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Announcement :: Media |
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Public Access Television Possibilities for CU - Sue Buske Speaks Saturday @ 2 PM |
Current rating: 0 |
by Public Access Study Committee
(No verified email address) |
15 Sep 2005
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Learn more about the possibilities of a Public Access Television Station in CU. Sue Buske, national expert, to speak.
Saturday, September 17, 2 - 4:00 P.M.
Champaign City Council Chambers
ALSO: Take the public access survey to let us know what you want: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=190711303800 |
Sue Buske is a nationally recognized expert on cable franchise negotiations with 30 years of experience. She is a former Executive Director of the National Federation of Local Cable Programmers, now known as the Alliance for Community Media.
The Champaign-Urbana Cable TV and Telecommunications Commission's Public Access Study Committee has arranged for Buske's presentation as part of its research for the upcoming cable franchise renewal, specifically as it concerns a separate public access channel for the community and its organizations. The current franchise agreement expires February 28, 2009 and negotiations can begin as soon as February 2006.
The Champaign-Urbana Cable TV and Telecommunications Commission is an advisory body to the Champaign and Urbana City Councils. The cities are responsible for the franchise with the cable company.
It is during franchise negotiations that the cities of Champaign and Urbana will have the best opportunity to ensure that the community benefits as much as possible from local cable television programming, in an area that directly affects the citizens - the Public, Education, Government (PEG) channels.
The PEG channels provided to the community in the current franchise are the Champaign Government Television (CGTV) - Channel 5, Urbana Public Television (UPTV) - Channel 6, the University of Illinois' Cable Television Service (UI-7) - Channel 7, and the Parkland College Educational Television (PCETV) - Channel 9.
UPTV, which provides for Urbana government and public schools, as well as public access for the whole community, is operating near capacity. Consequently, there is increasing interest in establishing another channel, solely dedicated to public programming. In response to this interest the Champaign-Urbana Cable TV and Telecommunications Commission in January 2005 appointed the Public Access Study Committee to review the current situation as it compares to successful models throughout the country and to assess the interest in this community for a separate access channel with production facilities and support.
The Committee, made up of the Cable Commission's PEG Advisory Committee, the coordinators of the PEG channels, UPTV members, and other involved citizens, has met throughout the summer. In addition to a survey instrument, it has planned several events to inform the public and assess its interest. On August 29 it co-sponsored with Urbana Public Television a meeting to tell community organizations about ways they could use public access television. And Buske's talk on Saturday, September 17 will provide the community an opportunity to learn about the franchise renewal process, and its potential for serving this community's access needs.
There will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions. Light refreshments will be served in the lobby after the meeting.
The Champaign-Urbana Cable Television and Telecommunications Commission and the Public Access Study Committee are inter-governmental bodies. The City of Champaign serves as their administrative agent. |
This work is in the public domain |
