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Home My WebLink AboutMN-CABLE-2008-08-12Cable Access Oversight Committee minutes as approved Sept. 23, 2008 The Cable Access Oversight Committee (AOC) met at the PEG Studio on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008, at 4:30 pm. Present: AOC members Will Burbank (chair), Wayles Browne, Jennifer Dotson, Trish O'Rourke, Wies van Leuken; studio manager Lauren Stefanelli. 0. Notes by W. Browne as AOC secretary. 1. The minutes of the June 24, 2008 meeting were approved with some changes. 2. No comments from the public. 3. Member reports. a) Procurement question. City of Ithaca Common Council member Eric Rosario had expressed concern because AOC had not confirmed to him that procurement of capital items for the PEG studio was done by asking for multiple bids. Studio manager L. Stefanelli spoke to this question: I can't ask for parallel quotes; I look at vendors' catalogs and propose items to be bought, and then Time Warner Cable's Syracuse office buys the items by getting two or more quotes from vendors, often at a lower price because prices for equipment steadily go down. We also save on shipping because TWC manager Doheny or others can bring equipment with them from Syracuse to Ithaca. I in fact responded to E. Rosario, but perhaps he found this answer insufficient. Wies van Leuken: can we have a copy of the TWC procurement policy on paper, perhaps a 1 -page document, in case the question comes up again? Stefanelli will ask for this. b) Schedule of AOC actions. Van Leuken will e -mail the month -by -month schedule for attachment to this meeting's minutes. We need to follow it more accurately in 2009. c) On public comment period. Van Leuken: do producers know about the opportunity for public comment at AOC meetings? Stefanelli: I can inform some producers by e -mail (they don't all use it), also post a notice on the PEGASYS web site and on the bulletin board in the studio. d) Fact Sheet. Van Leuken has drafted a list of definitions and acronyms and explanations of streams of funding for PEG access, and will send it to members for comments. 4. Studio manager's (Access Coordinator's) report: submitted in writing, see below. Discussion: Sept. 1 -9 she will be on vacation, and the studio will be closed for equipment upgrading. The upgrade affects channel 13. The government channel (15) and Ithaca College programming on channel 16 will still be able to run Sept. 1 -9. We can have a text message on channel 13 in this interval to explain why there is no programming on it. Dotson: can we place an announcement on PEG channels a week in advance, saying channel 13 will be down? Stefanelli: yes. The mention "Studio B" refers to the proposed small studio for one - person shows; about half the time of the existing large studio is used for one - person shows, and so having such a small studio available would free up a lot of time slots in the large studio. A second vacation will be Nov. 26 to Dec. 11. To the question why programs intended for broadcast during this period would have to be submitted at least three weeks in advance, Stefanelli said: It takes % hour to turn a %2 -hour show into .mpeg format for later playback on NEXUS. If many producers were to submit shows immediately before the beginning of the period, it would be physically impossible to prepare them for broadcast. I will be willing to work with producers re this deadline. I can easily have NEXUS replay shows from the previous week's schedule during the time I am away, and for some producers this is satisfactory. AOC expressed concern about the fact that NEXUS doesn't come back on after power outages. Stefanelli: TWC's engineer will try to get a better surge protector to avoid outages in NEXUS functioning. NEXUS is the only part of the playback system that is vulnerable to power outages, i.e. won't come back automatically after an outage but needs manual restarting. There should be someone whose job it is to restart NEXUS. I'm working on this with the engineer and hope to give AOC a written policy before November. Van Leuken understood that 2 pieces of new equipment from the 2007 budget arrived in nonfunctional condition, and TWC Syracuse didn't replace them immediately. Stefanelli: One is being replaced in September. The other was a wrong connector on a cable, and its replacement is in process. Van Leuken: PEG needs visibility in the community. We should work on how to achieve this. Dotson: have a subcommittee including some producers to work on visibility? Stefanelli: I have suggested to some producers that they find a way to publicize broadcast schedules, for instance, someone could go to the monthly meeting between the Ithaca Journal and its readers, and say we want the PEG schedule printed! But no one went. Stefanelli: last month there was a meeting with the City of Ithaca: herself, City Information Tech. manager Duane Twardokus, and two interns. The City has a fiber - optic network from building to building. It would like to be able to originate TV programming from any point and connect to the Government channel live. They tried to demonstrate this. It should be workable and connectible