Alaska News

'Alaska Weather,' 'Hangar Flying' are Alaska public TV standouts

In March, a state Senate committee led by Sen. Mike Dunleavy, R-Wasilla, submitted a proposal that all state funding for public television be cut. The House had already passed a budget that cut state funding by about $1 million; the new proposal removed the remaining $3 million as well.

In a short interview, Dunleavy stated that the cuts were "not about whether a program is a good program or not."

The funding was later restored, but not before response from those opposed to the cuts focused immediately on one very recognizable and award-winning program that often comes up when the issue of cutting public broadcasting surfaces in budget talks.

"Parents who depend on PBS children's programming will left in the dark," said Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, in the hearing when the cuts were announced. "No more Big Bird," he said, referring to a character from the iconic children's program "Sesame Street."

Often overlooked, however, are more homegrown programs that face cuts when public broadcasting funding is put on the chopping block.

"Alaska Weather," broadcast nightly seven days a week by Anchorage station KAKM, provides an overview and analysis of aviation and maritime weather by a National Weather Service meteorologist. It is also annually selected by the statewide Alaska Rural Communications Service for satellite broadcasting to the Bush.

The program dates back to the earliest days of KAKM in the mid-1970s, and is among the most widely available roundups of the state's weather.

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KAKM is also home to a unique aviation program on Monday and Friday nights: "Hangar Flying." Originally created decades ago by the Alaskan Aviation Safety Foundation's Tom Wardleigh, "Hangar Flying" is now hosted by current AASF chairman Harry Kieling. Recorded with only a single production assistant in the KAKM studios, the interview program is open to aviation professionals and aficionados at all levels of knowledge and experience.

Past guests have included regional and national administrators for the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Air Force generals and squadron commanders, owners, chief pilots and key executives for dozens of airlines and air taxi services, managers of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International, Merrill Field, Valdez, and Lake Hood airports, meteorologists, mechanics, private pilots with the Iditarod Air Force and Civil Air Patrol, polar explorers, unmanned aircraft specialists and many more.

"There are about 8,000 pilots in Alaska, along with dispatchers and mechanics; every one of them has a story," said Kieling. "My job is to find and talk to them so those stories can be heard."

In his eight years of interviewing everyone from student pilots to National Transportation Safety Board Member Dr. Earl Weener, Kieling has diligently worked to bring as many different perspectives to viewers as possible. While he understands some of the higher-profile guests might gain more attention, his goal is to reach aviation's more underserved demographics.

"Getting people excited about the job and different careers in aviation is something we can do with these interviews," he said.

There are no Nielsen ratings for programs picked up by ARCS, but based on feedback from viewers, KAKM CEO and General Manager Steve Lindbeck is confident that "Alaska Weather" is one of the state's higher-rated programs. Having seen reaction to it while in the Bush himself, he also understands how important it is beyond Alaska's urban centers.

"We understand the state of Alaska has serious budget issues," acknowledged Lindbeck, "and public broadcasting realizes it has a part to play in that."

But cuts that go too deep could impact programs that provide valuable services for some of the state's overlooked constituencies.

"A lot of people depend on these services statewide for safety information, particularly in the aviation community, and the negative impact of these cuts should be considered," Lindbeck said.

In the still-ongoing budget discussions within the Legislature, Alaska Public Media is now facing "potential final cuts to be 23.5 percent (or $1,150,00.00) of the state portion of our revenues," Lindbeck stated recently. "But we won't know until they act."

With their understated nature and basic production, "Alaska Weather" and "Hangar Flying" are easily overlooked by those outside the communities they serve. And while it's tricky to measure, their contributions to Alaska life are not easy to dismiss.

With Alaska's unique aviation culture comes some unique demands for information. Five nights a week, the entire state's weather is presented with a meteorologist guide specifically addressing the knowledge needs of pilots and boaters. The Internet can not replace that level of expertise, nor can it provide the lively discussions "Hangar Flying" has been presenting for decades.

"I want people across Alaska to know the diverse job possibilities the industry has to offer," says Kieling. He will continue to seek out guests for the program, as long as "Hangar Flying" and "Alaska Weather" can remain on the air.

Correction: This article originally stated that "Alaska Weather" is aired Monday through Friday. It airs seven days a week.

The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. Contact Colleen Mondor at colleen@alaskadispatch.com.

Colleen Mondor

Colleen Mondor is the author of "The Map of My Dead Pilots: The Dangerous Game of Flying in Alaska." Find her at chasingray.com or on Twitter @chasingray.

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