L.A. Budget & Finance Committee Scuttles Hearing on Public Cable Access Funding

DAVID R. HERNANDEZ

http://www.savepublicaccess.wordpress.com/

Los Angeles, CA According to David R. Hernandez, president of the Los Angeles Public Access Coalition (LAPAC) the City Council Committee on Budget and Finance deliberately avoided a confrontation with the public when they failed to schedule a public hearing for this Monday, January 12th to consider funding for a designated public cable access channel.

EXTRAORDINARY MEDIA COVERAGE
It is believed the extraordinary publicity generated by the Los Angeles Times Patt Morrison column and front page coverage by Reed Johnson and Fox 11 News was responsible for the delay. ABC Nightline Special to air on Wedesday, Jan 14th 11:30 p.m.

COMMON CAUSE JOINS BATTLE
Hernandez announced on the LAPAC Blog today, that Common Cause has joined the battle to save public access and sent out a massive Email appeal to their members, nationwide, to facilitate Email letters to Attorney General Gerry Brown and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to seek injunctive relief under the Business and Professions Code 17200 Section 3 (Unfair Business Practices)against Time Warner Cable for loss of 12 channels and studios.

VIDEO APPEAL FOR ACTION
Here is the Video News Blog, where Full Disclosure Network first revealed the eminent demise of “public access” cable television channels. Featuring L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl with David Hernandez, describing the 2007 (DIVCA) legislation that enabled the Cities to take seize control of the public access TV.

L A City Council To Seize Public Cable Channels: Watch 12 minute Video

Los Angeles, CA. The Full Disclosure Network® presents an exclusive video report (12 min) on how the L. A. City Council is prepared to seize control of the public access cable channels. Having conducted almost no public debate regarding the 2007 state legislation (DIVCA) that revised and obscured the City's franchising authority and public access requirements, this video reveals the City is going to seize control of all public access channel operations on January 1, 2009.

TIME WARNER WINDFALL Under the City plan, Time Warner will apparently go unchallenged regarding the closing of all fourteen public access cable studios and channels previously required under cable franchise agreements. Instead, the city is opting that Time Warner provide only four public channels to be controlled by the government. Local public cable television producers who oppose the city's seizure of the channels are looking into to legal action to restore the 14 public channels.

Appearing in this 12 minute Video News Blog at the first and only public hearing are:

• Councilman Tony Cardenas, Chairman Council Committee on ITA
• David R. Hernandez, Civic Activist & Producer (http://www.savepublicaccess.wordpress.com/)
• Morris Griffen, Community Activist & Producer
• Devon Shane, Independent Producer
• Leslie Dutton, Full Disclosure Network Producer & Host
• ITA Staff members and Representative from the City Attorney’s office

NO DEDICATED CHANNELS FOR PUBLIC The City plan makes no requirement for a dedicated channel for public use. The recommendation was approved the Council Committee on Information Technology Agency & General Services (ITAGS) on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. With the apparent backing of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and after the proposal sat "in committee" for almost two years, an ITA staff member finally and publicly presented a report to Council Committee members Bernard Parks and Chairman Tony Cardenas, who appeared , in the video, to be surprised about the impending death of the public access cable channels.

The Council Committee’s action is expected to be ratified at a meeting of the full Council on Tuesday, November 25 (agenda item 16).

Please Note: The Council Hearing was scheduled with just enough notice to comply with the Open Meetings law, just before the Thanksgiving holiday while the public and the mainstream media is distracted.

At the end of the video viewers are asked to click on the link below where they can send an automated letter to each and every one of the City Council members, City Attorney, City Controller and the Mayor.