L. A. PUBLIC ACCESS TV DIES A SECOND DEATH? Video 2 min

From Left: Stanley Sheinbaum, Bill Rosendahl, Leslie Dutton on October 29, 2009

Los Angeles, CA Full Disclosure Network® is releasing a two minute video report featuring a short excerpt from a meeting with L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, held on October 29, 2009 where he informs Stanley Sheinbaum, the former LAPD Police Commission President and First Amendment powerhouse that Public Access television is finished in Los Angeles. The meeting was videotaped during an interview by Full Disclosure Network's® Host Leslie Dutton, as part of Documentary Series entitled “Saving The Public Channels in America”. In the interview Council member Rosendahl repeatedly called for citizens to come forward and pressure elected officials, his colleagues, and Congress to save public access channels.

SHOCK: COUNCIL BACKS OFF FROM PUBLIC ACCESS TV SUPPORT
It was a shock when Councilmember Rosendahl informed Sheinbaum and Dutton that public access in L.A. is now finished and not expected to come before the council again. The entire Los Angeles City Council and the Mayor had unanimously signed off on a budget proposal that provided for a public access channel. That proposal was submitted just a few months ago by Sheinbaum and Dutton, Founding members of the Public Television Industry Corportation (PTIC) resulting from months of rallying public access TV supporters to testify a number of times before the City Council, the ITA Council Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee meetings. The PTIC plan received a recommendation from the ITA Agency and when the Mayor did not opposed the unanimous Council vote, or the ITA recommendation, it appeared that the proposal to restore public access TV in Los Angeles had full support.

CALL CITIZENS TO BATTLE ONCE AGAIN
The Full Disclosure Network® video video report is being distributed by to public access producers via Email in an effort to rally the troops for yet another push at the City Council in order to rekindle their commitment and restore the public channels. PTIC leaders have expressed a concern that a most of the public access viewers and producers can no longer be reached as the channels have been dark for almost a year. The elderly, low and moderate income citizens who are computer and Internet illiterate are without a means to receive local and neighborhood news via independent television programming. The mainstream media has long ago abandoned public affairs and local issues.

CITY DIVERTING MILLIONS IN PUBLIC ACCESS CABLE FEES?
Currently the city receives $25 million dollars from cable franchise operators plus a yet to be reported amount from telecom giants ATT and Verizon who are now competing for subscribers and required to pay similar fee to the city. A 2007 State Law known as DIVCA mandated State control of public cable and telecom franchises. Included in the legislation however was a provision for an additional 1% ($5 million) exclusively reserved for public access facilities, also controlled by the City. The current fiscal crisis has led to speculation and questions regarding where the money will go.

WATCH THESE VIDEOS ON THE BATTLE TO SAVE PUBLIC ACCESS

• Two Minute Video News Report with Councilman Rosendahl
• Stanley Sheinbaum Political Powerhouse Fights To Save Public Access TV
• Ed Asner Attacks Progressive City Council for Diverting Public Access Money
• Missing $Millions In Cable Franchise Fees
• L A Budget & Finance Commitee Appoved Restoring Public Access TV
• Who Killed Public Access TV In Los Angeles
• ABC Nightline Covers L A Loss of Public Access TV

$24 Million L A Gang Program to Bring Redemption?

Los Angeles, CA The Full Disclosure Network® is releasing the first three parts of an on-going Cable TV Series exposé on the failures and successes of gang prevention programs across the nation starting with the City of Los Angeles. Full Disclosure host Leslie Dutton interviews major players in previous L.A. Gang Wars and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's new "Gang Czar", L.A. Deputy Mayor Rev. Jeff Carr, who is implementing the Mayor's new gang strategy, a $24 million Program called "The Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program".


Featured in this 10 minute preview are the following experts:

• L.A. Deputy Mayor and "Gang Czar", Rev. Jeff Carr, who is planning to augment the current gang suppression effort by law enforcement with Mayor Villaraigosa's two prong strategy, prevention and intervention using "gang members can be redeemed."



• * Sgt. Richard Valdemar, a 32-year veteran of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and an International Gang specialist, who predicts that "the use of gang members to intervene during gang violence will not work."



• * David R. Hernandez, a long time Los Angeles civic activist, who says, "The City is either ignoring or concealing the all out race war between local gangs."

WHAT STRATEGY WORKS AND DOES'NT
This preview contains video clips from the first of three parts in the new series. Viewers will learn what strategy works and what doesn't when dealing with vicious gang members who commit heinous crimes. You can watch the first three installments of this series on your local cable television by checking our channel listing on the website. Or you can purchase a three-set DVD from Full Disclosure.

