Will L A Public Cable Channels Comeback? A Plan To Restore Public Studio Facilities

PUBLIC ACCESS SUPPORTERS LINE-UP TO TESTIFY
Stanley Sheinbaum (at podium) Leslie Dutton, T.J. Johnston


Los Angeles, CA Almost sixty people lined up to testify on Wednesday, April 29th at the City Hall hearing before the Budget and Finance Committee on ITA funding for public cable channels. There was only one proposal presented to the Committee to restore public studio facilities. First to testify were PUBLIC TELEVISION INDUSTRY CORPORATION (PTIC) officials who outlined in their one minute presentations how they would restore the public cable facilities. A complete video news report is to be released on the Full Disclosure Network this week.

Members of the non-profit PTIC Board of Advisors who addressed the plan were:

Stanley K. Sheinbaum, Ron Kaye, Scott Wilson, David R. Hernandez, Arthur Poma, Xavier Hermasillo, Sandra Needs, Dr. Charlotte Laws, Leslie Dutton, H. Andrew Thornburg and T. J. Johnston
Many other supporters testified as well and are featured in the upcoming video report.

FUNDING AVAILABLE
The PTIC proposal presented a plan to restore public cable studio facilities, one each year for the next four years. Fourteen public studios and channels went dark this January when Time Warner Cable opted out of providing public access, instead under the new DIVCA legislation they are required to pay the city $5 million per year to be used exclusively capital costs for replacing the public studios. This 1% cable franchise fee cannot be used for any other purpose according to the legislation and city officials told the Council committee they expect to receive the first payment of this money in just a couple of weeks.

HELP PUBLIC VOICE BE HEARD
The concept of public access cable channels, as intended by the FCC mandate, was to provide opportunity and facilities whereby independent producers could record their shows in sound proof studios with editing rooms, professional assistance and training. The FCC concept was to encourage citizen involvement and coverage of issues and events by enabling the public's voice to be heard in contrast to the main stream media and government perspective.

MORE CHANNELS COMING?
With the telecoms now providing Internet access and video delivery under the DIVCA legislation, A-T-T and Verizon are also required to provide public channels in the same manner as are the cable companies. Currently A-T-T has proposed a plan to place all Southern California Cities public programming on one channel in an "On Demand" fashion so that they will be downloaded rather than cablecast. The City of Los Angeles is opposing the A-T-T plan known as U-Verse and insisting they provide separate public channels.

PUBLIC TELEVISION INDUSTRY CORPORATION
A NON-PROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION
For more information on PTIC's Plan call:
David R. Hernandez, Vice President, PTIC 818-448-3403

Leslie Dutton, President 310-822-4449

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.