Paul Grove, president and CEO of WTCI-TV Channel 45

The local public broadcast station is asking the city for funding to help launch a new channel called Voyager with 24-hour, seven-days-a-week programming.

Paul Grove, president and CEO of WTCI-TV Channel 45, addressed Chattanooga City Council members this morning and spoke about the proposed project.

The station asked for $250,000 from the city in the 2012-2013 fiscal year budget.

"We believe this is what public television is supposed to do," he said, "create a dialogue."

He said the new channel would focus only on local issues such as the Gig City project, gangs and politics.

For complete details, read tomorrow's Times Free Press.