WNEO

The Board of Directors of Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc. (NETO) chartered Transformations Consulting to convene a group of leading experts from The University of Akron, Kent State University, Youngstown State University (universities) and WNEO-TV (PBS 45 & 49) to develop a business plan to identify and address a significant regional community problem or problems. Working together for over a year, these experts identified two areas of opportunity where a critical community need can jointly be addressed by the universities and PBS 45 & 49. First, literacy is a serious problem in the region as 42% of the region's fourth graders failed to pass the state required proficiency test in the spring of 2000. Second, the cities of Akron, Kent and Youngstown have limited availability of public broadcasting type programming specifically targeted to the needs of the region and its local communities.

The business plan created by Transformations addresses both of those needs in new and creative ways. When fully implemented in 2006, the current station budget of $5,675,000 will grow three fold to over $16,000,000 annually. The number of employees will grow from 42 to over 120. The existing facility will be more then doubled in size and house a state of the art digital production studio. Meaningful local programming will be produced and delivered throughout the Northeast Ohio region that will significantly impact the quality of education as well as provide coverage of important local events and issues.

While it will take a period of several years to reach full potential, the business plan developed by Transformations will require thoughtful and careful implementation each year. The existing staff will be required to handle significant incremental work until funding can be obtained to hire the additional staff needed for all of the new work activities. Using the literacy project as the catalyst for change, PBS 45 & 49 will be able to leverage all of its existing resources. Over time and as funding is obtained, additional resources will be acquired to support the new work activities.

SThe NETO Board of Directors has already approved $400,000 to develop a pilot television program to demonstrate the capabilities of this collaboration. When completed, the pilot program will be used to secure funding from national foundations as well as targeted state and federal programs supporting literacy education. A project manager will be hired to work with PBS 45 & 49 to create the pilot. In addition, the project manager will have the challenging task of developing funding proposals that will allow the business plan to be fully implemented.

The plan leverages the financial support obtained to fund the educational initiative to enhance and extend local programming coverage in the region. In order to develop an ongoing television series for literacy, a new studio will need to be built and significant new equipment acquired. As these resources are obtained, they can also be used in the development of local programming. In the same way, as staff is hired to support the literacy project they will be available as resources to help make increased local programming a reality. Each part of the Transformations business plan leverages the work activities in the next part of the plan. Implementing the business plan in this manner is a difficult process to manage, but is the only feasible way to accomplish all of the goals in the plan.

When this business plan is approved it will accomplish the following major goals and objectives:

• PBS 45 & 49 will produce a much-needed comprehensive program to improve the non-fiction reading skills of children who live in Northeast Ohio. Collaborative in nature, this program would combine resources and expertise from each university and PBS 45 & 49.
• PBS 45 & 49 will produce news analysis and informational programs of general interest to the citizens of the region. Also collaborative in nature, these programs will utilize the vast resources and expertise from each university and PBS 45 & 49 to address local issues in a timely manner.
• PBS 45 & 49 will develop educational entertainment programs to be aired on PBS 45 & 49. These programs would provide caregivers in the region with skills to help children read non-fiction material more effectively. (Caregivers is the term used in this report to describe all of those people who have some or all of the responsibility for the health and well-being of children from birth to fourth grade and who may have a direct impact on their development by teaching the child key reading skills.)
• In tandem with both the educational entertainment programs and the locally produced programs, a web presence will be developed where anyone from the region can locate and use the supporting materials created in the development any of the programs seen on PBS 45 & 49.
• Materials specifically designed for teachers and administrators at an advanced level will be created to teach and support reading programs using "best practice" methods. Supplemental materials, including the web, CD-ROM, videotapes, etc., will be developed in support of the comprehensive program for use by caregivers who may be tutoring children.
• Community outreach is a critical component of the program. The materials produced for both the literacy program as well as the locally produced programs will be made readily available in the community. Copies of supporting materials, as well as the programs themselves, will be distributed to key community resources such as libraries, Head Start centers, churches, community resources, Scouts, YMCA and YWCA and similar groups.
• Students and faculty from all three universities will be offered the opportunity to participate in the development of both the educational and locally produced programs. In addition, learning opportunities will be available to selected students in the production of the programs as well as in the community outreach efforts.
• Literacy program results would be evaluated using standard academic research methodology to determine the overall effectiveness. Primary research would focus on the ability of PBS 45 & 49 to reach all of the caregivers who may play a role in teaching children reading skills. Each project component (web material, CD-ROM, educational outreach, etc.) would be measured to judge its contribution to reading proficiency improvements in the region. When completed, this program would have carefully researched and documented the unique ability of public television to solve critical social and educational concerns in Northeast Ohio.