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Cable TV's public access responsibility
Sunday, June 8, 2003
A dynamic region consists of communities successful in part because
they have good access to local information sustaining their civic,
cultural and political life.
Yet, local news and information about community affairs is the orphan
of the information age. Neither commercial print and broadcast media
nor public radio and TV find it in their interest to provide broad
and continuous coverage of civic or community affairs like meetings
of local planning boards and activities of entities engaged in civic,
cultural and business pursuits.
Cable TV's Public Access Responsibility
By PAUL BRAY
It is daunting to fully cover the spectrum of public business in
the counties, cities, towns and villages of our region, along with
arts, environmental, social, business and neighborhood organizations.
Yet, our success as communities and as a region depends on the extent
to which we can access and connect with civic and political affairs.
We should be able to fully know the public business that goes on
in our community daily, not just the latest murder, drug bust, fire
or scandal.
The commercial media and public broadcasting are unlikely to ever
support such in-depth coverage. Much of it is considered parochial
and too costly to polish for the marketplace, but that doesn't diminish
its value. There is a small universe of local information on land-use
decision-making, social and environmental issues and economic development
that rarely sees the light of day. Knowledge of this information
reveals what makes our neighborhoods and communities work or not
work.
Technology is increasing the ability to produce local programs and
networks. Video on demand allows viewers to access whenever they
wish a video of a local school drama or a planning meeting.
A David and Goliath drama is starting over whether communities like
Albany, Troy and Saratoga Springs will get from conglomerate Time
Warner Cable the full benefits of resources like public, government
and educational cable channels, I-NETs or cable-connected systems
for schools and local governments, and local media access centers
where a nonprofit organization can assist in program creation and
presentation.
Time Warner in Albany has one of the most advanced electronic infrastructures
in the United States. It served as the launch site for New York's
first interactive digital network. Its public access record has
not been as good. Longtime civic activists like Margie Skinner and
Aimee Allaud made the case to a committee of the Albany Common Council
for support for studio and equipment for access TV similar to what
Schenectady and Bethlehem have.
Each municipality negotiates its own 10-year franchise renewal agreement
with its cable provider. Albany's expires in August 2004, and the
city will have the opportunity to build its public access infrastructure.
Troy and Saratoga Springs also will negotiate with Time Warner.
At stake is the basic franchise fee (5 percent of a cable company's
gross receipts from subscribers) that generally goes into coffers
of needy cities, rather than being used for public access. But it
is possible to negotiate additional funds.
Troy has taken this seriously enough to hire a national expert,
Sue Buske of Sacramento, to help it identify community cable-related
needs and interests, and analyze the cable operator's performance.
The Council of Albany Neighborhood Associations and League of Women
Voters are calling on Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings to form a commission
of public officials and private citizens to begin the planning process
for Albany.
Time Warner could become a contributing partner with civic and governmental
leaders in each community it serves to foster community identity...
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