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Hidden with code "Submitted as Feature" |
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Announcement :: Media |
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Urbana City Council to consider RESOLUTION on "Democracy Now!" |
Current rating: 0 |
by Randall Cotton
Email: recotton (nospam) earthlink.net (unverified!)
Phone: 217-722-8470 |
17 Nov 2004
Modified: 03:44:32 PM |
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On Monday, November 22nd at the 7:30PM, the Urbana City Council will consider a resolution directing the City of Urbana to begin airing "Democracy Now!" on UPTV, local public-access cable channel 6, by January 3, 2005. This resolution was drafted to counter ongoing censorship of this programming by Mayor Tod Satterthwaite. A strong public turnout in support of "Democracy Now!" is needed to encourage the City Council to support this resolution. Continued resistance from the mayor is expected (see the draft resolution text in this article). |
The following is the draft text of a resolution that is on the agenda for the November 22, 2004 Urbana City Council meeting.
This resolution is the culmination of a more than 7 month effort to get the full video production of "Democracy Now!" cablecast on the Champaign/Urbana local cable system at public-access channel 6 (Urbana Public Television - UPTV).
Though this programming was requested in early May and was initially granted, mayor Tod Satterthwaite has succeeded in censoring this programming since then.
Please attend in support of this resolution – 7:30PM, Monday November 22nd at the Urbana City Council Chambers (ground floor of the Urbana City Building) 400 S. Vine St., Urbana (across the street from Lincoln Square Mall).
Also, see the links below for more information on this issue...
RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO OBTAIN AND ACTIVIATE THE NECESSARY TV SATELLITE SYSTEM TO ALLOW FOR THE BROADCAST OF REQUESTED PUBLIC ACCESS PROGRAMMING ON UPTV
WHEREAS, a request that Urbana Public Television (UPTV) begin broadcasting "Democracy Now!" was submitted to UPTV on May 6, 2004; and
WHEREAS, there are 20 (twenty) additional outstanding requests from Urbana-resident members of UPTV to broadcast "Democracy Now!" which were submitted to UPTV Coordinator Chris Foster on August 9, 2004; and
WHEREAS, on July 12th, 2004 and September 13th, 2004 a total of over 1200 local resident petitions were submitted to the UPTV Commission in support of the live cablecast of "Democracy Now!" on UPTV from 7AM to 8AM each weekday; and
WHEREAS, on September 13th, 2004 the UPTV Commission voted unanimously in favor of updating UPTV’s public access policy – changes which make possible live cablecast of "Democracy Now!" on UPTV each weekday from 7AM to 8AM; and
WHEREAS, no cost for broadcasting “Democracy Now!” will be incurred by the City of Urbana since such cost is being donated by public access member Randall Cotton; and
WHEREAS, programming time is readily available from 7AM to 8AM each weekday on UPTV and much of this time is devoted to "filler" bulletin board; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor has made clear in statements to the press (News Gazette, September 14th, 2004) as well as in recent conversations with UPTV Commission members that he wants city council discussion on this matter;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF URBANA, ILLINOIS as follows:
Section 1: The City of Urbana shall sign, submit and execute the "Free Speech TV Non-Commercial Cable/Broadcast Affiliate Agreement" required for UPTV to become a "Free Speech TV Affiliate".
Section 2: The City of Urbana shall obtain, install and activate the necessary "Dish Network" digital satellite system receiving dish and receiver equipment required for "Democracy Now!" re-transmision via Free Speech TV, to be obtained from Free Speech Television, with any payment for such equipment and one year of associated programming to be provided as a donation by Randall Cotton of 508 E. Clark St. Apt. 404, Champaign, Illinois.
Section 3: The City of Urbana shall complete all equipment purchase, installation, configuration and any other tasks necessary to begin live 7AM-8AM weekday cablecasts of "Democracy Now!" via Free Speech TV on UPTV and shall commence these cablecasts no later than January 3, 2005. |
See also:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display/21870/index.php
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/20138
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This work is in the public domain |
