HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8212 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8212
October 5, 1999
` r To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 1 of 3
x Subject: CABLE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING REVIEW
• m
In response to a City Council directive on September 21, 1999 to improve community
programming, city staff recommends a top-to-bottom review of the City cable programming by a
blue-ribbon committee of citizens as well as local and nationally known cable experts.
With the emergence of the Internet, on-demand cable programming, interactive services and other
electronic communication methods, it is appropriate to reassess how the City of Fort Worth uses
the great communication asset it has at its disposal—five channels on the cable system.
A blue ribbon committee can independently evaluate current programming on the city's cable
channels and provide recommendations for improving the community channel programming. The
committee's work should include evaluating the city's current programming philosophy,
identifying new programming options, suggesting innovative new programming via Fort Worth's
sophisticated cable system, effectively using citizens to help produce programs and finding
methods to strengthen the citizens program advisory committee, or some similar body.
Community Programming History:
The City of Fort Worth has programmed the "Municipal Channel," now Channel 7, since shortly
after a cable franchise was awarded in 1981. Since then, the information revolution has changed
how the world and Fort Worth communicates. A major shift in Fort Worth community
programming occurred in 1988 when Sammons Cable and the city agreed to franchise agreement
changes that transferred community-programming responsibility from Sammons to the city. The
agreement allocated four additional channels to the city. The agreement brought to five the
number of community programming channels under city management. Since 1988, the city,
.through the Cable Office, has programmed Channel 7 as well as Channels 45 and 46. Channel 45
is reserved for community programs. Residents propose program ideas for Channel 45. After an
idea is approved for production, the city cable staff, funded by d$1 per month municipal
programming fee paid by each cable subscriber, serves as the production team for the community
program. By contrast, Channel.46 is the "open access channel." The city Cable Office provides
no production support for programs on Channel 46. Rather, citizens produce these shows or
sponsor programs that are produced by others but which are shown on the access channel on a
first-come, first-served basis.
Under long-standing contracts with the city, the Fort Worth Independent School District and
Tarrant County College produce programming for community educatio
respectively. The ci ty has no day-to-day responsibility for educational rk
current contract structure.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. R9i a
October 5, 1999
d To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 2 of 3
,.� Subjects CABLE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING REVIEW
Proposed Review Process:
A top-to-bottom review of city cable programming will allow a thorough analysis of existing
programs to evaluate whether programming has become stagnant and to take a close look at new
°! and promising programming trends from around the country that could be incorporated into the
Fort Worth program offering. The review also can evaluate what is the best use of the five
channels that are under the city's control.
The top-to-bottom review steps would include:
✓ Presenting proposed assessment review plan to City Council for endorsement.
✓ Assembling a blue-ribbon panel of national and local community programming experts,
as well as Fort Worth citizens and program producers, to evaluate the city's current
cable communication efforts.
✓ Charging the blue-ribbon panel with assessing current community programming effort,
recommending programming improvements and suggesting effective use of the time on
the five channels under the city's control.
✓ Recommend a schedule for a new cable programming plan.
The blue-ribbon committee should be composed of individuals from the following categories:
✓ Three Fort Worth citizen representatives
✓ Two current and or former community Citizen Community Programming Advisory
Committee members
✓ Two Fort Worth programming producers
✓ Fort Worth ISD representative
✓ Tarrant County College representative
✓ Texas Christian University representative
✓ Local professional journalist
Recognized national telecommunicator that is associated with the National Association
of Telecommunication Officers' Association (NATOA)
✓ A recognized Texas city telecommunication coordinator
✓ City department head representative
✓ Charter Cable representative
The City Cable Office and the City Manager's Office will provide staff support to the blue ribbon
committee. To initiate the process some staff re-assignments will be required.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8212
`�o#p To the Mayor and Members of the City Council October s, 1999
Page 3 of 3
Subject: CABLE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING REVIEW
As the Community Programming Advisory Committee noted, the ordinance creating the
committee contained sunset provisions. The committee was due to sunset in 1998. In keeping
with the discussion on September 21, staff recommends that the present Programming Advisory
Committee continue to serve until a final blue-ribbon committee recommendation is made to
Council. In addition to members of the committee serving on the blue-ribbon committee, staff
would seek the advice and guidance of the committee during the top-to-bottom review process.
Review Process Timetable:
The timetable for the top-to-bottom review process is as follows:
✓ October/November Select and Recruit Blue Ribbon Members
✓ December Develop Briefing Paper on History
and Current Programming Status
for Blue Ribbon Panel
✓ January Assemble Blue Ribbon Panel for
Study Session and Make Findings
✓ January/February Write Report and Issue Findings
✓ February Present Blue Ribbon Committee
Report to Council
✓ March/April Implement Improvements
Staff is prepared to begin the tap-to-bottom review process immediately if City Council should
direct staff to proceed.
A:r,—Bob Terrell l
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS