This is the transcript of the US
Telecommunications Law describing the Community Service Grant and its
Community Advisory Board requirement
This is the transcript of the US
Telecommunications Law describing the Community Service Grant and its
Community Advisory Board requirement
47 U.S.C. 396(k)... Telecommunications Code(8) (A) Funds may not be distributed pursuant to this subpart [this section] to any public broadcast station (other than any station which is owned and operated by a State, a political or special purpose subdivision of a State, or a public agency) unless such station establishes a community advisory board. Any such station shall undertake good faith efforts to assure that its advisory board meets at regular intervals; (ii) the members of its advisory board regularly attend the meetings of the advisory board; and (iii) the composition of its advisory board is representative of the diverse needs and interests of the communities served by such station.
(B) The board shall be permitted to review the programming goals established by the station, the service provided by the station, and the significant policy decisions by the station. The board may also be delegated any other responsibilities, as determined by the governing body of the station. The board shall advise the governing body of the station with respect to whether the programming and other policies of such station are meeting the specialized educational and cultural needs of the communities served by the station, and may make such recommendations as it considers appropriate to meet such needs.
(C) The role of the board shall be solely advisory in nature, except to the extent to which responsibilities are delegated to the board by the governing body of the station. In no case shall the board have any authority to exercise any control over the daily management or operation of station.
(D) In the case of any public broadcast station (other than any station which is owned operated by a State, a political or special purpose subdivision of a State, or a public agency) in existence on the effective date of this paragraph [Nov. 2, 1978], such station shall comply with the requirements of this paragraph with respect to the establishment of a community advisory board not later than 180 days after such effective date.
(E) The provision of subparagraph (A) prohibiting the distribution of funds to any public broadcast station (other than any station which is owned and operated by a State, a political or special purpose subdivision of a State, or a public agency) unless such station establishes a community advisory board shall be the exclusive remedy for the enforcement of the provision of this paragraph.
This is CPB's interpretation of the CSG/CAB law 47 USC 396(k) 8...
C. Nature of the Community Advisory Board
1. The law provides that "The role of the board shall be solely advisory in nature...," and the board shall advise the governing body of the station and therefore must be distinct from the governing body. The purpose of the advisory board is to assist public broadcasting in being more responsive to community needs by providing for effective public participation in planning and decision making. Congress believed that the establishment of community advisory boards should assist the stations in developing programs and policies that address the specialized needs of the communities that they endeavor to serve.
2. The law is not intended to preclude stations from establishing and maintaining other types of advisory bodies, nor does the law imply that stations with existing advisory boards that comply with this provision must establish new or additional advisory boards.
D. Relationship of the Community Advisory Board to the Governing Board of the Station
1. The law segregates the management and operation functions of the governing board from the advisory board's functions to assure a clear demarcation between the governing board and the advisory board.
2. The advisory board is to be an effective way for the public to participate in the planning and decision making of the station. All stations are encouraged to establish whatever mechanisms will be most effective, under local circumstances, to accomplish this Congressionally established goal.
3. For governing boards of community stations, whose sole activity is the operation of the station, it would probably be most effective for the advisory board to report directly to the governing board. The recommendations of the advisory board could then be taken into account in the formation of policy by the governing board for the operation of the station.
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