Selectmen encourage citizens to be part of public access TV
Published on November 17th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - Residents interested in putting more of the town on the tube will get that opportunity, following action at last week's Board of Selectmen meeting.
The board voted in favor of Selectman Darin Leahy's suggestion of forming a Public and Government Access Commit-tee in order to optimize Stoneham's public access channel capability.
The suggestion followed a presentation by Jason Portanova, the new Media One Access Coordinator for Stoneham. Portanova acknowledged that in the past, members of the community have been unsure as to the role of their local public access station and frustrated with accessibility to the Media One studio.
"My role is to facilitate the town's use of the channel," Portanova stated, adding that community outreach, public service announcements and enlisting volunteers from local schools as well as from the general public are among his main objectives.
"We're here for the town so if we're not getting the town feeling involved, then we're lacking."
"This is basically a minimally staffed facility," Leahy said. He added that where Media One has failed to spark community interest, the board, with its proven track record for soliciting volunteerism, may prove more effective in generating participation in local cable.
Portanova supported the idea of a committee and said that Media One would help with broadcasting and filming some events, but, due to limited staffing, training volunteers to do such would be essential to increase programming. He agreed with Leahy in that the committee would begin to create a reservoir of people able and willing to tape various events.
"We want to empower the people of the town," Portanova said.
Selectman Patrick Jordan pointed out, however, that existence of such a committee does not preclude other residents from volunteering or making requests of the studio.
"The idea is to have maximum participation town-wide," Jordan said.
According to Portanova, Media One will provide committee members and any interested resident with filming and equipment training at no charge.
"If someone in town has an idea, and we can support them,...we'll help them....as best we can."
Town Council William Solomon clarified that the license agreement between the town of Stoneham and Media One stipulates some responsibility on the part of the license holder to cablecast events of community interest, such as Town Day. The license, therefore, he said, is not purely for public access programming.
The motion to appoint an eleven member committee was unanimously approved.
Selectmen Chairman Albert Conti requested that Solomon draw up a charter for the committee, including delineation of responsibilities per the license agreement.
Currently Town Meeting and Board of Selectmen meetings are the only public meetings regularly televised on local cable. Increased participation through use of volunteers could, the board agreed, result in the airing of more town board meetings.
"We have to be proactive," Leahy said. "Anything is better than what's on there now."
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