HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-AOC-2026-05-05
Minutes, Access Oversight Committee (AOC) (as approved June 2, 2026)
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 5 PM
Town of Ithaca Hall, Aurora Conference Room
215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY
Present: chair Rich DePaolo, vice chair Wies van Leuken, secretary Wayles Browne, City of
Ithaca Common Council liaison Pat Sewell, member Troy Parish; by Zoom: Glenn Foster (studio
manager), Hanna Walier (Director, Government Affairs, Charter); member of the public Tony
Ingraham.
01. Call to Order by DePaolo, 5:01.
02. Agenda Additions and/or Deletions: add 7h for report on program guide, 7i about
channels available on the Spectrum app, and 7j for the resolution on disposing of
surplus equipment.
03. Public Comments: Ingraham was unable to attend the PEG awards ceremony; how
can he pick up his Lifetime Achievement award? Van Leuken: will find out.
04. Comments by AOC members: none.
05. Approval of the Minutes of the April 7, 2026 Meeting. Moved by van Leuken,
seconded by Parish. Approved 5-0 without change.
06. Access Studio Coordinator Report (attached). DePaolo: AOC's modifications to the
Manual that clarify a producer's responsibility for checked out equipment, will be
forwarded to Charter.
Foster: I do a quality check of shows before airing. One show called "Ithaca Arts and
Media" contained indecent language and had QR codes that directed viewers to
Patreon and Kickstarter for a comic book and an album, which is prohibited commercial
content (Manual Section 6.2). I worked with the producers. They removed the
commercial content and the program was moved to a "safe harbor" timeslot after 10PM,
conforming to the Manual's section 6.4.
Foster: the company from which Charter ordered the Final Cut Pro video editing
software [via on-line download] does not accept checks. Walier confirmed: Apple doesn't
accept checks, even corporate checks. She suggests that Charter makes out a check
to AOC so that AOC can buy the software. DePaolo: AOC is an intermunicipal oversight
entity. It does not have a bank account. It can only direct Charter to conduct financial
transactions on its behalf as sanctioned in the franchise agreement. I will look into a
way to pay for Final Cut Pro.
Foster, to van Leuken: no new producers this month, but a new person came to use the
dubbing station.
07. Member Reports
a. Municipal approvals of 2027 Budget - Report. DePaolo: approved by the Town of
Ithaca on April 27. Van Leuken: the Village of Cayuga Heights has it on its May 20
agenda. Sewell: it's on the City of Ithaca's consent agenda for May 6 meeting.
b. PEGASYS Policies and Procedures Manual - Resolution. Charter moved to a new
file uploading system using Dropbox. Section 8.05 was amended to replace the old
uploading directions with the new ones. Also, Charter has asked to better describe
producer's responsibility for checked out equipment when it was picked up or dropped
off by others on their behalf. Walier: thank you, it takes Charter's concerns into account.
DePaolo moved and Browne seconded a resolution to approve these amendments of
the PEGASYS Policies & Procedures Manual of January 6, 2026.
WHEREAS, the current Policies and Procedures Manual (“the Manual") for the
PEGASYS Community Media Center (“PEGASYS”) was approved by the Access
Oversight Committee (“AOC”) on January 6, 2026 with Resolution #103; and
WHEREAS, PEGASYS adopted a new file uploading system; and
WHEREAS, Charter Communications ("Charter") requested a revision of the rules for
producer's responsibility for checked out equipment; and
WHEREAS, in response, the AOC wishes to amend Section 8 of the Manual; and now
therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the following changes shall be made to the Manual:
1. Section 8.02, "PEGASYS Producer Responsibility Agreement", paragraph 1 will now
read: "I understand and agree that using PEGASYS Community Media Center’s
(“PEGASYS”) equipment requires that I accept responsibility for any loss or damage,
whether intentional or accidental, to that equipment until it is returned to PEGASYS,
except in the case of ordinary wear and tear or damage resulting from a verifiable pre-
existing defect."; and
2. Section 8.08, "Field Equipment Reservation Form" will have the drop off and return
paragraph amended to read
Equipment will be picked up on: (Date)_______________(Time) ______________
Equipment will be returned on: (Date)________________(Time) ______________
3. Section 8.05, "PEG File Uploading Instructions", will now list the new PEG File
Uploading Instructions using Dropbox, as attached to this resolution; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the AOC approves the above listed amendments to the current
PEGASYS Policies and Procedures Manual, to take effect immediately.