to channel 13 too. Cornell does this with a portable device called a V- brick. Cornell attaches one V -brick to its fiber net, and another V -brick is at the PEG studio, which permits broadcasting live from the Cornell event. Twardokus is interested in "PEG 2.0 ", meaning using different modes of distribution to suit different audiences' preferences: TV, Internet, mobile phones. In fact the present City Hall studio can be used for multiple platforms. Stefanelli suggests talking to Ithaca College, which is doing simultaneous webcasting of all their various broadcast series; information and previous episodes are available on computer or handheld devices. She also suggests that the City place DVDs of all its meetings in the County Library across the street from City Hall. Many present public- access devotees see the Internet as a threat to PEG services, but really it's an extra platform to use. 5. Items for the next meeting's agenda: quarterly statement of franchise fees, maintenance report. Dotson will get reports from the city comptroller. 6. Next meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4:30 in the PEG Studio. 7. Adjourned 6:05. Access Coordinator Report to AOC August 2008 • Facility: A PEGASYS picnic is scheduled for August 16. PEGASYS will be closed for playback reconfiguration and upgrade Sept 1 -9. Our engineer also plans to run cabling from our old linear edit room to playback, so that we can try out the idea of using the room for a studio B. • Notable Educational Access Productions Cornell is doing a monthly series entitled "East Hill Notes." They are now running on channel 16, and cross - promoted in articles in the Ithaca Journal and Cornell Chronicle. • Notable Public Access Productions The July Grassroots Festival saw all 6 of our field cameras being used by 3 different groups of producers. A new producer has completed a PSA for the History Center, which will start running on 13 this month to promote their new exhibit. • Repair One camcorder is out with a damaged pinch roller. Problems in our control room turned out to be fans for our special effects generator and Inscriber computer, both of which [the fans] have been replaced. • Outreach Tours were done this month for 2 groups of special needs kids. Between them, they completed 4 short programs. I will meet with reps from Light in Winter this month to discuss ways in which PEGASYS can help promote and cover events at this winter festival. • Capital An outstanding item from the 2007 capital budget, a Knox switcher which will tie our VCRs into the NEXUS, was refitted with different cables and received. It will be installed during our break at the start of September. (Pegasys) Access Oversight Committee (AOC) * • Mandated by Franchise Agreement of January 2003, between City of Ithaca and Time Warner Entertainment- Advance /Newhouse Partnership (TWC) • Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca 11 -5 -03 by Ord. No. 2003 -17 SCHEDULE (8/08) GENERAL - Mail approved minutes of each meeting to City of Ithaca's Mayor, Common Council and Clerk, Town of Ithaca's Clerk and Village of Cayuga Heights' Mayor and Clerk at: <council @cityofithaca.org> Julie Holcomb <julieh @cityofithaca.org> Sarah Myers < sarahm cityofithaca.org> " Cindie Day" <cday @cityofithaca.org> "Ithaca Town Clerk Karen Billings" <KBillings @town.ithaca.ny.us> "Cayuga Heights Clerk" <nmanning @cayuga - heights.ny.us> "Cayuga Heights Deputy Clerk Mary Jane Neff" <mjneff @cayuga - heights.ny.us> "Cayuga Heights Mayor Jim Gilmore" <jgilmore @cayuga - heights.ny.us> - Post agenda on City's bulletin board by Emailing with 48 hours notice to: julieh(&- cityofithaca.org sarahm a�cityofithaca.org cdayCaD-cityofithaca.org (respectively Julie Holcomb, Sarah Myers, and Cindie Day). JANUARY AOC - Elections City's Ordinance 2003 -17, Par 18 -3 -B At First Meeting of the Year, elect Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary - Meeting time Par 18 -3 -B At First Meeting of the Year adopt a meeting time. BUDGET Franchise Agreement Sections 15.3 -2 & 15.12 - Budget Line Item "Schools" Draft notification to area schools re: (1) Request for Proposals and (2) Review of their use of equipment and program production REPORTS - TWC Quarterly Report Usage Fees Section 15.6 -4; Par 18 -4 -D; AOC Resolution 6/13/06 Report with account ledger showing receipts & uses of Usages Fees through December of previous year FEBRUARY BUDGET Sections 15.3 -2 & 15.12 - Schools Distribute Draft prepared in January to Schools and do PR w /TC Media REPORTS - Quarterly Franchise Fee Report from City, Town and Village Sections 15.7 & 15.8 Report on gross revenues collected during Fourth Quarter of previous year to calculate .5% franchise fee earmarked for staff salaries - Quarterly Subscriber Fee Report from TWC Sections 15.3 -2 Receive Fourth Quarter Report from previous year that shows monthly receipts of $.15 Subscriber "PEG" Fee to calculate actual revenues for Capital Expenditures ( "$ 0.15 /subscriber /mo revenues ") - TWC's Maintenance and Repair Report Section 15.3 -3 MARCH BUDGET Sections 15.3 -2 & 15.12 - Budget Line Item "Schools" Review and award funding to schools; Forward decision