Councillor Majorie C Decker, Chair Cable TV, Telecommunications and Public Utilities Committee
http://www.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk...instance_id=74

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Committee Report #3
CABLE TV, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMITTEE MEMBERS

In City Council November 17, 2003
Councillor Majorie C Decker, Chair
Councillor Anthony D Galluccio
Councillor David P Maher

The Cable TV, Telecommunications and Public Utilities Committee held a
public meeting on
Wednesday, October 22, 2003 at
twelve o'clock and forty-five minutes p. m. in the
Ackermann Room.

The purpose of the meeting was to continue discussing
coordination of resources between the Municipal Cable, CCTV and the
School Department cable.

Present at the meeting were
Councillor Marjorie C. Decker, Chair of the Committee,
Calvin Lindsay, Jr., Director, Municipal Cable,
Dhonyale Jones, Municipal Cable,
Joan Stern, Coordinator of Library Media Services, School Department,
Susan Fleishman, Executive Director, CCTV,
Ginny Berkowitz, CCTV and
Donna P. Lopez, Deputy City Clerk.

Councillor Decker opened the meeting and explained the purpose.


Councillor Decker stated that a survey is being formulated to see
what the general public expects from cable, are needs being met and
what else could be done.

She would like to strengthen cable through a collaborative effort and to
review the allocation of resources.

The survey would be sent to department heads and opinion leaders.

Suggestions for the survey were submitted to the committee by
Municipal Cable (ATTACHMENT A) and
CCTV (ATTACHMENT B).

Councillor Decker asked if open-ended questions should the format of the
survey.

Ms. Fleishman suggested starting with an educational part outlining what
each entity does.



Ms. Stern informed the committee that a decision is being made by the
Superintendent of Schools and this would make the expectation of the
School Department collaborative different.

The creation of a studio that would be shared and funding for
educational access has not yet been received are some of the issues.

Ms. Berkowitz stated that the Superintendent of Schools needed to decide
if he wants the educational access as part of the School Department.

A leadership position and an education access department
needed to also be created.

Educational access in the School Department has not grown and
this is an opportunity, stated Ms. Berkowitz.

Councillor Decker stated that she would forward a letter of support by her
to the Superintendent of Schools.



Councillor Decker stated that she wanted to get to the root of what the
public thinks is the responsibility of each cable entity.

Ms. Jones responded that whom the survey should be sent to should be
decided first.

Councillor Decker stated that at the last meeting is was decided that the
survey should be sent to the city family and the city leaders.



Ms. Berkowitz asked if all arenas needed to be addressed by each entity.

Ms. Stern asked what event would require coverage by the three entities.

Ms. Jones responded the World's Fair and the Block Party.

Ms. Fleishman informed the committee that these events are not the
responsibility of Channel 8.

Mr. Lindsay expressed his concern about false expectations due to the
survey.

The issue comes down to how are decisions made and what events get
coverage.



Councillor Decker stated that she would like to hear from the public on
what the public would like to view on cable, and find out what is
available.

Municipal Cable, CCTV and School Department cable needed to be
explained in detail.

She would like to bring in people to explain the cable possibilities.

Cambridge, she said, is supposed to be a technologically savvy city.

She is attempting to get support and interest in the issues of
what is expected and what are the possibilities.

If the educational portion generates excitement then maybe a
forum could be held.

She stated that she wanted to ensure that the resources are being used
efficiently.



Ms. Berkowitz stated that the survey is a way to educate the public about
what is available, what are the local channels and what is designated for
these channels.

She suggested that each entity list what they do.

Mr. Lindsay agreed with this suggestion.

Ms. Fleishman stated that CCTV has a brochure entitled
GUIDE TO LOCAL PROGRAMMING ON CABLE TELEVISION IN CAMBRIDGE
(ATTACHMENT C).

Ms. Berkowitz suggested that the survey should be comprised of the Guide
and a page of questions about what people wanted to view on cable
(ATTACHMENT D).

She also favored a master calendar.

Councillor Decker stated that the survey should contain a comment that
resources are limited.

A question should also be phrased in the survey to seek departmental
interest and participation and ask for a department contact.

Ms. Fleishman stated that the survey should contain questions on
issue-oriented formats.

Councillor Decker responded that she would like to be
specific on the issue-oriented matters.

