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Mendham TV-25
Improve local communication while enhancing our sense of community with no tax funding
Provide background on:
____ The Community's communication needs
.................Local Cable TV____ Jersey Access Group (JAG)
.................Mendham/Cable TV sub-committee approach
Gain Approval to advance Mendham TV
.................Mission/goals/policies
.................Location/equipment
.................Programming approach
.................Labor/Community Involvement
.................Budget____ no tax monies
____ Align on timeline
Background
____ Community communication needs
• Shadow of NY media world
____ Local radio broadcasts over three counties
____ Local weekly newspaper covers six other communities
• Annual Brochure, semi-annual newsletter and website helping, but further needs identified by:
____ Recreation Commission____ updates, programs, recognition
____ Board of Education____ announcements, programs, events
____ Emergency Services____ announcements
____ Community Groups____ sense of pride, event coverage
• Local Access Cable TV
• An ideal medium for the community
____ Nearly 100% wired
____ Real-time communication
____ Easy on/off with site, sound
• Channel 25 reserved for municipalities
____ Funding provided for in 2002 cable contract
____ Patriot Cable support ____ versus Satellite
• A proven medium in other communities
-Nearly 100 in NJ
____ Bernardsville, Summit, Millburn, Princeton, etc.
____ Jersey Access Group (JAG) support
____ Approach
• Initiated efforts October 2002 with High School
• Cable Agreement signed around same time
• In 2004, formed sub-committee with Mayoral blessing
.................Recreation
.................Township administration
.................Fire/first aid
.................Schools/Board of Education
.................Students
.................Met over eight months, conducted online research, visited/spoke with other local access stations and engaged a part-time consultant to:
• Gather information
• Develop mission/goals/policies
• Research location/equipment options
• Create phased programming model
• Understand labor needs and find labor/ volunteer groups
• Draft a working budget
Mission/Goals/Policies
Mission____ The mission of Mendham TV-25 Public Access Cable Television is to disseminate information to the broadest spectrum of our local community. The programming will highlight achievement and interest of community groups, student and educational programs, local government, cultural affairs that are brought forward by local citizens and other programming of interest to our community. This service will help connect the community through the participation of residents, by providing current information and schedules, offering a window into local life and culture, and by documenting events and activities that will serve as historical archives of our times and our people. In addition, as a by-product of its mission, TV-25 will also provide a creative and developmental outlets for residents and students.
Goals -- To provide relevant community information, education and entertainment on a 24/7 basis while promoting community involvement without the use of tax funds.
• Operating Statement
Mendham TV-25 will produce and air programming to inform, educate and entertain the community. The station will serve as a 24/7 provider of approved messages as well as emergency service notifications, similar to the township's website. TV-25 is a non-political outlet that will seek to provide a balanced view on issues of relevance to the community. The station will air locally-produced programs as well as those of interest from other JAG stations.
The TV-25 start-up will be funded by monies from the community's cable agreement with its local provider while fund-raising and sponsorships will provide on-going operating costs.
Mendham TV-25 will not broadcast material deemed inappropriate to its community mission. This includes, but is not limited to, productions of violent or sexually-explicit materials, obscene language, or tapes commercial in nature for profit-making enterprises. The Mendham TV-25 steering committee reserves the right to accept or deny production or programming requests. Untrained personnel will not be permitted to operate any Mendham TV-25 equipment.
Governance
In keeping with the Mission of Mendham TV-25, we propose that a Steering Committee be appointed to oversee start-up and operations. The Steering Committee will serve as a subcommittee of the Recreatipn Commission until such time that a separate entity is formed. The Steering Committee shall include:
................. The township administrator
................. A representative from the governing body
................. Four to six voting members of the community with an interest in Mendham TV, plus alternates as deemed necessary by the Steering Committee
................. Students demonstrating interest in the mission
Voting members shall show an interest in the mission and be approved by their local government. At least one member shall be from the Recreation Commission as long as the Steering Committee operates as a subcommittee of that Commission. Ideally, other local organizations-emergency services, fire/first aid- should be represented as well.
The Steering Committee shall meet on a regular basis (monthly during start-up and then at least quarterly). Electronic communication will be more frequent. A summary of meeting agreements and next steps will be maintained.
Subject to elected government oversight, the Steering Committee shall lead efforts, within budget and the spirit of the mission, to:
Gather relevant community and cable information, maintaining membership in relevant organizations Purchase and maintain equipment for station use at an appropriate local location, funded at least in part by the Cable-provider contract
Establish the master program schedule and enforce the operating standards
Set and maintain a budget and fund-raising/sponsorship efforts to minimize costs to taxpayers while managing the cable provider contributions
Expand services to include additional organizations and communities • Appoint people to positions to deliver the above
Review progress and make adjustments as it deems appropriate
Location/Equipment
Location
- Needs; availability, accessibility, security, location, space (10x10)
- Recommendations: after reviewing several options, the Mendham TV sub-committee recommends using the old Ralston Firehouse lower level
Immediately available and usable for bulletin board
Secure entry
Main street location
More than adequate space
No other current use, but could also be used for the meeting space
Will require upgrading for studio ($TBD) as part of Phase two
Per Patriot, allows for turnkey connection to the cable system.
Equipment
- Needs: to be phased
• Phase 1: Bulletin board -- key first step: digital, easy
to use, connectable, control panel, remote access (for emergencies), $10k range, local contact
• Phase 2: Editing Machine -- easy to use, cost, connectable
____ Mobile Camera____ digital, easy to use, quality, cost
• Phase 3: Studio Cameras -- higher quality, easy to use, digital, tripods
.................Recommendations: after reviewing multiple options, and consulting with Patriot cable, other stations, the subcommittee
• has narrowed its choices for a bulletin board, with a final recommendation due to the Township Committee by mid-May,
• Request approval to purchase from cable funds.
.................Coordinate with other organizations to purchase additional phases.
Programming
Need -- provide information, education, entertainment via bulletin board, coverage of events, on-going productions (programs and event coverage) and accessing other cable programs
Recommendation -- program 24x7
................. Phase l-Updates
• Bulletin board, updated 2x per week
.................Background, music, emergency interruption via secure codes
• Audio for A.M.
• Add JAG -- approved programs from other communities
................. Phase II -- Event Coverage
• Sports, events, parades, plays -- live and edited coverage
• Live/multi-camera coverage
................. Phase III -- Produced Programs
• Interest groups
• Hot topics-balanced coverage
• Monthly Programs
Tell us what you think
www.mctv.com
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