AT THE HELM

Peter Frid, CEO and general manager of New Hampshire Public Television. Photo:  Michael McCord

In the middle of a regular fund-raising drive, as he gives a tour of the production studios at New Hampshire Public Television, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Peter Frid can hear an imaginary clock ticking in his head. Feb. 20, 2009, has been set for what many consider will be the greatest transformation in television history — the day the digital age will completely envelop the television industry.

"It's pretty exciting stuff," said Frid, who has been at Durham-based NHPTV for 11 years, about the congressionally mandated switch that will leave all stations with more broadcast capability. At NHPTV that means an ongoing, estimated $8 million to $10 million change from the confines of analog technology to a brave new digital universe while producing state favorites such as NH Outlook, New Hampshire Crossroads, Granite State Challenge, and Wildlife Journal.

The public thinks of entities like NHPTV as mostly conduits for Public Broadcasting System favorites such as Sesame Street, Nova, or Masterpiece Theatre. But local public stations, as Frid explained to Ventures, are involved deeply in their local communities. Frid oversees what amounts to a small corporation of more than 70 employees and an almost $10 million operating budget "" every penny of which must be raised from one year to the next through fund-raising efforts such as live membership drives, major donors, private and public grants, federal support and donations large and small from hundreds of state-based businesses of all sizes.

The biggest contributor to NHPTV, which is located on the campus of the University of New Hampshire, is the State of New Hampshire, which in fiscal year 2006 supplied 25 percent, or around $2.5 million. It's a fact Frid said makes working at NHPTV unique because the majority shareholders are the people of New Hampshire.

On NHPTV's stature in the state: "We truly operate in the public interest because our shareholders are the people of New Hampshire. We are the only locally owned and locally managed television station in the state. We've always been more than a television station "" we provide instructional services for 206,000 students from kindergarten through high school, including more than 55 hours a week of children's programming. We all invest time when watching TV and want to get something from it and the public has come to rely on us for our educational value."

On challenges of a rapidly changing definition of media: "It's impacting every sector. We've always been more than a television station. We are focused on the enhancing the value of our content through our television programs, through special educational and community outreach projects, such as senior living and dealing with childhood obesity or Ready to Learn reading program and a financial literacy program financed through the Citizen's Bank Foundation. We have a huge commitment to young children. Our growing data transmission capacity, or data casting, has led to Project 54, a law enforcement pilot project to convey important information to police vehicles. We think of online as much as over the air because it's about providing content that makes a difference. I've had a lot of conversations with people in the communities. I've found is there's a real sense that people want to be connected to the state."

On working with the business community: "When I talk to our corporate partners, one of the things we are able to offer them is the ability align their corporate needs (such as education and community involvement) with our capacity to tell stories and offer great programming."

On his role as CEO and general manager: "My hope is to instill guidance and vision and work with our very talented staff. I'm reminded of that day and day out as I work to secure the financial resources they need to do the fantastic stuff they do. I serve on a number of different boards in the state and I try to find out household by household, community by community how we can best serve their needs."