What issue-oriented matters, such as environment, political or literacy,
would the public like more to view?

Councillor Decker questioned Mr. Lindsay that if a program were done on
environment would there be studio space available.

Mr. Lindsay stated that it depended upon who would cover the program and
if it were a studio-based program.

Ms. Berkowitz stated that regular weekly programming requires organization
for space, studio and content organization.

Ms. Stern stated that she wanted students to work with a professor in an
environment such as this.

There are personnel in cable who wanted to work with the
School Department.



Ms. Jones asked if all the schools have live cable.

Only one school does not have live cable, stated Ms. Stern.

The high school needed more live cable drops.



Councillor Decker asked who covers the Kennedy School of Government.

Ms. Jones stated that the Kennedy School does their own programming.



A discussion ensued about sports coverage.



Councillor Decker stated that it is a challenge for CCTV and
Municipal Cable to cover sports programming.

Possibly students could cover the sporting events.

Ms. Stern stated that students are covering sporting events now.

Ms. Berkowitz stated that there are school-based and
community-based sports.

Cambridge has a lot of sports and sports are not easily covered.

There at 95 soccer games in Cambridge each week.

She suggested a specific time slot around sports or a
game in each sport for each gender should be cablecast.

Councillor Decker asked who covers sports.

Mr. Lindsay responded no one.

Municipal Cable does cover the game at Thanksgiving and the Mayor's Cup.

Ms. Berkowitz stated that the School Department should cover school sports;
Municipal Cable should cover city sports.

Sports coverage is not the mandate of CCTV,
however one hour of sports is covered.



Councillor Decker suggested scheduling a future meeting with the Athletic
Department to have a discussion about the challenges encountered covering
sporting events.

The point is to figure out how to get sports on cable
stated Ms. Fleishman.

Ms. Berkowitz told of a program entitled "Bring Your Own Camera," but
there was no interest from the public in the program.



Councillor Decker stated that at the sports meeting the following
organizations should be invited:
* Cambridge Youth Soccer;
* Cambridge Little League;
* School Department Athletic Department;
* Pop Warner football and cheerleaders;
* Cambridge Youth Hockey; and
* Representatives of basketball.

This sports meeting would also serve to educate the sporting leagues about
the challenges faced by the cable entities to cover the events.

In conclusion Councillor Decker requested Mr. Lindsay and Ms. Stern to
review the CCTV Guide, make amendments and provide "sign offs" on the
Guide.

Ms. Fleishman suggested to Ms. Stern that information be placed on the
School Department bulletin board.

The next meeting was scheduled for
Thursday, November 6, 2003 at
twelve o'clock and thirty minutes p. m.

Councillor Decker thanked those present for their attendance.

The meeting adjourned at one o'clock and fifty minutes p. m.

For the Committee,
Councillor Marjorie C. Decker, Chair


ATTACHMENT D

* 1.What are the opportunities for collaboration between Municipal Cable
(Channel 8), CCTV and the School Department?


* 2.With the limited resources what events should be
designated as "must coverage"?


* 3.Should school based or community based sporting events be covered
and what entity should cover these sporting events?


* 4.What issue oriented formats, such as environment, politics and
literacy should be covered.

REPORT ACCEPTED. PLACED ON FILE. on November 13, 2003
http://www.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk...instance_id=74




Collaborative WebLog
http://zork.net/~dsaklad/communityaccesstelevision.html

Most communities -- mine is no exception -- has at least three "public
service" channels.

One is the Community Access station. Anyone who wants a show can be a TV
star. He/she must take a course and learn how to use the equipment
properly, and the show cannot be commercial in nature or have an 'aroma'
leading back to a commercial venture. In my town a lot of that broadcast
time goes unused.

There is also a government access channel. Events such as city council,
school committee, cable TV committee meetings, etc. are carried there, as
are a few governmental ceremonial functions.

There is also a school department channel. The high school has a studio.
There are, two problems with cable TV and high school sports --

1) There has to be a production team willing to do the work -- usually
within the school itself and students will not commit to it

2) Here in Massachusetts, those that control high school athletics are a
little antsy about live television of high school events. They harken back
to the 1950s, when the NFL wouldn't put sold out home games on TV, fearful
that attendance would eventually erode. Times have changed. Those that
run high school athletics have not.