Do You Want Public Access Television in Tacoma?
A discussion is beginning to emerge in Tacoma’s media and arts circles about bringing public access television here. Of course, we already have TV Tacoma (link here) which features a variety of community-oriented programming (Across the Fence, Behind the Shield, Business Matters, City Line, City Scape, Inside Tacoma, etc.), but there is a fundamental difference between these civic functions and the artistic possibilities of Public Access TV.
Elliot Trotter has written about the evolution of the Tacoma Public Access Television dialog at his website TheMelonOnline. The concept has been promoted by Robert Hill for quite some time, but seems to be gaining a bit of traction at last. He even received a supportive e-mail from the manager of Thurston County community television, which was addressed to Council Member David Boe (with whom Hill has already spoken about the idea):
Dear Councilmember Boe,
If you are on the fence about whether or not to start working toward a public access center in Tacoma just take a look at Olympia’s public access network. Your humble neighbor to the south is producing live karaoke and dance programs, faith programs, social justice programs, candidate forums, parade coverage, beauty contests, mental health programs, etc. etc. The list goes on and on. Your city could benefit from such a rich local television diet.
If you are wondering if the demand is there consider as soon as we opened our membership to people outside of Thurston county we had a flood of Pierce county residents going through our training program. I encourage you to speak in favor of a public access channel the next time the cable franchise is being negotiated. I also encourage you to talk with click about the possibility of them providing one.
To learn more about TCTV in Olympia go to our website, www.tctv.net
Robert Kam
Public Access Manager
TCTV – Thurston Community Television
Mr. Trotter and our friend, R.R. Anderson have expressed their support for the idea. What do you think? Is there a place for Public Access Television in Tacoma? What kind of programming would you envision? What are the funding possibilities?
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Filed under: General
13 comments
R RR Anderson October 18, 2010
if we want to pretend to be a real city, parting meters are alright… but pubic access Tee Vee channel is the best of all time.
T Thorax O'Tool October 18, 2010
Yet as we discuss this, Seattle City council plans to slash the budget of SCAN from $650,000 to $100,000 per year. Also worth noting, the budget intends to use $400,000 of the money cut from SCAN to pay for email upgrades. Yup, that’s some “better use” of the funds all right.
So why mention this? Because if one of the most liberal and progressive cities in the country is planning on killing it’s public access, what reason is there to think that Tacoma wouldn’t do the same in the upcoming 2012 budget?
T tom waits October 18, 2010
Oh, I totally want. I mean, our diligent local nutty celebrities need an appropriate outlet for their views. Currently they are confined to inappropriate outlets like City Council and other public meetings.
Maybe some good can come of it too – perhaps we’ll get our own very strange naked girl reading strange poetry and doing interpretive dance in the middle of the night.
R Rob October 18, 2010
I guess another logical question to ask is whether, in the day and age of FaceBook and YouTube and a host of other solutions available already for anyone to use on the Internet, is public access TV the best community-building bang for the buck?
R RR Anderson October 18, 2010
Why go to the moon when you can just look at a picture of it?
E Erik B. October 18, 2010
It would be a great idea and bring much needed life to the creative energy in the city.
T Thorax O'Tool October 18, 2010
I think PA would be great, I’m just afraid the brilliant minds of the City Council will pull the plug in no time flat once the budget falls short of revenue.
But then again, if the City of Tacoma got in contact with the soon-to-be-shelved-by-Seattle SCAN and talked numbers, maybe something good for everyone could happen?
T Trashtown October 19, 2010
YES! It would be awesome to have a Soul Train type show with local bands and kids showing off their best dance moves and wild clothes!
S Squid October 20, 2010
I would totally tivo the Traveller’s show.
P PointDexter October 20, 2010
I.would.watch.Tacoma.Soul.Train.if.it.was.just.black.people.
T Tacoma Fan October 20, 2010
We already have it with no cost to Taxpayers. Just go to YouTube and type in Tacoma.
R RR Anderson October 20, 2010
is not the same thing. YOUTUBE you’re seeing folks on one side of the digital divide. our TEE VEE airwaves belong TO THE PEOPLE not corporations, not governments THE PEOPLE damn it ALL the people!
E Electric Elliot October 21, 2010
@Tacoma Fan,
What you’d missing is the educational opportunities of having a station with equipment that students, and people young and old can learn on to express themselves creatively. This is more than about making silly or informative videos it’s about education and art.
Education = A better economy.