Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-12-07• PEG Access Coordinating Committee Minutes June 12, 2007 3:30 PM at Mark Welch's classroom. Members attending were Karen Nelson, John Watts, Julian Ray, Mark Welch, Gary Nelson, Kitti deLong. Also attending were Carl Nomura, Albert Koval, Paul Gottlieb, Sherry Jones, and Tava Hirsch. Public Comment: Paul Gottlieb asked what could be added so that PTTV keeps its identity, not be static, and move forward in making decisions. He also added that we have a target and that we have a single direction of hiring a station manager. Tava Hirsch stated that once you loose the audience, it is hard to get it back, She also stated that the quality of productions is going down. John Watts asked if we were considering a full time manager? Discussion. In Producer's Guild Business, Karen Nelson read a Resolution by the Port Townsend Producer's Guild that states, "The Port Townsend Producer's Guild resolves that the PEG Board recommend that the City Council hire an independent station manager as soon as possible and no later than July 31, so • that the station remains viable and an essential voice for our community." "The Port Townsend Producer's Guild unanimously approved a Resolution recommending to the PEG Board that the on -air programming from Channel 47 be monitored on a daily basis to assure scheduled delivery of content. Two methods are suggested: 1. Use existing equipment to record to long playing tapes on VCR; or 2. Record to computer in compressed format and establish tab - points near the top and bottom of the hour to verify the program content that goes to air." Karen also reported that the switcher is not working properly and has frequent crashes. She stated that we need a manager full time so that things will run properly. Discussion. Strategic Planning Wrap-up: Albert Koval presented his synopsis of the two -days of strategic planning by the PEG Board (attached to May 17, 2007, PEG minutes). We want to be able to build a foundation for the future. We want to consider partnering with NGO's and Non -Profits organizations. Goals: 11 . In crafting long-range business plans, we want to be more disciplined around planning and budgeting. Comprehension and Accountability: We need to identify issues, opportunities, identify deliverables, perform due diligence, and take action. We also want to keep Stakeholders and City Council actively informed of progress and issues. High level goals for the station manager: Business Plan equals results. assist with planning and budget; document policies and procedures, transmission of information, expand viewership, help craft a new image and station identity, help make PTTV easy to use, easy to get info out to the community, be responsible for the station automation (video server, web server/internet presence), and bring issues and opportunities to the PEG Board for action/direction. During the section of the presentation where Albert Koval was discussing Distribution/Media Partners, Paul Gottlieb reported that WAVE is shutting down and now Clallam County no longer has cable service. Discussion. John Wafts left at 4:25 PM. Discussion. Paul Richmond arrived at 4:30 PM. Discussion. Katherine Baril arrived at 4:36 PM. • PTTV Organizational Goals II: We need to be in a position to take advantage of price reductions in the equipment we need as prices go down. PTTV III: Albert Koval suggested using an Amazon Associates Account as a way to bring in some funds. Financial Goals: Albert suggested that there are novel ways of increasing income, for instance, KPLU receives pledges from people in other countries. We need to look at PTTV customers from a 50,000 foot view. There may be organizations in the community that will pledge or grant funds. Karen stated that Teresa Percy suggested that we can write the cost of a video production (filming and editing) into a grant. Discussion. Paul Richmond left at 4:48 PM. Discussion. Carl Nomura left at 5:15 PM. Break 5:15 to 5:20 PM. Discussion about the various subsets of customers for PTTV. Dennis Feten arrived at 5:10 PM. 0 • Albert suggested that a way to increase viewership was by the example of Radio Bingo with prizes supplied by local merchants. Content: Karen stated that people assume that newspapers are dieing but newspapers that provide local news are the only genre that is growing. Paul Gottlieb stated that the only way that newspapers are growing are by being hyper -local. Albert Koval finished his presentation at 5:30 PM. Capital Planning Questions: Mark stated that we need a commitment and direction from the Board before we can draft a Capital Budget. We need to condense this information that Albert has presented. Goals: Albert suggested that we vote on goals, possibly by giving each member five votes. Each member can use his votes all on one goal, or vote on each of five goals. Discussion. Albert suggested using software that requires that we rank each pair of decisions. Karen stated that the Producers feel that the business of producing content is suffering as a result of not having a station manager in place. Discussion. Mark • asked what are the specifications for that position? It is very important that we know the right mix of skills and duties that are required. Karen stated there were some difficulties in recent productions, including no sound on the Vets program and on Raging Grannies, and the Pepper Spray program had a flickering image. Julian stated that the problems that we are having with sound or tape decks are symptoms of a bigger problem. The tape decks are not failing. We are having a problem with operator error. We need a professional. Discussion of the skills and abilities we need in a manager. Katherine Baril, WSU, stated it would be very rare to find all the skills and abilities we feel we need in one person. A good technical person would not normally have fund raising abilities. Katherine asked if we will be a utility of government? Are we an innovative eco -tourism? Will we be NGO grant funded? It is not possible to write grants for technical people. Katherine stated that they are skipping television and going to podcast because people are not turning on TV's. Discussion on PTTV goals and PEG Board goals. Katherine Baril stated if you hired the wrong station manager, you would be stuck with that person for three or four years. We should consider short-term contract -based employment. Discussion. Katherine stated that we really need two people: a production guy and a technical person. She stated that we could be off the air for three months, • • then when we came back on, no one would notice as long as we were really high quality. Gary Nelson stated that we need a smoother running tractor before we get the tractor to dig a hole. Our major focus should be to get the machinery to run. Mark stated that he thinks we need to have a direction in place before we buy equipment. Julian stated that it is hard to make the equipment work properly if the operator isn't professional. He suggested going to Mark's model with technical stuff being taken care of by the City IT person. He also stated that Mobilisa is costing out doing a wireless system in PT right now. Julian stated that We need to get technology up and going; 2. We need to get a collaborative person; and 3. We need to let that person be a nonprofit to produce the product they want to. Karen asked why Julian had stated that he thought we needed to hire a station manager by July 31 when he was at the Producer's Guild meeting last night? Julian stated that he does think we need to hire a station manager. • Katherine Bari] stated that when you are trying to deal with specific dates, sometimes you miss the bigger picture. Katherine Baril left at 5:45 PM. Discussion about the skills and abilities that we require in a station manager. Discussion about making PTTV a City utility. Karen stated that she feels there is miscommunication going on. Kitti made a motion to hire an interim station manager who has enough skills to run the equipment properly, but who may not have the skills that Julian has. Karen seconded. Discussion. Karen added a friendly amendment to add the term "short-term contract based employment". Discussion. Vote did not pass, with three against and two for. Julian made a motion that we table what Albert has presented until next week. Gary Nelson seconded. Discussion. Gary Nelson stated that everything is in place to have the City IT guy on board. Julian stated that we will have only another month of spotty audio and difficult picture. Vote passed unanimously. Albert Asked if it would be reasonable to advertise for a station manager's position by the end of July? Mark stated that he had no problem with hiring station management as opposed to a station manager. Discussion. Albert summarized LJ that we can tell the PT Producer's Guild that we can not actually hire by July 31, but that we can be ready to advertise for station management by July 31. It was decided that we need another meeting before Mark leaves on vacation to finish the items on today's agenda that we didn't have time to address. These matters are continued to Sunday, July 17, 2007, at 3:00 PM at Mark's Classroom. Kitti will send emails to all members. Karen left at 6:40 PM. Julian stated that we are moving from channels 47 and 48 to channels 97 and 98, which will put us in a slightly better place for us to do some graphics. We will be part of the basic cable package with Millennium. Meeting ended at 6:45 PM. 1] 0