northwest Nortl
Dakota area. was explained to /.
gathering of about 100 interest
ed persons, at a meeting at thu
Lalonde Hotel ballroom Tuesday
evening by William S. Davidson
Jr., Williston banker.
Mr.. Davidson was introduced
by DR.. Gordon Beagle, who ha:
been serving as head of the
project for the Sidney are
Davidson explained that the
proposed project will serve So
communities IN an 30 mile radius
of the tower, which will be placed
at the head of the Yellowstone
valley, about IL miles west OF
Williston, and about "a air miles
from Sidney. The project is to
be financed by raising $450,000
through the subscription of men,
| berships, with this money to be
used for construction of the tow
err. and microwave relay system.
Operating expenses are assured
through an agreement with Mis-
souri, Valley T~elevision, a sub
sidiary of the Meyer Broadcast
ing Company, which operates sta
ton KFYR at Bismarck, N. D.
First step in the project is the
subscription of the $450,000 worth
of shares with this sum being
divided on a population basis,
throughout the area to be served.
The share for Richland county is
$70,5O0, of which $4,000 is to be
raised in the rural districts, $685.
600 in Sidney, and $500 in Fair
view. Chairmen for each area, to
get out and contact residents in
their communities, were suggest
ed.
Davidson emphasized that no
other setup is possible, since it
would cost about $4,000 per
month for operating expenses,
and that this would entail too
great an expense. 1--WE can do
it together, with KGCx) but
we can't do it alone, and he
added that time is important
since two other private firms are
already working to bring private
television service to Williston.
These firms, however, cannot serve
people outside Williston, and if
permitted to come into that ter
it will mean the end of
prospects for television for areas
outside Williston.
He added that other advan-
ages, which have shown in
where television is available,
are an increase in the number
if families in the area, and a
consequent increase in business,
sometimes up to as much as 1871.
rhe station would have $4,000
1ilowatts. and would transmit
rom about 800 p. m. MIST, until
100 p. m. Contributions to the
,450, 600 would be entirely vol
but it is hoped that all
Who are able to afford it will
'uy the membership certificates.
'hese will be in $50 and $100
mounts, and any n person may
NY as many as he wishes. :
Sidney is considered an ex-
client location to receive. the !
Ignal, since it is relatively near ,
lie tower and since mcirowaves ,
'avel readily up river valleys. i
Costs to the consumer, or view \
: are expected to run approx I
lately 500 for his television set, Q
us about SIS for an aerial, plus q
stallation costs. After installa- n
it will cost about 40 cents Il
.r month in town, and slightly .
SIS in rural homes having REA, f
about as much as it now costs q
operate a refrigerator or an +
ira light bulb.
The entire enterprise is strict G
non profit, with all workers u
for nothing, donating their o.
ne and expenses in organizing
e project, and in selling the o.
descriptions. The only expenses %
far have been In getting things a,
t up for licensing, etc. n
Memberships are deductible for -
come tax purposes, are non-as- d.
and provisions have been ii
ade to return at least BOZ and IA