(1) The authority is authorized and empowered to lease, purchase, own, construct, operate, manage and be the licensee of educational television and radio stations, production centers, transmission sites and all related equipment and facilities for the production and/or transmission of broadcast, closed circuit, fixed services (ITFS-2500 megahertz), radio and any other means necessary to provide complete coverage of educational television and radio in the state. The authority is also authorized and empowered to lease, purchase, own and operate any type of vehicle necessary for use in transporting equipment, production crews and service personnel.

(2) The authority, and any other state agency or board licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to provide ITFS educational television, are authorized and empowered to provide access to video learning resources for all Mississippi public schools through the development of multi-channel interactive video systems (ITFS) for the public schools which shall be able to interact with other school districts in the state. In order to establish the ITFS system without expenditure of significant state funds, the authority, and any such other state agency or board licensee with the approval of the authority, are authorized and empowered to enter such contracts as may be necessary, including contracts with any private educational institution or private nonprofit educational organization in regard to the construction, purchase, lease or lease-purchase of facilities and equipment, employment of personnel, and the operation and management of said ITFS system for the purpose of providing ITFS educational television services to educational institutions and interested citizens in the state. The authority shall provide that all public schools are equipped to utilize the ITFS system by no later than July 1, 1998.