Public Telecommunications Financing Act of 1978

(Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1774)

Public Telecommunications Financing Act - =Title I: Construction and Planning of Facilities= - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish new procedures for the planning and construction of public telecommunications facilities. Sets forth new requirements for the application to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for construction grants.

Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, upon approving an application with respect to any project for the construction of public telecommunications facilities, to make a grant of up to 75 percent of the cost of such project. Authorizes the Secretary to provide such funds as the Secretary deems necessary for the planning of such projects.

Deletes a provision of existing law limiting the total amount of grants in any one State to 8 1/2 percent of the appropriations for that year. Provides for the repayment of such grants if the recipient station ceases to be used for public radio or television purposes.

Requires the Secretary, in consultation with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, public telecommunication entities, and others, to establish criteria for making construction and planning grants.

Requires the Secretary to develop a long-range plan to: (1) extend delivery of noncommercial educational and cultural radio and television programs to as many citizens of the United States as possible; (2) increase such noncommercial programs and facilities available to and owned by minorities and women; and (3) strengthen the capability of existing public television and radio stations to provide such noncommercial educational and cultural services to the public. Stipulates that a substantial amount of such funds shall be available for the expansion and development of non-commercial radio broadcast facilities.

=Title II: Telecommunications Demonstrations= - Authorizes the appropriation of $1,000,000 annually through fiscal year 1981 to be available to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare for disbursement as grants for demonstration projects in the improvement of public telecommunications services.

=Title III: Corporation for Public Broadcasting= - Authorizes appropriations to the Public Broadcasting Fund for fiscal years 1978 through 1983.

Limits the annual rate of pay for officers and employees of the Corporation to level I of the Executive Schedule. Excepts the salaries of current officers and employees from such limitation.

Directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to study the manner in which the personal services of volunteers should be included in determining the level of non-Federal financial support received by the Corporation and report to the Comptroller General of the United States on such study.

Requires the Corporation to create and update annually a five-year plan for the development of public television and radio services.

Prohibits the use of funds for the purpose of conducting any reception, or other entertainment, for any government officer or employee.

Directs the Corporation to establish an annual budget according to which it shall make grants and contracts for production of public television or radio programs by independent production entities and public telecommunications entities, for acquisition of such programs by public telecommunications entities, for interconnection facilities and operations, for distribution of funds among noncommercial telecommunications entities, for provision of assistance to public telecommunications entities to improve management and train personnel, and for engineering and program-related research.

Requires any public broadcast station desiring to receive funds to establish a community advisory board. Stipulates that the role of such board shall be solely advisory in nature, except to the extent other responsibilities are delegated to such board by the governing body of such station.

Limits the annual rate of pay for officers and employees of the Public Broadcasting Service or National Public Radio to level I of the Executive Schedule. Excepts the salaries of current officers and employees from such limitation.

Requires the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to develop a system to be used by all public broadcast licensees receiving funds under this Act to account for all funds received and expended for public broadcasting purposes.

Requires the Corporation to adopt, in consultation with the Comptroller General and others as appropriate, uniform accounting priniciples to be used by all public telecommunications entities receiving funds from the Corporation.

Requires equal opportunity in employment to be afforded to all qualified persons by all public telecommunications entities receiving funds under this Act.

Requires the Secretary to provide for close coordination with the Commission in the administration of the Secretary's responsibilities in enforcing equal employment opportunities under the Act.

=Title IV: General Provisions= - Defines terms used in this Act and amends existing definitions to conform to the amendments made by this Act to the Communications Act of 1934.

Requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to make an annual report to Congress on the activities of the Administration with respect to: (1) domestic communications; (2) international communications; (3) Government communications; and (4) spectrum plans and policies.