Attachment: Section 8.05, "PEG File Uploading Instructions"
PEG FILE UPLOADING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Check your Inbox for an email from Dropbox, with a subject line asking you to
“Please upload files for (Your Show Name)
2. In the email, click the “Upload Files” button
• This will open your web browser and bring you to the file Request Window
Note: If you are logged into a Dropbox account, please log out before uploading
your file. Logging out will ensure your Dropbox storage space will not be
affected.
3. In the file request window, a file can be submitted two ways
• Click and drag the file to the window that says “drag stuff here”
• Click the “Add files” button and select the file from your file directory
Note: Please name your show file with the show name and the first date it will air on
the Public Access Channel. For example: SportsTalk031226
4. Once file is added to the Dropbox window, enter your first and last name, as well as
your email address and click upload
• Your name and email address are required before you can upload your file
• Multiple files can be uploaded at a time
5. Once upload(s) are complete, the window will then display a message that says
“Finished uploading”
6. Please save the email from Dropbox containing your link and/or bookmark your
link in your preferred web browser. Dropbox login credentials are NOT required to
upload show files. If you have lost your link, email PEGFTPDelivery@charter.com
for assistance
7. Lead Time
Uploading deadlines are listed at Section 5.2, "Program Submission Rules".
8. Notification
Once your upload is complete, please send an Email to PEG.NYIthaca@charter.com to
let Staff know of your uploads. You will receive a reply back with a confirmation.
9. Formats
The formats of uploaded shows must be compatible with PEGASYS' playback system.
Please follow these guidelines to ensure that they will play properly on the air. Check
with Staff before uploading formats not listed here.
Recommended Formats
MPEG-4 (.mp4)
Video codec: H.264 HIGH profile, up to level 4.0
1920 x 1080 (29.97 fps, interlaced)
1280 x 720 (59.94 fps, progressive)
720 x 480 (29.97 fps, interlaced)
Constant and variable video bitrate encoding up to 6Mb/s
Chroma Sampling: 4:2:0
Audio Format: AAC-LC
128 kb/s, 192 kb/s
44.1 kHz; 48 kHz
Other Formats
MPEG-2
Video codec: MPEG-2 program stream, MAIN profile, MAIN or HIGH level
1920 x 1080 (29.97 fps, interlaced)
1280 x 720 (59.94 fps, progressive)
720 x 480 (29.97fps, interlaced)
Constant and variable video bitrate encoding up to 6Mb/s
Chroma Sampling: 4:2:0
Audio Format: Layer-2
128 kb/s, 192 kb/s
44.1 kHz; 48 kHz
Approved, 5-0. Van Leuken will send this text to Charter.
c. Tompkins County's Cablecasting Problems - Report. DePaolo: Robert Henry is no
longer working for the County. I will reach out to the new person (Chris, Media
Production Specialist).
d. Common Council meetings on Government Channel 15 - Report. DePaolo:
meetings used to be cablecast on Channel 15; they could be again. Part of the
audience would appreciate watching them on TV rather than on YouTube which
presently carries them. A hurdle is figuring out how to use the YouTube feed for Channel
15. Sewell: I will ask Alan Karasin [Director, Department of Information & Community
Engagement / City Clerk]. DePaolo: let Karasin know that former PEG studio manager
Alex Wiers is willing to help.
e. Publicity of PEGASYS - Discussion. DePaolo, re brochure about PEG: Good
content, but we could shift the focus to the high quality of production equipment ("better
than your phone") and the possibility of using the output to feed other platforms. He will
print a set of copies.
Van Leuken: we need to do publicity on many levels: the brochure; newspaper articles
(DePaolo has contacts), improved use of the bulletin board. We should have a
brainstorming session on this. DePaolo will follow up.
