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Public TV leader retires because of wife's career By BILL VARBLE Southern Oregon Public Television head Bill Campbell is leaving, KSYS Channel 8 has announced. His resignation will take effect Oct. 31. Campbell has served as president and CEO of Southern Oregon Public Television for six years. In a statement, Campbell cited his wife's career as CEO of a hospital and skilled nursing facility as his reason for leaving his job and Southern Oregon. Katharine Ann Campbell recently completed a master's degree in health administration and started a new job in American Falls, Idaho, several months ago. "It's a retirement," KSYS spokeswoman Kay Dix said Tuesday. "She's followed him for 30 years. Now it's his turn to follow her.'' "I have enjoyed my six-year association with the station and the opportunity to meet and work with some great individuals," Campbell said. "I feel good about the station's growth and development and look forward to assisting the Board of Directors as they examine the opportunities and challenges for the station's future." Southern Oregon Public Television Board Chairman Peter Sage said that during Campbell's tenure, KSYS has achieved financial stability, increased its membership and produced a number of local programs, some of which have been broadcast around the state. Such programs have ranged from the 2nd Congressional District debates in the last election to an original half-hour documentary on early aviation in Medford. KSYS's production of the 1998 Oregon gubernatorial debate featuring Gov. John Kitzhaber and government critic Bill Sizemore was broadcast on C-SPAN2. During Campbell's watch, SOPTV has replaced all its studio-based broadcast and production equipment. That effort included replacing the KSYS transmitter and antenna -- a $1 million project. The money was raised in a capital campaign. The station is co-producing a show on the Klamath River, as well as other programs expected to generate money for the station. SOPT in recent years has created a bilingual Homework Hotline. Kids can call in on school days speaking either English or Spanish and get help with their homework. The program is a cooperative effort with the Jackson Education Service District. The station received the 1996 PBS Development Award for markets with fewer than 250,000 households. During this time private revenue increased 48 percent, to $931,147 for the fiscal year ending last June, even as federal support has been slashed 13 percent, to $368,883. Campbell said he's pleased with the station's growth and looks forward to identifying and examining challenges before he leaves. "I am grateful Bill gave the board ample notice so we can have a community dialogue to define the station's future," Sage said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA