HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CABLECOMM-1989-05-16 Minutes of Cable Commission
May/i, 1989
Present: Demo, Herskowitz, Terrizi
April minutes approved.
Chair's Report
Letters received since the last meeting were reviewed.
Herskowitz proposed that the City Clerk should send a note to
correspondents acknowledging receipt of the letter and promising
commission review. Herskowitz will draft the acknowledgment and
deliver to the Clerk's office.
Terrizi offered to draft an Ithaca Journal op-ed piece which will
address many of the frustrations with the new channel line-up
expressed in the letters.
Streb was contacted by Assemblyman Luster concerning a bill in
support of cable re-regulation that he is cosponsoring.
Demo mentioned that numerous letters to the Journal regarding
cable are not printed or sent to us.
Old Business
Mr. Cohen thanked the Commission for its help in resolving his
dispute with ACC. Their power supply box will be moved in a month
after final approval from NYSEG.
Withiam reported that the Elm Street power supply has also been
moved, resolving that problem.
No action was taken. on the Senior Citizen discount because people
familiar with the situation were not present.
Public Comments
A letter by Edward Fritts in the Christian Science Monitor
(5/9/89) supporting cable regulation was read to the Commission
by A.F. Marshall.
ACC Report
Withiam explained why WTBS is not carried locally. He said it is
too expensive for. Ithaca. Turner Broadcasting has introduced TNT,
which ACC carries, for smaller systems, and programming from TBS,
including NBA basketball, will eventually move to TNT. Meanwhile,
ACC carries superstations WPIX, WOR, and WVIA because of
grandfather clause permitting it to pay local rates. WNYW was
dropped because it was the least watched.
On the issue of the network channel changes:
WENY was the least watched.
Preview Guide was added to basic service because ACC must attract
viewers to upper tier services, where its profits are made. Basic
service runs at a loss. Unlike most systems which are
unregulated, ACC does not have the price base for basic service
that permits them to expand offerings on basic service.
Withiam promised that information on public access will be added
to the Preview Guide.
WBNG was selected for basic service because of their "potential
business relationship" (WBNG will place a local transmitter here,
which will help deregulate cable fees) ; because it is a news
report that is an alternative to Syracuse news; and the CBS
affiliates were the two nearest •in audience size.
Rebuild status: The last city subscriber was added on May 29.
A mailing on the right to own equipment is going out next week.
The first Council cablecast will be June 7; BiA on June 27, and
Human Services on June 26.
The Access studio is completed, and the second editing suite is
being set up. The studio is approximately 1- 1 1/2 feet narrower
than the old studio. An outdoor storage shack and new drive-in to
access is being built.
A third access staff person will be hired this week.
Mike Withiam said goodbye to the commissioners, and stated that a
new general manager would be hired soon.
The meeting was adjourned.
Notes: Richard Herskowitz