SB 245 and HB 1279

All,

I wanted to make you aware of Senate Bill 245 and House Bill 1279, two bills that have very quickly sped their way through the short legislative session here in Indiana. These sweeping telecommunications reform bills include critical elements for the future of cable access.

The first critical element is that the bills will set up the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) as the franchising agent for cable companies instead of your local government. That means that your local government will have no negotiating power with the cable company, as they have in the past, in ensuring local people would have a voice.

The second critical element is that of franchising fees. The bills are vague about what percentage of these franchise fees would be held by the IURC for their operating expenses, as well as what will be calculated as “gross revenue” in terms of future collection of franchise fees; but some analysts believe these changes will be significant. These franchise fees are a critical part of the operating costs of WCTV, and any losses here would curtail WCTV’s ability to operate as it does now.

The House amended 1279 a few days ago to return franchising powers to the cities, making the bill in direct opposition to the Senate bill, which was passed 40-6.

I have included a number of links below that I have compiled as this story has unfolded. Feel free to read up on this issue and draw your own conclusions. This is an important time to make your voice heard to your legislators if you feel strongly about these issues as well as the future of WCTV.


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060126/NEWS01/601260477/1006

http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-DJBG1137014237355.html

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/13599497.htm

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/local/13554809.htm

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/editorial/13583631.htm

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/editorial/13590685.htm

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060123/NEWS02/601230353/1006/NEWS01

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060105/BUSINESS/601050406

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060110/NEWS02/601100487

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060108/BUSINESS/601080404

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060105/NEWS02/601050404/1025

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060108/COLUMNISTS07/601080415/1025/NEWS02

http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060112/Opinion02/601120436/-1/OPINION/CAT=Opinion02

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=16330

http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=192843

http://www.citact.org/newsite/

http://www.ai.org/legislative/homepages/R61/media/R61_01172006.pdf

http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2006/IN/IN0245.1.html

http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2006&session=1&request=getBill&doctype=HB&docno=1279

Feel free to write me at jodalton@indiana.edu.

Our Friends at WTIU

We recently received a boxload of documentaries produced by our friends at PBS affiliate WTIU in Bloomington. These include shows on Columbus architecture, legendary coach Branch McCracken, the IU Ballet Theater's staging of The Nutcracker, and more. These programs will begin appearing on WCTV Channel 20 in the coming weeks, and I 'm sure they will be enjoyed by our Wayne County viewers. Thanks again to Brent Molnar at WTIU for sharing their good work with our audience.

Feel free to email me at jodalton@indiana.edu.

WCTV Makes House Calls!

Here at WCTV, we field a steady stream of questions from local producers about tech issues, and get a fair amount of calls from viewers reporting that a program is unwatchable because of video and/or audio problems.
Because of these ongoing concerns, we have put together a group of professional staff and skilled volunteers who are willing to make "House Calls." If you have tech problems or tech questions about producing your local program, or need tech advice on equipment specs or how to start a new program, we are willing to come on-site and help. Please feel free to write me at jodalton@indiana.edu, or call 973-8488 for more information.

MLK Day

It was all hands on deck today covering events for Martin Luther King Day, with important happenings all over the area. I taped Mike Pence's Legislative Forum down at the Leland residence, joining a full house, while John Schuerman taped several other well-attended MLK events. These important programs started airing tonight and will have multiple plays in the coming days. Check your television listings, or call us at 973-8488.

Lottery Update

If you are currently a producer of a local program, you should have received a letter from me by now about the upcoming Channel 21 program lottery in February. If you have not, or you are a new producer interested in having a regular series air in the next cycle of programming, please contact me at jodalton@indiana.edu or 973-8488.

We mailed more than 40 postal letters on Friday to local producers who currently provide programming to WCTV. That shows a great commitment by the community to local programming, and we thank you for your continued efforts and support of community television.

December 2005 Board Minutes

Call to Order - 11:05 am

Present: Willard Brown, Dave Burns, Ed Hoffman, Jeff Plasterer, Marilyn Fulton, Eric Marsh, Daryl Greene, Mark Linderman, Kenneth Paust, Kim Poinsett, Billy Porch and Jerome Mahaffey. Staff: John Dalton, Tom Bivens, John Schuerman, and Diane Lucas.

Special Items
Kim Poinsett introduced new board member, Mark Linderman, and the new WCTV station director, John Dalton. Three birthdays were recognized: Ken Paust, Dec. 2; Mark Linderman, Dec. 28; and Marilyn Fulton, Dec. 31st.
Tom Bivens read the resignation of Renee Doty, board secretary. Renee indicated that she felt she had accomplished her goals with the board after seven plus years of service. Her resignation was accepted by the board, and the open position will be filled.

Approval of Minutes
Board accepted the minutes of the November 15, 2005 meeting as mailed. Dave Burns moved to accept the minutes and Ed Hoffman second, minutes passed.