Van Leuken: we should all check out the programs on the PEG channels on a regular
basis. We could change "6 plays for each show" to "8 plays" so as to get a higher ratio
of content to bulletin board on channel 13. Also we could encourage organizations to
use the bulletin board for announcements, and organizations might want to create
programs too. I will send you directions for using the bulletin board. Please share them
with the organizations you have a connection with and follow-up. In my experience, it
takes time for organizations to change how they conduct their publicity.
f. Outreach Committee - Report. See 7e.
g. Contact Information for other PEG Studios in New York State. Van Leuken: Amy
Goodman today interviewed the executive directors of Bronxnet and of Sacramento
Media [California] who discussed the declining fees for public access. DePaolo: they are
most likely organized as non-profits. Van Leuken: yes, we learned recently from Charter
that PEGASYS will soon be the only public access studio supervised by Charter in New
York State.
DePaolo: if the 15-cent fee could take account of inflation, it would be higher now. Van
Leuken: the collection of those fees was $22,768.04 in 2003 and $5,446.50 in 2025.
h. Channel guide to list PEG programs: DePaolo got a quote from GraceNote for this,
$339 a month, so unaffordable for us.
i. PEG channels are now available on the Spectrum app, but DePaolo points out that
they are only available when using one's home internet. They are grayed out when one
is away from home. He asks Charter how it determines which channels are made
available and which are not. Walier: can ask, but thinks it is not possible to change this.
It is just how the network is set up. DePaolo: I think it is a policy decision. We are the
provider and we want to be seen.
j. Disposition of surplus equipment.
Van Leuken contacted producers with the list of surplus equipment provided last month.
She has not heard back from anyone who wanted the equipment. Van Leuken moves,
and Browne seconds a resolution to dispose of the surplus PEGASYS equipment.
WHEREAS Charter Communications ("Charter") has identified equipment that is no longer
needed for the PEGASYS Community Media Center (“PEGASYS”) in its report dated April 7,
2026; and
WHEREAS, Section 15.3 - 2 of the Franchise Agreement states that the Access Oversight
Committee (AOC) shall approve the use of Public, Educational and Governmental (“PEG”)
access equipment; and
WHEREAS, the AOC reviewed the list of surplus equipment and made recommendations, which
are part of this resolution; and
WHEREAS, producers were solicited for potential interest and none came forward, now
therefore be it
RESOLVED that the Access Oversight Committee (AOC) approves the disposition of the
surplus equipment to be carried out pursuant to the attached list.
brand model quantity description condition recommendation
Altman F65Q 6 studio light not working recycle
N/A N/A 1 monopod poor donate to Reuse
Sony VCT-R630RM 1 tripod poor donate to Reuse
Bescor LED95D 2 light not working recycle
Passed 5-0. The AOC recommends that equipment under "donate" should be given to the
ReUse Center.
08. Old Business
a. Streaming Channel 13. Parish can pursue info on the technical side of this.
09. New Business: none.
10. Next meeting: June 2, 5 PM.
11. Adjournment 6:05.
Authority: City of Ithaca code Chapter 18, "Cable Access Oversight Committee". Adopted by the
Common Council of the City of Ithaca 11-5-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-17. Available at
https://ecode360.com/8386207. Page on the City website: https://www.cityofithacany.gov/369/Cable-
Access-Oversight-Committee [new web domain for the City].
Contact information for AOC members:
City of Ithaca: Wayles Browne, secretary <ewb2@cornell.edu>.
City of Ithaca: Common Council liaison 2026- Pat Sewell <psewell@cityofithaca.org>.
City of Ithaca: Troy J. Parish <parishtroy7@gmail.com>.
Town of Ithaca: Rich DePaolo, chair <RDePaolo@town.ithaca.ny.us>, <rd@richdepaolo.com>.
Village of Cayuga Heights: Wies van Leuken, vice chair <pmv4@cornell.edu>.
Web site for the PEGASYS Community Media Center studio, with program schedules:
https://pegasys.webstarts.com/index.html or https://pegasys.yourwebsitespace.com/
studio location: 612 West Green Street, Ithaca, New York
mailing address: 519 West State Street, Ithaca, NY 14850