The Digital Future

UNC-TV enters the digital age with a state-of-the-art Network Operations Center

When Molly Corbett Broad took the helm as President of the University in 1997, it became immediately clear that like her predecessors Friday and Spangler, she would be enthusiastic about the potential of UNC-TV. Indeed, President Broad is widely recognized nationally as a leading visionary in the use of technology to advance education, and quickly understood the role that public television could play in that effort.

It was shortly after President Broad’s arrival in North Carolina that UNC-TV confronted its greatest challenge. In 1997 the FCC issued a report and order requiring all television broadcasters to convert to digital technology. As a statewide network with 11 transmitters, UNC-TV faced a daunting $65 million price tag to make the mandatory change.

Because of her firm belief in the potential of digital television to serve all North Carolinians, President Broad, with the endorsement of the UNC Board of Governors and the leadership of the General Assembly, decided to include funding for UNC-TV’s digital conversion in the Higher Education Improvement Bond referendum, which was on the statewide election ballot in 2000. It was a bold proposal, with the $3.1 billion total making it the largest bond issue in the history of American higher education. The referendum passed with the support of 73 percent of the electorate.

Today, UNC-TV’s digital conversion is complete. North Carolinians now enjoy a family of digital public television services, including UNC-TV, UNC-KD, a 24-hour children’s channel, UNC-ED, a dedicated educational channel, UNC-HD, featuring all high-definition programming, and
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