[Occupymendocino] Information From Fort Bragg City Council Member About Public Access TV

[Richard Karch]

> From: "Kraut, Heidi" <HKraut at fortbragg.com>
> Date: September 30, 2013 9:50:30 AM PDT
> To: "nsdusoir at mcn.org" <nsdusoir at mcn.org>
> Cc: "Ruffing, Linda" <LRuffing at fortbragg.com>
> Subject: Public Access TV Update
> 
> Hello Howard
> 
> Mayor Turner asked me to give you an update about public access TV - here is what I know at this point:
> 
> -The Mayor appointed Councilmember Meg Courtney and myself to serve on an ad hoc committee to look at options for PEG (public/ education/government) TV in our area following the dissolution of MCTV. 
> 
> -Meg and I met last month with Linda Ruffing and representatives from Mendocino County, the Rec district, hospital district and FB school district to talk about needs and resources. All of the agencies represented expressed a desire to continue to broadcast meetings and other events.
> 
> -Linda indicated that we had around 120 days to "use or lose" the channels that were assigned to MCTV, but that we should be able to move forward within that timeline.
> 
> -Both the city and the county continue to receive some $ from their agreements with Comcast that can be applied to PEG TV, but those $ are dwindling as the number of Comcast subscribers shrinks each year.
> 
> - Linda is working on a request for proposals that will be put out for anyone interested in taking up the challenge of providing PEG TV access for our area. The person or group that is chosen through that process would be eligible to receive some funding from the city and county and would need to then negotiate with the Footlighters organization if they wished to purchase the former MCTV equipment. It seems that anyone who wants to produce PEG programming will need to find additional sources of funding in order to stay viable - membership donations? Underwriting? 
> 
> I know that in your communication with the Mayor you asked about the possibility of MCTV starting up again - it is my understanding that they have completely dissolved, but I guess it is possible that some of their staff or volunteers may want to be involved in a new PEG organization that could be formed to resume providing services to the community.
> 
> I am copying Linda on this email in case she has any additions or corrections to what I have told you. Thank you for you interest in this issue... Hopefully we will have more information to share soon. Please let me know of you have any other questions.
> 
> Heidi Kraut



Reality is not what it seems to be, nor is it otherwise.   
                                       Tibetan Buddhist teaching

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