KNPB Channel 5 volunteers receive top honors.

John P. Sande III and Philip G. Satre were honored with the Public Television Leadership Award at the 2005 PBS Development Conference held October 6 – 8, 2005, in San Diego, CA. The award is given to those ”individuals who have shown extraordinary commitment to securing financial resources necessary to maintain public television’s preeminent position in broadcasting.”

KNPB Channel 5 Public Television, as a station, was also recognized for the Capital Campaign. The Capital Campaign co-chaired by Satre and Sande was created in 1999 to fund KNPB’s conversion to digital television. The campaign officially ended September 29, 2005 and with the extraordinary leadership of Sande and Satre brought in 1,800 donors and met the $6 million goal. “The success of this campaign was due largely to the high profile leadership, credibility, and determination of both Sande and Satre,” said Kliff Kuehl, President and CEO of KNPB Channel 5. “It is rare to find volunteers who are invested, committed and strong community leaders who have the ability to get things done, without asking for anything in return. They are true philanthropists.”

The $6 million will provide the funds necessary to purchase a new transmitter, tower and antenna, as well as replace all of the production and broadcast equipment at the station. The conversion to digital television will allow KNPB to add more local content, another
channel, high definition content, and answer the needs of their broadcast community. Sande is a senior partner with the statewide law firm of Jones Vargas. Satre, now retired, was the Chairman of Harrah’s Entertainment, a Fortune 500 company.

Read a letter from Phil Satre and John Sande III about the KNPB's digital conversion capital campaign. More...

The completion of the Capital Campaign was celebrated at a recent Silver Circle gather. View photos of the event.

"Defining 5" is Channel 5 Public Broadcasting's capital campaign to raise funds for the conversion to Digital Television. The conversion has been mandated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).