RE: Public Access Cable TV Station

City staff please forward this memo to council members and also include it in their upcoming meeting packet.  Thank you.  Brent Clark

I respectfully request city council to ask city staff to conduct a feasibility study and consider implementing the following:

In the interest of helping to improve community communication and engagement, negotiate with Spectrum (Charter) Cable TV in its franchise agreement with the city, to provide a public access cable TV station.

Public access cable TV, also known as Public, Education, and Government (PEG) channels, is a type of non-commercial television channel that allows the public to create and share content. PEG channels are run by local governments or non-profit organizations.  Many (perhaps most) cities provide public access TV to their residents.

Public access stations are created when a cable company negotiates a franchise agreement with a local government. Not all franchise agreements include these public access channels. Some have access channels just for local governments where you can watch town meetings and other government functions.

PEG channels remain valuable to the community.  Social media and Internet broadcasts have not replaced or leap-frogged PEG channels.  Many residents do not use Facebook, Twitter, or other social media.  Those who do find the links awkward and uncoordinated.  E.g. GH city has its own.  GHBLP has its own.  DPW and DPS each have their own.  Our local schools, civic theatre, chamber of commerce, Loutit Library, Historic Museum, etc. all have their own.  A PEG channel would combine and coordinate all of them onto one or two channels.

One channel could be a loop of local events.  One channel could be monetized for local merchants and vendors to advertise.  One channel could be broadcasts of agendas, minutes, and meetings for city council, BLP, planning commission, all city boards and commissions, etc.  It could also include presentations for projects such as Harbor Island, Chinook Pier, etc.  One channel could be monetized for subscription viewing of local high school sports, local live theatre, high school plays and band concerts, Coast Guard waterfront events, Fourth of July fireworks, Musical Fountain, etc.  All these types of events are already captured on video and radio.  A public access cable TV station is an ideal platform where these could be watched for a subscription fee.  Much like Netflix, but on public access.

AI can provide all the audio so there is very low production costs and management of the channel content.

Why Do This?

Despite best efforts, many residents don’t know where to find information or how to interpret it.  Also, many residents simply don’t engage.  This finds the city without guidance from the public.  That’s bad for the city, and bad for the residents.  Attending council and board meetings or town halls is hard for many.  Learn by listening.  Learn by watching.  That’s where the public is today.  Public access TV makes good sense.  It’s worth exploring the feasibility for our city.

Thank you.  Brent Clark