Public Access Television in Rochester -- Opportunity for Growth


Rochester Community Television (RCTV-15), Rochester's public access channel, is undergoing a major "face lift" as the Board and staff, along with the City Council, re-negotiate Time Warner's contract with the City. On Feb. 25, 2004, a panel consisting of Interim General Manager Carvin Eison, Vice President of Programs Ginna Moseson, and Programming Manager Rick Osborne, updated current RCTV producers on the changes that are occurring and/or are in the planning stage. The goal is to enable Rochester's public access programming to become more professional and to better serve the community. The contract negotiations process provides an excellent opportunity to ensure the availability of locally sponsored, locally centered programming that promotes a diversity of voices and the needs and interests of the community without concern for profit.


Last night I attended a "Producer's Circle" meeting at Rochester Community Television (RCTV), Rochester's public access television station.

I have not been involved with public access television before this. I attended as a representative of the Rochester Indymedia Center, which, among other things, produces "TV Dinner," a weekly half-hour television news program on Channel 15 (RCTV) broadcast on Thursday nights at 8:30. Matt Rosenberg, also of Rochester Indymedia and a producer of "TV Dinner," joined me.

Right now, RCTV is undergoing a major "face lift," thanks to the efforts of Interim General Manager Carvin Eison, Vice President of Programs Ginna Moseson, Programming Manager Rick Osborne, and other members of the RCTV board and staff. For the last three years, the City of Rochester has been in negotiation with Time-Warner (the current cable service provider in our area) for a new contract. Time-Warner wants to remain the sole cable service provider in the area, and thus the City of Rochester has major leverage for ensuring that public access tv not only survives but thrives.

The plan is to completely expand and refurbish the facilities at 21 Gorham Street and to upgrade the production equipment, much of which right now is virtually falling apart.

The vision of the Board and staff is to enable Rochester's public access programming to become more professional, so that more people will watch (potentially making it possible for producers to obtain underwriting from commercial entities), and to secure the place of public access television within the cablecast spectrum.

Cable companies today want to get those public access stations back. They see those stations as a drain on their profits, and they are attempting to persuade city councils to dump their requirements that they provide the channel and the funds to support facilities and programming. That's why it is so important that community members work to convince those decision-makers that public access television is a vital component in the maintenance of free speech in this age of media consolidation.

As Eison said, "We are a run-down property in a high rent district." The task before those who produce and support RCTV is to use the opportunity presented by current contract negotiations with Time-Warner to improve that property rather than let it fall into the hands of those who want to use it solely for the purpose of improving an already burgeoning bottom line.

Public access television is now the only entity that can provide what public television used to provide before PBS lost the majority of its government funding -- that is, locally sponsored, locally centered programming that promotes a diversity of voices and the needs and interests of the community without concern for profit.

Eison stressed how vital it is that the community send letters to City Council members supporting RCTV.

In addition to securing more funds from Time Warner to improve the facilities, equipment, and training programs, RCTV wants to expand its funding resources. Eison is in the process of negotiating with the Global Media Arts program at Franklin High School and communications programs at local colleges (SUNY Brockport, Monroe Community College*, St. John Fisher) to develop training programs for public access tv producers. Eventually it is hoped that certificate and/or degree granting programs would be developed to complement the more informal training currently provided. Tuition would be charged for these courses.

Currently RCTV does not charge for its training courses, but is planning to institute a fee schedule. In addition, RCTV charges producers a membership fee, as follows:

Supporting/Family Membership: $25
This includes:
An invitation to an annual event and studio tour
Reduction in tuition for training classes

Producers/Individual: $50
This includes:
An invitation to an annual event and studio tour
Reduction in tuition for training classes
Invitation to monthly Producer Circle meetings
Promotion for programs aired on RCTV15, including a listing on RCTV 15's on-air program calendar.
Access to digital and analog equipment, electronic field production equipment, and post-production equipment (requires certification as a producer).

Nonprofit/Church Organization Membership: $250
This includes:
An invitation to an annual event and studio tour
Reduction in tuition for training classes
Invitation to monthly Producer Circle meetings
Promotion for programs aired on RCTV15, including a listing on RCTV 15's on-air program calendar.
Access to digital and analog equipment, electronic field production equipment, and post-production equipment (requires certification as a producer).
Discounts for special classes and workshops

However, Eison reassured the audience that no one would be turned away for lack of ability to pay. Eison, Moseson, and Osborne all agreed that maintaining accessibility for all members of the public is absolutely essential. The possibility of providing "financial aid" for those unable to afford tuition or membership will be explored.

Among the most recent RCTV accomplishments was the development of a high quality 30-second ad for the station, written to the tune of James Brown's "Get Involved," which will run not only on RCTV but also on other cable stations.

In addition, the station is working on "community collaborations," including a three-part series on "positive youth assessment." (More details on these collaborations will be provided in a later blog entry.)

For more information on becoming involved with RCTV, interested persons may call the station at 585 325 1238.
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*As of this writing I am unable to link directly to the Visual and Performing Arts Department at MCC, which offers an A.S. in Communication and Media Arts. I am awaiting a response from computing services at MCC to tell me how to "unmask" the direct URLs for web pages at MCC. Currently, it is impossible for an outsider (or uninformed insider) to find the specific URL for each page.



Posted: Fri - March 26, 2004 at 09:24 AM          

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