HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8291 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8291
December 5, 2000
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'ex Subject: COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT PROCESS
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City Council on November 21, 2000, requested information on the process used to "assess what we
(community cable) are doing now and identify what we should be doing to make community
programming better," as set out in a Council directive to the Community Programming Blue Ribbon
Committee.
Since a cable franchise amended in 1988 with Sammons Cable of Fort Worth, the City of Fort Worth has
been assigned five community channels. The city has been responsible for programming two channels,
the municipal channel and the community channel. Fort Worth Independent School District programs an
educational channel and Tarrant County College (TCC) programs a second education channel. The fifth
channel has been an open access channel showing tapes submitted by residents.
In July 1999, the Cable Community Programming Advisory Committee in its annual report to Council
summarized programming and outreach activities as well as the status of the committee and the need to
expand community programming. Council responded by asking for a plan to perform a "top to bottom
review of city cable programming."
On October 5, 1999, Informal Report 8212 outlined a process using a blue ribbon committee appointed
by City Council, similar to a committee that evaluated the Health Department earlier, to "independently
evaluate current programming...and provide recommendations for improving the community channel
programming." Council directed the process be implemented and agreed to provide the names of
potential blue ribbon committee members to the Mayor.
On January 7, 2000, the Mayor provided to Council a proposed 15-member Blue Ribbon Committee of
citizens, producers, educators and outside municipal cable administrators. A Charter Cable
representative was appointed as an ex officio member.
The initial Blue Ribbon Committee workshop was scheduled for March 30, 2000, but was cancelled
because of the March 28, 2000 tornado. After coordinating calendars, the workshop was rescheduled for
May 4-5, 2000.
On May 4-5, 2000, the Blue Ribbon Committee met and reviewed current programming on the five
channels. At the conclusion of the 1'/z-day workshop, the committee agreed on recommendations to
Council. After a conference call in late June, the report was finalized.
On July 5, 2000, the Cable Programming Advisory Committee met to review the Blue Ribbon
Committee Report. Its comments were that the committee historically encouraged better marketing and
community outreach efforts, recommended that Open Channel 46 not be eliminated, find new revenue
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8291
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sources to fund Open Channel Marketing, and programming on Fort Worth ISD Channel 50 should be
expanded.
On July 25, 2000, a Pre-Council presentation was made to City Council. The Blue Ribbon Committee
Report and the Cable Programming Advisory Committee review report were detailed. City Council took
the recommendations under advisement.
On October 17, 2000, M&C G-13043 was approved by City Council that accepted the Blue Ribbon
Committee Final Report, including the sun setting of the Cable Programming Advisory Committee and
directed the city manager to begin the channel-by-channel programming initiative, to include accepting
Tarrant Community College's offer to facilitate discussions on improving programming on channels 43
and 50. Council directed staff to immediately end Open Channel 46 programming and to add Channel
46 to the list of channels to explore for possible educational programming.
On October 23, 2000, the Mayor sent a letter to Dr. Leonardo de la Garza accepting TCC's offer to
facilitate educational channels program improvement effort.
On November 1, Assistant to the City Manager Pat Svacina mailed a letter to each of the 70 persons who
have used Open Channel 46 recently with notice that the current format will be discontinued. Because
of already scheduled programs or productions, the letter informed programmers that Open Channel 46
would cease on December 2, 2000.
On November 28, 2000, City Council asked city staff to delay discontinuing the open channel 46 format
until February 2. During the interim, meetings will be called to inform Channel 46 users of format
changes.
TCC representatives and city staff met November 30, 2000 to develop the TCC-led educational channel
programming improvement initiative.
If Council has any further questions, please contact Assistant to the City Manager Pat Svacina at 817
871-6 5.
B errel
City Manager
ISSLIED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS