Los Angeles, CA. The Full Disclosure Network® presents an exclusive video report on how the L. A. City Council is prepared to seize control of the public access cable channels. Having conducted almost invisible public input and debate on 2007 state legislation that revised the City's franchising powers regarding public access requirements, this video reveals the City is going to take over control of the public channel operations and content.
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 for only four government controlled channels. 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 are:
- Councilman Tony Cardenas, Chairman Council Committee on ITA
- David R. Hernandez, Civic Activist & Producer (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
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).
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.
Comments to date: 35. This is page 1 of 4.
Penelope Massachusetts
Posted: 07:37 am [PST] on April 18 2009
Good Day. Nothing is impossible. Some things are just less likely than others.
I am from Spain and learning to speak English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Cheap student airfares, find cheap airfare, cheap international airfare tickets, cheap airline tickets to madrid."
THX 8-), Penelope.
Dorinda Canada
Posted: 04:01 am [PST] on March 14 2009
Hi. Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face.
I am from Switzerland and also now am reading in English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Com is your ideal source for discount airfare to most of the world premier destinations."
Regards :D Dorinda.
Joan Radcliff Sylmar
Posted: 07:09 pm [PST] on March 13 2009
This must be stopped..we need these stations! Most of the programs on TV are TRASH!
Al Pa
Posted: 03:35 pm [PST] on March 13 2009
What a surprise, or is it? This has been a long time coming. Revolt now or die a slave!
Carlton E. Munroe Brooklyn, NY / USA
Posted: 09:50 am [PST] on January 25 2009
This is a dam shame. How could this happen right under people
nose's? I am being told that the
same thing is about to happen here
in New York. Not if I can help it.
John W Los Angeles
Posted: 04:32 pm [PST] on January 14 2009
Leslie Dutton: Clearly, as a taxpayer I want my money back. We both agree on that as I think most would. I disagree future funds (any taxes from my cable bill as I clearly said in my post) should go to Public Access. It's simply obsolete. It serves little purpose and costs me money. Hardly anyone watches and I don’t want to pay for it. Again, please tell me if you have hard data that says otherwise! And as a web savvy computer elite yourself, with every post you're proving my point. We're having this spirited debate on the web-- not on television. I can speak directly to you without the filter of a tv screen or scripted show. People who are interested in this topic will find us through Google and add more to the discussion. It's a far better way to communicate to an audience and a better use of tax dollars to me, don't you think?
Leslie Dutton Los Angeles
Posted: 04:19 pm [PST] on January 14 2009
The City is spending $24 million on a gang program to hire gang members as "intervention" and "prevention" workers. The elephant exhibit at the Zoo is going to cost $42 million and we could go on and on how the city has been using the cable franchise fees for projects that have yet to prove their worth. Elephants and gang members and innocent drive-by shooting victims are all dying and the cable franchise fees are disappearing. I guess that makes some people happy and some sick and tired.
Leslie Dutton Location unknown
Posted: 04:07 pm [PST] on January 14 2009
John W. The public is not paying for public access. The cable subscribers are in their monthly bills. $25 million per year the cable operators have paid to the City of Los Angeles in the form of Franchise Fees. Now that the 12 channels have gone dark, they are continuing to bill at the same rate. Time Warner offered to refund subscribers if they were unable to agree with Viacom on a new contract for the three channels in question. Now, the cable subscribers have lost their community channels and Time Warner is keeping their money. But they will continue to pay the City of L A. the annual franchise fees. Unfortunately there are some computer elites who look down their nose at public access cable television and would like to do away with it. There is no reason for the public to vote on the use of cable fees for maintaining the public channels. Many people feel as I do that public access has served a good purpose to allow the public to expose government corruption and misdeeds. I am truly sorry that you do not feel that way. There must be a good reason.
John W Los Angeles
Posted: 03:17 pm [PST] on January 14 2009
Leslie Dutton: I respect your stance but believe your arguments are still out of date. "Most young people cannot afford the costly high speed computer and internet connections." Virtually every young person has access to a computer at some point in their day. City libraries offer free access, as do schools and many local business offer free Wifi. Kids even have it on their phones. For the home, internet connections start at $9.99 for basic service and a brand new laptop computer at Best Buy or Walmart sells for $349… far cheaper than the cost of Basic Cable Service and a new television set. Used computers are far less. Consider that TV sets ten years ago averaged much more and yet most households have at least one. As for the comment that “older Americans are not computer literate”—have you tried setting up the average VCR? They can be just as complicated yet most older Americans still have them.
You also mentioned the poor economy and I couldn’t agree more that in these tough times we need to spend our tax dollars wisely. People should realize that money funding Public Access comes from taxes they are paying on their cable bill, not through the city’s generous “free” support. Since there are no ratings, no one has ever been able to hold these channels accountable to see if we are actually getting what we paid for. All I see is a bunch of poor quality vanity television, bad talk shows (some I can’t even hear because the quality is so bad), and long winded government meetings which can already be seen, searched, and shared on the web. Beside anecdotal evidence, do you have any hard data which shows who is watching and how often?
Finally, please do not assume someone is “condemning” someone else just because they are making a point contrary to yours. If public access is such a prized resource, then put it to a democratic vote. Allow taxpayers to check on box on their bill whether they want Public Access or not. How about pay per view? Those that want it, buy it. Those that don't or can’t afford it will save money. I would challenge any casual TV viewer to name the last Public Access program they watched. In a crowded room, I doubt few would raise their hands.
Public Access is an antiquated relic of the past. It’s time the city modernized and stop looking backwards. It’s ironic that even this exchange is being seen only on the web…that speaks volumes.
Leslie Dutton Los Angeles
Posted: 11:05 am [PST] on January 14 2009
John W: Your comments fail to take into consideration that a large percentage of older Americans are not computer literate and with the economic crisis, rising unemployment, many young people cannot afford the costly high speed computer and internet connections. So while you may be personally advantaged, it would be good to consider the circumstances of the population as a whole before you condemn the preservation of public access as a means of community communication. Also, it would be great interest to the readers here if you would identify yourself and your employer so that the readers can evaluate why you feel the way you do. Thank you.