East Brookfield signs an embarassing bad cable franchise deal
Submitted by mauro on February 2, 2010 - 11:11am.
In today Worcester Telegram announces a huge loss for the people of EAST BROOKFIELD .
The Board of Selectmen last night signed a five-year cable TV contract renewal with Charter Communications, but the town will remain one of a few in the area not to provide local cable TV programming.
“We’re camera shy,” quipped Selectman Lawrence S. Gordon and Selectman Joseph R. Fish would have too much trouble trying to find someone to run the equipment.
In my opinion this is sad and embarrassing news for that town and for public access advocates. Short sighted also, in terms of legal opportunity provided by the Federal and State government. So far, as I able to tell, in comparison to other Massachusetts cities and town that have included Public Access or PEG channels in their franchises, the town does not get any special outstanding discount or benefit for NOT having public access. It appears the only winner is Charter.
By the tone of the selectman in the article, I get the feeling that apparently East Brookfield town elected are not seriously interested in building community or government transparency through electronic media. Why not, in these troubled times, work harder to negotiate for more benefits through ROW, or even perhaps provide job or at least a stipend for someone to operate the facility? These are channels that people have a right to access as the property owners in that town give rights of way to.
The selectman's quip about being shy illustrates how ignorant some folks are when it comes to the mission and value of public access. Public Access does not exist to just serve the elected, it exist as a resource to serve the people. A benefit the people have a right to in exchange for the rights of way of land THEY give cable and phone companies to exploit to make huge profits on.
The production equipment, editing suites, cameras, studios, professional staffing and trainers, computers, and the channels that the Public Access community media centers facilitate, empower every member of the community and improves the quality of life for all. Walk into an active Public Access station you will find, career skills are developed and elevated, young and old enjoying creative activity of production as they are participating in collaborative partnerships, organizations sharing news and information and promoting events, moving their missions forward, others expressing their opinion, heritage, religious zeal, culture and arts, all offering critical dialogue in a public forum that can influence and shape the democratic process that guides every level of government. That is only a tip of what East Brookfield will be missing without public access.
If these politician's are that "shy", I wonder how can they expect to be in public office? While those selectmen quip about being camera shy or having trouble trying to find a group of people, the town loses something that really is priceless.
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Interesting comments posted on the T&G web regarding this story
Some interesting comments taken from the T&G website regarding this story to follow. Obviously the person who wrote the last comment lives in a town that may be just as backwards as East Brookfield. Incidentally , there was a city wide survey in Worcester that revealed 70% viewer ship with 91% of those who watch frequently . Many feel public access is important.
Think about this, WCCA TV has more local programming than most TV stations and , in our case, it is all presented by Worcester residents, with the exception of a small few. That logically means people are watching and have relvent interest in these channels.
RE: No local access in new cable TV contract in East Brookfield
Reader comments
BTW, 'overrated,' public, educational and governmental access channels nationwide produce more original, non-repeated programming every week than ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox combined.
pdBerg
The East Brookfield Selectmen's failure to include a community TV or public access channel, equipment and funding in its recent cable TV license decision is reprehensible. It is backward, and thwarts community discourse. But, given their comments -- such as being 'camera shy' (!) -- they apparently lack any serious concern for their community's interest in their goings-on.
They should look to communities like Holden, Shrewsbury, and Worcester to see outstanding examples of community television which go far beyond focusing on the elected officials, and provides those communities a place to exercise their freedom of speech. Perhaps that's what the East Brookfield selectmen are afraid of...?
pdBerg
My town has local cable access and I think it's value is overrated.
Survey should be taken as to how many people actually watch that channel
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