Supporters of Prairie Public Broadcasting in Fargo, ND crashed a meeting held by a developer discussing a new high rise. They fear the 18-story building would block TV and radio signals to much of the state, reports The Forum. The public broadcaster has a 125-foot monopole behind its downtown studios. Its signals are transmitted to two large antennas — one relaying the signal west and north, and the other directed towards the Fargo metro.
The Kilbourne Group’s 235-foot high rise will block all of the signals aimed west and north and partially block those aimed downtown from a 1,155-foot AGL tower in Armenia. The result would be Prairie Public goes dark in much of the state, according to The Forum. High-rise project Manager Keith Leier fielded questions about why his firm is proceeding with construction without first resolving the problem. Consultants are looking for a solution, according to the developer.
Prairie Public has considered three choices to solve the problem. It can rent antenna space on top of the high-rise or another tall building nearby, install a higher monopole in another location, or rent fiber-optic lines to connect its downtown studios directly to the antennas that aims its signal towards the rest of the state.
An estimate pegged the fiber solution would cost $500,000 while a new monopole might cost about $100,000. Still unresolved is who will pay to fix the problem. Project manager Keith Leier said: “We’re not walking away from this. We’re not saying it’s Prairie Public’s problem.” Prairie Public supporter Abby Gold said all the broadcaster’s supporters have “paid into that tower…and we shouldn’t have to pay again.”
July 20, 2018
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