to TWC staff to be included in TWC's Budget Recommendations for next year to be made at April Meeting REPORTS - Capital Purchase Report from TWC Sections 15.12; Par 18 -4 -E TWC's Annual Report on the Previous Year's provision of equipment, facilities and the funds provided by participating municipalities. (See also "Capital Purchase Report" per Section 15.8 ) - AOC's Capital Purchase Report to City from TWC Par 18 -4 -E AOC to provide City with report based on TWC's "Capital Purchase Report" /i BUDGET Sections 15.3 -2 & 15.12 - TWC's recommendations for next year's Budget Section 15.12 REPORTS - TWC Quarterly Report Usage Fees Section 15.6 -4; Par 18 -4 -D; AOC Resolution 6/13/06 Report with account ledger showing receipts & uses of Usage Fees through March of current year MAY BUDGET Sections 15.3 -2 & 15.12; Par 18 -4 -F & 18 -4 -G - AOC drafts next year's Budget - AOC forwards budget recommendations for equipment and facilities for next year, by May 31, to Common Council of the City of Ithaca, the Supervisor of the Town of Ithaca and the Mayor of Cayuga Heights to be put at their June Agendas, to be in time for their budget submittals to TWC for PEG access operations due June 30th REPORTS - Quarterly Franchise Fee Report from City, Town and Village Sections 15.8 & 15.7 Report on gross revenues collected during First Quarter of this year to calculate .5% franchise fee earmarked for staff salaries - Quarterly Subscriber Fee Report from TWC Sections 15.3 -2 Receive First Quarter Report from this year that shows monthly receipts of $.15 Subscriber "PEG" Fee to calculate actual revenues for Capital Expenditures - TWC's Maintenance and Repair Report Section 15.3 -3 JUNE BUDGET Sections 15.3 -2 & 15.12 - Participating municipalities (City, Town & Village) to adopt resolutions on and submit budget to TWC by 6/30. OPERATIONS - Review impact Business Hours Par 18 -4 -F - Review impact Usage Fees Section 15.6 -4; Par 18 -4 -F JULY No meeting scheduled TWC Quarterly Report Usage Fees Section 15.6 -4; Par 18 -4 -D; AOC Resolution 6/13/06 Report with account ledger showing receipts & uses of Usage Fees through June of current year to be distributed at next AOC meeting AUGUST No meeting scheduled SEPTEMBER REPORTS - Quarterly Franchise Fee Report from City, Town and Village Sections 15.8 & 15.7 Report on gross revenues collected during Second Quarter of this year to calculate .5% franchise fee earmarked for staff salaries - Quarterly Subscriber Fee Report from TWC Sections 15.3 -2 Receive Second Quarter Report from this year that shows monthly receipts of $.15 Subscriber "PEG" Fee to calculate actual revenues for Capital Expenditures - TWC's Maintenance and Repair Report Section 15.3 -3 OCTOBER I N 4 grel :74161 - TWC Quarterly Report Usage Fees Section 15.6 -4; Par 18 -4 -D; AOC Resolution 6/13/06 Report with account ledger showing receipts & uses of Usage Fees through September of current year OPERATIONS - Business Hours Sections 15.4 & 15.12; Par 18 -4 -C & 18 -4 -F Annual Review of this year's studio hours available to access Usages Review TWC's recommendations for next fiscal year Adopt studio's business hours for next fiscal year, consistent with staff & available funding Usage Fees Section 15.12; Par 18 -4 -D Annual Review of impact of this year's Usage Fees Optional: Review TWC's recommendations for next fiscal year Review collection and use of fees Set Fees for next year Determine Use of Collected Fees - Staffing Levels Par 18 -4 -F Review of this year's staffing Review TWC's recommendations for next fiscal year Recommendations for next year - PEGASYS' Access Rules Par 18 -4 -B & Par 18 -4 -F Review, monitor and make recommendations for next year on access rules and policies as provided in the Producer's Handbook, such as who can use the access equipment, procedures for signing up for studio space and equipment, and how are schedules for cablecasting established - to assure availability of studio & portable equipment on a nondiscriminatory basis. NOVEMBER REPORTS - Quarterly Franchise Fee Report from City, Town and Village Sections 15.8 & 15.7 Report on gross revenues collected during Third Quarter of this year to calculate .5% franchise fee earmarked for staff salaries - Quarterly Subscriber Fee Report from TWC Sections 15.3 -2 Receive Third Quarter Report from this year that shows monthly receipts of $.15 Subscriber "PEG" Fee to calculate actual revenues for Capital Expenditures - TWC's Maintenance and Repair Report Section 15.3 -3 DECEMBER AOC - Terms Board Members Par 18 -3 -A Certain Terms expire each December Contact information for AOC members: Will Burbank, chair <willburbankgtwcny.rr.com> Wayles Browne, secretary <ewb2@cornell.edu> Jennifer Dotson, Common Council liaison <jdotsonkcityofithaca.org> Trish O'Rourke <trishgithacalaw.com> Wies van Leuken <pmv4 cornell.edu> and <WIESVLgcityofithaca.org> Web site for the PEGASYS studio, with program schedules: htt2://www.pegasysaccess.org/ studio location: 612 West Green Street Ithaca, New York mailing address: 519 West State Street Ithaca, NY 14850 phone (607) 272 -7272 fax (607) 277 -5404 PEGASYS staff: Lauren Stefanelli lauren. stefanelligtwcable.com