A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning: “Public broadcasting station” means any noncommercial, educational television or radio station that (i) is licensed and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission as a noncommercial, educational broadcasting station; (ii) is operated by a public agency or a nonprofit private foundation, corporation, or association; (iii) has offices and studios located in Virginia; and (iv) on or before January 1, 1997, was qualified to receive or was the recipient of a Virginia community service grant or other instructional television service funds, or, after January 1, 1997, until July 1, 2012, was qualified by the Virginia Public Broadcasting Board to receive state funds under standards and criteria established by the Virginia Public Broadcasting Board pursuant to law, or, after July 1, 2012, was qualified by the Board of Education in accordance with this section. Public broadcasting station shall not include any institution of higher education that produces or transmits distance education and other credit and noncredit television programs, unless such institution requests qualification as a public broadcasting station and the Board of Education approves its request.
1. Receive, allocate, and dispense funds appropriated by the General Assembly and funds received by the Board from other sources, subject to the approval of the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget;
2. Develop reasonable and fair formulas for allocating and distributing state funds and other funds of the Board to Virginia’s public broadcasting stations consistent with the intent of such appropriations;
3. Apply for, accept, and receive grants of federal funds and funds from other public and private sources;
4. Adopt, administer, and apply standards and criteria by which the Board may permit television and radio stations to qualify as public broadcasting stations if those stations did not qualify for or receive Virginia community service grants or other instructional television service funds as of January 1, 1997, but otherwise qualify as such under the definition of a public broadcasting station. To avoid unnecessary duplication of public broadcasting services, the Board shall consider: (i) the adequacy of existing programming, coverage, and other public broadcasting services in the geographic area to be served and the extent to which those services would be duplicated by an additional public broadcasting station and (ii) the sufficiency of funds administered by the Board to support existing or proposed public broadcasting stations;
5. Coordinate such strategic planning by the public broadcasting stations as the Board deems appropriate and identify and communicate to the Governor and the General Assembly the funding and other requirements of Virginia’s public broadcasting stations; and
6. Enter into contracts with public broadcasting stations, state agencies and institutions, public schools, and private entities for goods and services.
C. The Director of the Department of Planning and Budget shall oversee and approve the disbursement of all funds appropriated to the Board for the purposes enumerated in this section. Upon approval, the funds of the Board shall be disbursed for the following general purposes:
1. Annual operating-grant-funding to public broadcasting stations for developing, acquiring, producing, and distributing programs and related services that support local needs of preschool and adult education; disseminating information to the citizenry regarding the government and its affairs; promoting tourism and enhancing the Commonwealth’s economic development; and supporting other programs that inform, educate, and entertain the citizenry with noncommercial programming.
2. Annual contract-funding to public broadcasting stations to regionally manage and provide programming and related services that directly support the instructional activities of local schools and home educators.
3. Matching-capital-funding to public broadcasting stations for construction and equipment modernization to keep Virginia stations consistent with industry standards.
4. Funding for specific programs and projects to be provided by a public broadcasting station that may not be included in another funding category.