HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CABLE-2010-11-10Cable Access Oversight Committee minutes Nov. 10, 2010 (as approved Dec. 15, 2010)
The Cable Access Oversight Committee (AOC) met at 4:50 pm on Wednesday,
Nov. 10, 2010, in the PEGASYS studio, 612 W. Green St., Ithaca, NY.
Present: AOC members Wayles Browne, Svante Myrick, Mike Brutvan, Wies van
Leuken, chair Rich DePaolo; studio manager Lauren Stefanelli.
0) Notes by W. Browne as AOC secretary.
1) Wies van Leuken called the meeting to order.
2) The minutes of the Oct. 19, 2010 meeting were approved with small changes.
3) Public comment: None.
4) Member Reports.
a. Internet access for producers to use. Mike Brutvan finds no alternative to iPad
(equipment including service). Time Warner Cable (TWC) is still unwilling to fund
ongoing Internet service. Brutvan will get quotes from Road Runner and other
companies. Discussion to be continued at next meeting; we will then present a proposal
to Thomas Doheny, TWC manager.
b. Chair's report on quarterly franchise fee payments to City of Ithaca, Town of
Ithaca, and Village of Cayuga Heights:
Svante Myrick has spoken to City Comptroller Steve Thayer, who has promised a
report by Friday (Nov. 12).
W. van Leuken is concerned about TWC's apparent failure to deduct 0.5% from
these quarterly franchise fee payments to these three municipalities, which (the 0.5 %) is
under the franchise supposed to be spent for PEG personnel (" 15.7. The City shall
contribute an amount equal to one half percent of the Gross Annual Revenues subject to
the franchise fees to fund all PEG personnel costs. Said one -half percent shall be
deducted by Franchisee from the quarterly payments due the City. "). We need a statement
from the City covering the years from 2003 on. According to the Franchise, the City can
inspect TWC's books (" 19.1. Regulatory Inquiries. The City, at any time, may make
reasonable inquiries related to its regulatory responsibilities concerning Franchisee's
compliance with the material terms and conditions of this Franchise Agreement and the
Ordinance. The Franchisee shall respond to such inquiries forthrightly and in a timely
fashion. In connection therewith, the City shall have the right to inspect all pertinent
books, records, maps, plans, financial statements and other like materials of the
Franchisee, upon reasonable notice and during normal business hours." See also 7.6.10
and other subsections.). Seemingly it is now time for the City to do this.
c. Policy on encore programs: M. Brutvan presented a resolution as follows, which was
passed:
Resolution Access Oversight Committee
PEGASYS polices on Encore Programs
WHEREAS, the current PEGASYS Policies and Procedures define the first three plays of
2
a program within a calendar year as its "Premiere "; and
WHEREAS, these same Policies define "Reruns" as those programs that have completed
their premiere in the current year and are scheduled on a TBA basis only at the discretion
of PEGASYS staff, and
WHEREAS, these Policies further define "Encore Programs" as those programs re-
submitted for cablecast that completed their premiere in a previous calendar year; and
WHEREAS, PEGASYS policies limit Encore Programs to a total of 26 hours per
calendar year per individual, program provider or producers, with all three plays of a
Premiere being counted towards the total; and
WHEREAS, PEGASYS policies distinguish between local and syndicated programs with
those produced in Tompkins County ( "Local Programs ") to take preference over those
produces elsewhere ( "Syndicated Programs "); and
WHEREAS, the Access Oversight Committee received a request to review these policies;
NOW BE IT RESOLVED, that the AOC approved the following:
1. Current policies regarding Premieres will be changed to allow 4 plays to count as the
Premiere;
2. Current policies regarding Reruns will remain unchanged;
3. The policies on Encore Programs will be changed as follows:
a. For Syndicated Programs, the maximum number of allowed Encore Programs will
remain 26 hours;
b. For Local Programs, the maximum number of allowed Encore Programs will be
increased to 52 hours.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these revised policies will take effect at the
commencement of the winter season of 2011; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the AOC will review the effects of these
revised policies, including new producer's ability to schedule programs in prime -time, at
their final meeting of winter 2011.
d. Use of staff time for Production and Transmission Services. T. Doheny informed
R. DePaolo that Studio Manager L. Stefanelli would have a reply for the Committee. But
she has not yet been able to pass one on to us.
She does not yet have a report from Accounting on the 15¢ PEG fee. AOC will take
this up at the December meeting.
5) Studio Manager L. Stefanelli's report: presented orally.
- Maintenance and Repair Report: new equipment still needs installing. A couple of
pieces are down.
W. van Leuken and Jurden Alexander [present for this part of the meeting]: some
tripods are troublesome to use.
Stefanelli: Some of the tripods can be fixed. However we are missing one tripod,
last seen at the Grassroots Festival in summer. We'll have to get well- matched cameras
and tripods in the future.
- Meeting date to discuss Ithaca College's use of the public access channel:
Stefanelli has heard from the new IC TV staffer Carol Jennings. We'll suggest she come
to our meeting Dec. 15.
- LACS proposal: Chris Sperry hasn't yet found exact quotes for items to fill in the
gaps beyond what AOC has given him.
6) Old Business
Annual Review of studio procedures, staffing, hours of operation and usage fees:
discussion (left for December meeting).
7) New Business: none.
8) Next meeting: Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010, 4:30. Place: PEGASYS studio.
9) Meeting adjourned 6:10.
Contact information for AOC members:
Svante Myrick, Common Council liaison <smyrick @cityofithaca.org>
Wayles Browne, secretary <ewb2 comell.edu>
Rich DePaolo, chair <rd @richdepaolo.com>
Wies van Leuken <pmv4kcornell.edu>
Michael Brutvan, vice chair <noidea @lightlink.com >, <mbrutvan @mac.com>
Web site for the PEGASYS studio, with program schedules: hl!P://www.peizasysaccess.or
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: studio manager Lauren Stefanelli lauren.stefanelliktwcable.com