UPDATE: Missing Millions, A T & T , PEG Cable-Video Channels

DAVID R. HERNANDEZ

President Los Angeles Public Access Coalition

www.savepublicaccess.wordpress.com

Los Angeles CA The Los Angeles Public Access Coalition members who attended the February 3, 2009 City Council meeting are reporting the closed session resulted in a unanimous vote to delay legal action against A T & T for thirty days, while negotiations continue regarding delivery of City Public Educational and Government (PEG) channels.

MISSING FUNDS NOT ALWAYS LOCATED?:
The missing AT &T Franchise Fees, reported by Full Disclosure Network last week, have been located, according to the Information & Technology Agency. The funds had been transferred to the wrong city account but have purportedly been located. A recent City Controller audit of LA Government run channels 35 and 36 found reimbursment for production costs provided from proprietary agencies such as DWP, CRA, LAPD Commission, Harbor Dept. had "not always transferred" to the ITA account, with no mention of final disposition (see page 37 audit report)

VIDEO: MISSING MILLIONS IN FRANCHISE FEES?
Watch Video news report (six min) revealing public concern and distrust ABOUT City use of multi-millions in cable-video franchise fees.

PUBLIC CHANNELS MANDATED:
Franchise fees paid for 25 years to the City by cable operators are now collected from ATT, Verizon and other telecom companies who are competing for video delivery to consumers. Fees come from gross revenues collected from monthly subscribers paying for cable and video channels, that by law are to include public access (PEG) channels.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MULTI-MILLION$ CABLE & VIDEO OPERATOR FEES?

Los Angeles CA The Full Disclosure Network® presents a video news report (six minutes) covering public testimony at a City Council Committee meeting on Information & Technology Agency held on Tuesday, January 27, 2009. The video reveals public concerns and distrust as to how the City has been using multi-millions in cable and video franchise fees. Among those testifying in the video at the public hearing are:

• David R. Hernandez, President L.A. Public Access Coalition
• Arlene Peck, Journalist- Public Access Producer

PUBLIC CHANNELS MANDATED: Multimillions of dollars in Franchise fees have been paid each year to the City by Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications and now ATT, Verizon and other telecom companies. The fees are from gross revenues from monthly subscribers who pay for an array of cable and video channels, that by law are supposed to include public access (PEG) channels.

COUNCIL TO SUE ATT ON PEG CHANNEL DELIVERY? The City Council Committee meeting on Information & Technology Agency has sent two measures to the full City Council to decide on Tuesday February 4, 2009. Here is report on committee action that recommends the Council abolish the board of Information Technology Commissioners and to file legal action against ATT (see report here) for non-compliance in providing DIVCA required public access video channels.

Ed Asner Attacks Progressive LA City Council on Public Access Demise

Los Angeles CA Full Disclosure Network® presents a nine minute video news blog with Ed Asner who appears to attack the "progressive" members of the Los Angeles City Council and challenges them to stop the neglect of the public cable access television channels and to start funding the facilities here in the heart of the media world and Hollywood California. Asner, was especially critical of the City's practice of diverting the vast majority of $25 million in annual cable franchise fees, paid by the cable operators, into the city's general fund rather than supporting the public access channels, as it was intended

FORMIDABLE FORCES FIGHT DEMISE
Ed Asner is considered one of the most prominent activist actors of his time. He has emerged as the second political powerhouse to voice concern about government actions that would destroy America's public access cable television system, joining Stanley Sheinbaum, the former UC Regent and President of the L A Police Commission who has been waging a campaign to convince the California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, to file for injunctive relief to stop the closing of the Time Warner Cable public access channels in Los Angeles.

CITY FAILS TO PROTECT PUBLIC CHANNELS
Without opposition from the Mayor or the City Council of Los Angeles, Time Warner Cable has shut down public access cable channels in I.A. as of January 1, 2009. The City has failed to designate or provide for even one public access channel to fill the void, while approving a plan to retain four government controlled public cable channels.

PROGRESSIVE COUNCIL ACUSED OF KILLING FREE SPEECH
Asner, who won seven Emmy awards for his “Lou Grant” TV series focusing on the news gathering and reporting operations, tells Full Disclosure of his concern that the “Progressive" members of the L. A. City Council have lost their way and forgotten about the importance of free expression and the public's right to public "venting" their issues of concern.

Battle for Control of Public Access Cable Channels: City of Los Angeles Update

Los Angeles, CA The Full Disclosure program will once again be off the air on the LA 36 Cable channel tonight Sunday and Monday due to on-going " technical problems" at LA36, a City funded public access cable channel. However the programs continue to be shown on over 40 other public cable channels throughout California, without problems.

