[Peace] Public Access Television in C-U - talk this Saturday at 2 PM

[Danielle Chynoweth]

Learn more about the possibilities of a Public Access Television Station 
in CU.  Sue Buske, national expert, to speak.

Saturday, September 17, 2 - 4:00 P.M.
Champaign City Council Chambers

ALSO: Take the public access survey to have input on the future of  
public access TV in CU:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=190711303800


Sue Buske is a nationally recognized expert on cable franchise 
negotiations with 30 years of experience. She is a former Executive 
Director of the National Federation of Local Cable Programmers, now known 
as the Alliance for Community Media.  

The Champaign-Urbana Cable TV and Telecommunications Commission's Public 
Access Study Committee has arranged for Buske's presentation as part of 
its research for the upcoming cable franchise renewal, specifically as it 
concerns a separate public access channel for the community and its 
organizations. The current franchise agreement expires February 28, 2009 
and negotiations can begin as soon as February 2006. 

The Champaign-Urbana Cable TV and Telecommunications Commission is an 
advisory body to the Champaign and Urbana City Councils.  The cities are 
responsible for the franchise with the cable company. 
 
It is during franchise negotiations that the cities of Champaign and 
Urbana will have the best opportunity to ensure that the community 
benefits as much as possible from local cable television programming, in 
an area that directly affects the citizens - the Public, Education, 
Government (PEG) channels. 
 
The PEG channels provided to the community in the current franchise are 
the Champaign Government Television (CGTV) - Channel 5, Urbana Public 
Television (UPTV) - Channel 6, the University of Illinois' Cable 
Television Service (UI-7) - Channel 7, and the Parkland College 
Educational Television (PCETV) - Channel 9.

UPTV, which provides for Urbana government and public schools, as well as 
public access for the whole community, is operating near capacity. 
Consequently, there is increasing interest in establishing another 
channel, solely dedicated to public programming. In response to this 
interest the Champaign-Urbana Cable TV and Telecommunications Commission 
in January 2005 appointed the Public Access Study Committee to review the 
current situation as it compares to successful models throughout the 
country and to assess the interest in this community for a separate access 
channel with production facilities and support. 
 
The Committee, made up of the Cable Commission's PEG Advisory Committee, 
the coordinators of the PEG channels, UPTV members, and other involved 
citizens, has met throughout the summer. In addition to a survey 
instrument, it has planned several events to inform the public and assess 
its interest.  On August 29 it co-sponsored with Urbana Public Television 
a meeting to tell community organizations about ways they could use public 
access television. And Buske's talk on Saturday, September 17 will provide 
the community an opportunity to learn about the franchise renewal process, 
and its potential for serving this community's access needs. 

There will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions. Light 
refreshments will be served in the lobby after the meeting. 

The Champaign-Urbana Cable Television and Telecommunications Commission 
and the Public Access Study Committee are inter-governmental bodies.  The 
City of Champaign serves as their administrative agent.