TV Board meets Thursday
The Cable Television Advisory Board will meet Thursday to continue addressing its myriad issues of membership, operations at Channel 74, programming content and community involvement, among others.
At the June meeting, members discussed airing of school board meetings, public use of video equipment, the board’s function and staffing issues. Although the city negotiated establishment of two local channels in a franchise agreement 10 years ago, only one – the municipal channel - is operating. While still waiting for the school district to have its own channel, city and school board liaisons to the TV board have successfully pushed for DVDs of monthly Board of Education meetings to be added to the schedule along with City Council meetings. Still at issue is the best time for maximum viewership by parents.
The TV board is charged with supervising operations of Channel 74, but station staffing has been spotty. For most of the year so far, only one person has been on staff. A retroactive contract to July 1, 2008 for a production consultant was only passed in May and ran out June 30. So far, no new contract has been presented for council approval. The lack of staff has also hindered possible public access to production equipment, but the TV board also needs to formulate policies and procedures for such use. Members said they would look into how other municipalities handle citizen involvement.
Plainfield Public Library Director Joseph Hugh Da Rold came up at last month’s meeting with several suggestions, including a future film festival for independent productions, loaning of Board of Education meeting DVDs in addition to airing on Channel 74 and combining an outreach for new members with an announcement about an impending change in the channel lineup of Comcast of the Plainfields.
Later this month, Channel 74 will become Channel 6 as Comcast goes digital and revises its lineup.
The TV board has several categories of members, but currently lacks a chairman because the title must be held by a resident appointee. Any resident interested in serving can apply by filling out a form downloadable from the city’s web site. Meanwhile, the public is welcome to attend the meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice Paglia
At the June meeting, members discussed airing of school board meetings, public use of video equipment, the board’s function and staffing issues. Although the city negotiated establishment of two local channels in a franchise agreement 10 years ago, only one – the municipal channel - is operating. While still waiting for the school district to have its own channel, city and school board liaisons to the TV board have successfully pushed for DVDs of monthly Board of Education meetings to be added to the schedule along with City Council meetings. Still at issue is the best time for maximum viewership by parents.
The TV board is charged with supervising operations of Channel 74, but station staffing has been spotty. For most of the year so far, only one person has been on staff. A retroactive contract to July 1, 2008 for a production consultant was only passed in May and ran out June 30. So far, no new contract has been presented for council approval. The lack of staff has also hindered possible public access to production equipment, but the TV board also needs to formulate policies and procedures for such use. Members said they would look into how other municipalities handle citizen involvement.
Plainfield Public Library Director Joseph Hugh Da Rold came up at last month’s meeting with several suggestions, including a future film festival for independent productions, loaning of Board of Education meeting DVDs in addition to airing on Channel 74 and combining an outreach for new members with an announcement about an impending change in the channel lineup of Comcast of the Plainfields.
Later this month, Channel 74 will become Channel 6 as Comcast goes digital and revises its lineup.
The TV board has several categories of members, but currently lacks a chairman because the title must be held by a resident appointee. Any resident interested in serving can apply by filling out a form downloadable from the city’s web site. Meanwhile, the public is welcome to attend the meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 3:38 AM
1 Comments:
Do not mean to be out of the main stream, but what is the feedback on the FREE over the airwaves digitial TV conversion?
My place, near Piscataway can only pick up 7, 13, 58. Yes it is a rooftop from the 60's but what are others experiences, or has everyone gone pay TV ??
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