Treasurer’s Report
Jeff Plasterer reported that Gillam & Zetzl currently does the bookkeeping for WCTV. A line item adjustment will move funds into the appropriate fund to pay the bookkeeping charges. Willard Brown moved to accept the move with Dave Burns second. Motion passed.

Following up on last month’s suggestions, Jeff Plasterer reported that our operating reserves would earn a higher rate of interest using a Silver Eagle Account with Wayne Bank. This account is currently paying 3.91% interest. Daryl Greene moved to open a Silver Eagle Account with Dave Burns second. Motion carried.

Updated signature cards for the banks have been signed. Ed Hoffman motioned, with Daryl Green second, to accept the signature cards. Motion carried.

The monthly Treasurers Report indicates that the budget is balanced for the year. Dave Burns moved to accept the budget with Willard Brown second. Treasurers Report approved.

Board Development
Tom Bivens suggested that a Board Development Committee would evaluate current members, look at open spots to be filled, and suggest potential board members. Kim Poinsett heads up this committee with Jeff Plasterer, Daryl Greene, and Marilyn Fulton also serving.


2006 Projected Budget
Jeff Plasterer reported the proposed 2006 budget allows for staff consisting of the Director, two technical positions, and one support position of 30 hours per week. The fund raising amount is reduced to reflect a new and reduced staff and should be easily attainable. Plasterer pointed out that this budget is for a rebuilding year. Daryl Green moved to accept the budget with Dave Burns second. The budget was approved by the board.


In Other Board Discussions
Dave Burns offered food for thought. He suggested seeking volunteers for an ad task force, recommended a classical music channel for channel 21, and asking Dr. Makris for some underwriting.
Ed Hoffman suggested open membership meetings be held more frequently than once a year.
John Dalton announced a Holiday Open House at WCTV on Thursday, December 22nd from 2:00-4:00 pm. All are invited to attend.
John Schuerman indicated that the upgrades at WCTV are essentially completed with some “tweaking” left to do.
Jeff Plasterer thanked Tom Bivens for serving as Interim Director and doing an outstanding job in that capacity. Ed Hoffman moved to extend an opportunity for Tom Bivens to serve as a board member, with Jeff Plasterer second. The motion carried.


Meeting adjourned by Kim Poinsett.
Adjourn - 12:20

The Lottery

An informational letter to our local producers went out in the mail today, explaining some details about the next program lottery. Here is that letter, for those interested:

The next lottery drawing, which will guide us in scheduling programming, will take place February 13, 2006, at 12:05 p.m. in the studio of WCTV.

This letter is to inform you, our producers, about some of the several positive changes in lottery rules which have been recently adopted. These changes will help us in our efforts as we work toward the goal of all of our producers receiving a regular time slot for their program. We are also attempting to provide better times for as many programs as possible.

As they existed until recently, rules for lottery drawings were written during a time of easy placement in the WCTV schedule. We had more times available in those days due to relatively few producers wanting the available time. Now, there literally aren’t enough hours in the programming day, thanks to the large number of producers we currently enjoy.

In the past, we have been forced, in certain instances, to place some programs in somewhat undesirable time slots. Some other programs have had to be inserted as time permitted, not on a regularly scheduled basis, and at a perhaps undesirable time.

As the new rules provide, local programs originating and recorded inside Wayne County, Indiana, will be served first. This means that local programmers will be drawn first, and they will receive a set day and time for the six-month duration of the new lottery. This will enable locals to promote a weekly time and date for their program to their potential audience. Local is also now referred to as Tier One.

At this time in the new rules there should also be space for all other current programmers. Therefore, through the new lottery process, we hope and should be able to accommodate all current non-local programs with a set day and time, too. Non-local is also now referred to Tier Two. Under the new rules, maximum time for any program will be one hour (59:30 actual).

Please watch your personal postal mail for details and a sign-up form to get registered for the upcoming WCTV Channel 21 lottery drawing. The lottery procedure will allow all producers a chance to be entered in the lottery drawings. When you receive the lottery registration form in the next mailing (during the week of January 30, 2006), please complete the registration form and return it to us promptly.

The new schedule will begin the week of March 5, 2006.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of WCTV.

Sincerely,



John Oak Dalton
WCTV Station Manager



If you have questions or comments, drop me a line at jodalton@indiana.edu.

Scenery

Today I passed another deer on my way to the parking lot behind WCTV in the early morning hours. Sometimes it really strikes me--what a beautiful setting to work in, when I get a chance to look out the window.

We are prepping some information to send to our producers about the upcoming program lottery. I will reprint that information here as well, for those interested. We currently have over forty producers in Wayne County contributing regular series to our programming schedule on Channel 21. That's a good number of folks committed to community and the community's voice.

Feel free to email me at jodalton@indiana.edu.

2006

I want to wish our members, friends, and supports a prosperous--and productive--2006. We have a lot of ideas for WCTV in the coming year and I hope we see them all come to fruition.

Feel free to email me at jodalton@indiana.edu.