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from: Saline County Voice

Public access TV may be on ropes
Lewis Delavan

Public access television's future may be threatened.

No, not really from an irate alderman upset with programming, although backers of Benton's public access Channel 12 may think so.

The greatest threat to Channel 12 and community public access stations across the country is state, rather than local, control of content.

AT&T, Verizon and other phone providers are lobbying state legislators to grant broadcasting rights for an entire state, an article in the February issue of Governing magazine says.

Local public access stations began appearing in the 1970s, but this threat arose in the past three years. In fact, 20 states have granted statewide broadcasting licenses in only three years.

(Backers of constitutional amendments often could only dream of such fast action from legislators).

Often with scant public notice before the legislation, local public access, education and government stations are being squeezed off the air. It could happen in Arkansas, so advocates of local public stations should take notice.

Phone companies argue that competition will lower monthly rates. Perhaps, but another way to do so would be to require customers to pay only for the channels they want to subscribe to, not an entire block that the cable provider wants to offer.

Governing, a magazine for state and local governments, says some contend that public access stations have outlived their usefulness.

The rise of YouTube.com and other free-access video-hosting sites allow someone with cheap digital camera or wireless phone an opportunity to seek world audience, not just a local one.

The idea has some merit. The Internet is a key leg of "new media," which provides quick under-the-radar grassroots responses that can empower political candidates who are long on personality but short on cash, or help a group such as Heifer International reach a target audience.

Mainstream media such as The New York Times and Disney (owners of ABC Inc.) no longer have sole control over what becomes public know l - edge.

But oth- ers say Channel 12 and other local stat ions continue to offer a valuable tool.

Many city and county meetings would attract scant interest outside the locale, but Benton might attract a following elsewhere.

Where else could you find aldermen writhing in embarrassment as a peer keeps repeating that "Mexicans" are stockpiling trash in their backyards, or see aldermen trade sharp barbs on a personal level?

Statewide regulation isn't necessarily a bad thing for public access, although many stations have lost funding, studio space or even gone dark.

In Illinois, public access backers caught wind of AT&T's lobbying and began intense lobbying of their own. The result was a bill offering more opportunities for Illinois public access stations, Governing reports.

In neighboring Indiana, a weekly gadfly talk show in the city of Portage was squeezed off the air last year after a statewide franchise was approved with scant public notice. Gordon Bloyer simply moved to You- Tube, and continues to lambast the City Council.

Public access TV arose in the 1970s as cable TV companies developed cash-cow partnerships between local governments and cable companies.

Cable companies needed local franchises to operate. Benton and other cities gained concessions such as support for local programming. Benton cable TV customers can enjoy the statesmanship of aldermen, various sports activities, church services and a variety of other programming.

The surviving public access shows are getting harder for channel surfers to find. Cable companies are shifting public stations to channel numbers in the 900s, Governing says.

AT&T reportedly wants to place all public channels in a given region on a single channel. Viewers would have to navigate a series of menus to find desired programming.

Is it a serious threat to Channel 12? Perhaps not, but it's one the community should be aware of.

As for my wife and me, we won't notice the difference one way or another. We never have subscribed to cable TV; never will. To us, it's broadcast TV's garbage amplified. But I support the efforts of local people in Saline County and across Arkansas who want to broadcast local events. It's something they absolutely should be aware of.

Editor's note: The Governing magazine article is available online at www.governing.com/ articles/0802tv.htm

Lewis Delavan is news editor of the Saline County Voice. His column appears weekly.