LA36 TECHNICAL PROBLEMS BEGAN
This summer in late July and August the Full Disclosure Network programs on LA36 Public Cable Channel began looking rather strange. At times the video was fuzzy and the audio was so distorted that viewers called Full Disclosure to complain, saying they could not understand what was being said. This problem was not occuring with other programs featured on the channel nor on any other cable channels where Full Disclosure is featured.

UNWRITTEN "DELIVERABLE STANDARDS"
Full Disclosure was notified by LA36 they had determined the source of the technical poblems was the master DVDs that must adhere to "Broadcast Standards" but refused to provide Full Disclosure with specifics. Full Disclosure retained an Audio Engineering firm who met with LA36 management and technical staff to determine how they were transferring the DVD video to their server, as he had already determined no problems with the Full Disclosure masters. LA36 admitted they were not using the master DVDs but dubbed tapes at 2x speed. When asked for a copy of the "Deliverable Standards" an industry term for audio and visual specifications required for content producers, LA36 indicated they did not have such specifications.

NO NOTICE OF OPERATION CHANGES TO PROVIDERS
After problems continued, the LA36 General Manager informed Full Disclosure they had made major operational changes, that Time Warner was turning over control the operations were to be handled "in house". This gave credence to rumors circulating that Time Warner was going to shut down public access channels and studios by December 31, 2008. LA36 claimed technical problems encountered were only on Full Disclosure's master DVDs.

FULL DISCLOSURE RETAINS COUNSEL:
Full Disclosure retained Bruce Maddox, expert audio engineer, as counsltant on the LA36 technical problems. He found the master DVDS in question, to be meet industry standards and acceptable for transcoding. In a meeting with Maddox and Full Disclosure producers LA36 management refused to provide written specifications known as "Deliverable Standards" for audio and video content, instead they agreed to accept three versions (formats) transcoded by Bruce Maddox, for delivery to LA36 for transfer to their new server to determine which version is compatible.

IS IT POSSIBLE?

Will Full Disclosure meet the unwritten standards of LA36?.

Stay tuned for next week's report to learn the outcome....................

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.

Video News Blogs On Hot Topics Move to Cable TV: Sunday & Monday

Los Angeles, CA. The Full Disclosure Network® (FDN) presents "the news behind the news" in a Special Cable TV Series featuring six short Video News Blogs covering Hot Topics, to debut on 45 cable channels starting this week end.

WATCH ON L.A. CABLE CHANNEL 36
Nov 2nd Sunday 8-9 p.m. Part 1-2
Nov 3rd Monday 4-5 p.m. Part 1-2

Other Channels & Airtimes

WATCH NOW ONLINE

• Video News Blog #60
  DEATH OF PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNELS? (8:29 min)
• Video News Blog #59
  SCHOOL BONDS -FEED THE BEAST (10:44 min)
• Video News Blog #56
  COURTS & DA REFUSE DEPORTING ALIEN GANGS ( 3 min)
• Video News Blog #58
  RACIAL POLITICS LAUNCH HISPANIC PARK (9 min)
• Video News Blog #57
  DA ETHICS COMPLAINT FILED (8:27 min)
• Video News Blog: #55
  MASSIVE PRISONER RELEASE COMING? (8:15 min)

The series features national and local authorities who hold strong opinions on the issues addressed and in which they are directly involved and knowledgeable.

David Hernandez, Civic Activist, S F Chamber
Bill Rosendahl, L. A. Council, Frmr Cable Exec.
David Brewer, Superintendent L.A.U.S.D.
Monica Garcia, Pres. L A Unified Board of Ed
Guy Mahula, Chief Exec Facilities Division, LAUSD
George Buzzetti, Los Angeles City Activist
Keith Richman, Former Calif State Assemblyman
Geri Ann Hazlet, Superior Court of L.A.
Sandi Gibbons, Spokesman Office of L.A.D.A.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Ed Reyes and Jose Huizar, L.A. City Councilmen
Kevin DeLeon, California State Assemblyman
Gloria Molina, L.A. County Supervisor
Gabrieleno-Tongva Tribal Council Leaders

Althea Shaw, Aunt of murder victim Jamiel Shaw Jr.

Steve Ipsen President, Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys

The Full Disclosure Network® has been produced by twice nominated, Emmy Award winning host Leslie Dutton and Producer T. J. Johnston. In 2002 the Full Disclosure® special series "L. A.’s War Against Terrorism" was recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a local Emmy Award for a public affairs, informational series. Channels and airtimes can be found on the website.