Sequester would hit public broadcasting hard

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PIERRE — South Dakota Public Broadcasting Executive Director Julie Andersen said Wednesday her agency would lose $70,000 to $100,000 if federal sequestration cuts take effect.

That is approximately 8 percent of the federal community service grant that SDPB receives.

“We do not intend to lay off any staff out of that,” she told members of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Appropriations.

How has SDPB fared since the state budget cuts two years ago?

“We’re just the little engine that could,” she said. SDPB lost about 10 full-time equivalents and now is budgeted for 57 FTEs. “We’re at that point I can’t lose any more people and come up here and serve the Legislature.”

Andersen was asked to give the committee a list of how many staff hours are put toward legislative coverage.

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