The Maine Public Broadcasting Network in January will be shutting down its television tower in Calais, and radio transmitters in Calais and Fort Kent, as part of a major cost-cutting effort announced this morning.

The network also announced the layoffs of six of its 86 full-time employees, and temporary wage and benefit reductions for other employees. The specific positions being eliminated will be announced later. None are from the news reporting staff.

In a press release, MPBN President Jim Dowe said the changes were "in large part" due to reductions in state and federal funding. Dowe said that the cuts announced today are being made so that cuts do not have to be made in the areas of news coverage and overall programming.

In the past, MPBN officials have said that a third of the network's funding comes from government sources, while half comes from individuals, and the rest comes from corporate donors and other sources.

In the release, Dowe did not say what options people in the Fort Kent and Calais areas might have to receive MPBN programming once the towers are closed.

Once the transmission towers are closed, MPBN will have four TV stations and five radio stations. Fort Kent is at the northern border of the state with Canada, while Calais is at the eastern border.