WTCI, Channel 45, is seeking to raise $1.3 million to buy a building for a new site for the public television station.

Victor Hogstrom, general manager, said in a newspaper advertisement the station needs to purchase "a larger and more visible building to replace the current 37-year-old small and worn one."

He said a better and more visible location has been secured. He said the building is priced at $2 million, but the owners are willing to let the station have it for $1.3 million.

The building sought is the former Jumbo Sports Building at Highway 153 and Airport Road.

Mr. Hogstrom said he believes a building with more visibility would bring greater public support.

He said the current building "is hidden behind Chattanooga State." He said it would take $1 million to $2 million to renovate it."

WTCI officials earlier accused Chattanooga State President Dr. Jim Catanzaro of seeking to take over the station. Dr. Cantanzaro denied the charge, but said it made sense for the two to combine.

Mr. Hogstrom put out a plea to the public for funds to buy the building, saying that "time is of the essence."

He said, "Relocation of WTCI will provide easy access to the many volunteers, members and the general public. It will lend to more creative and award-winning local productions by the staff. Importantly, the conversion to digital broadcasting will require more space to accommodate both the digital and the analog equipment, since WTCI will have to simulataneously broadcast both Chattanooga 45-TV and Chattanooga 29-DT, for three to five years."

The station has been seeking to raise at least $1.6 million to meet a May 1, 2003, federal deadline to begin broadcasting its programming with a digital signal.

Mr. Hogstrom said in the public funds appeal, "Don't let this opportunity pass us by. Please help us take our community's television station to the next level."

Mr. Hogstrom said the station is raising money for operations, for the digital conversion and for the new building. He said the digital conversion is about $4 million and the building plus renovation is about $2 million. The digital conversion is to be done over a 5-year period. The station put a new tower on Signal Mountain and next plans to install a new transmitter in the tower.

The contact number given was 629-0045.

Gifts may be sent to Building Project, WTCI-TV 45, 4411 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, Tn., 37406.