Community Television Network and Public Access in Ann Arbor

CommunityTelevisionNetworkandPublicAccessinAnnArbor

30December2008MatthewHampel(hampelm@umich.edu)Thisreportisalsoavailableathttp://matth.org/ctn.Responsestothisreportsenttotheauthormaybepostedonline.

Abstract

CommunityTelevisionNetworkbroadcastspublic,educational,andgovernmentalprogrammingtoAnnArborresidentsviacableTV.Itscurrentfunctions,whichincludeprovidingmediatoolsandeducationtoresidentsandbroadcastingcivicinformation,providethecommunitywithrelevantandimportantinformation.TheNetworkfaceschallengescenteredaroundchangesinthenatureofmediaconsumptionandproduction.Thisreportrecommendsanumberofpolicyandinstitutionalgoalsthatcouldhelptheorganizationadapttothesechanges,includinganincreasedfocusonconsumer‐leveldigitalequipment,onlinedistribution,andpublicguidance.

1/28Revision1.01

AbouttheAuthor

MatthewHampelisastudentattheUniversityofMichigan.Hisresearchinterestsfocusaroundproblemsofinformationsharingandtheroleofdigitaltechnologies,withaspecialfocusoncivicinformation.HemanagesArborwiki.org,avolunteer‐createdcollectionofinformationaboutAnnArborandotherplacesinWashtenawCounty.

Disclosure

TheauthorhasperformedcontractworkforJohnHieftje,MayofAnnArbor(‐present)andRonSuarez,whoservedastheCityCouncilrepresentativetotheCableCommunicationsCommission.TheAnnArborDistrictLibraryhostsArborwiki,anonlinecivicprojectthattheauthormanages.ThehostingwasarrangedbyEliNeiburger.

Changes

Revision1.02-30December -

Publicreleaseinformationadded

Revision1.02-19December -

CombinedrecommendationtodissolveCableCommunicationsCommissionwith‐MinortyposXixed

Revision1.01-19December

‐Minoreditsforstyle‐Additionstocopyrightdiscussion

Revision1-5December2008

2/28Revision1.02

Summary

AnnArbor’sCommunityTelevisionNetwork(CTN)isacity‐runorganizationthatprovidespublic,educational,andgovernmentalprogrammingtotheAnnArborarea.Itoperatesfourcablechannelsthatprovideinformationservingseverallocalneeds:channel16,Government,broadcastinglocalgovernment&civicmeetings;PublicAccess(17),withmaterialsfromanycitizenornon‐proXitoperatinginAnnArbor;Education(18),informationalprogramming;andCitiTV(19),billedasapresenceforlocalnewsandentertainment.RunoutoftheCity’sCommunicationsOfXice,CTN’smissionisto“buildcommunitythroughmedia.”TheCableCommunicationsCommission,aformaladvisorybody,meetsmonthlytodiscussissuesrelatedtoCTNandlocalcableTV.TheCommunityTelevisionNetworkproducesvaluableprogramsthatserveimportantcommunityinterests.Asaneducationalorganization,ithastop‐notchmediaproductionexperts,high‐qualityvideoequipment,andasetoftelevisionproductiontrainingprogramsthatareaccessibletothegeneralpublic.Asastewardofthepublicrecord,itdocumentsanimpressivenumberoflocalgovernmentmeetings.Inthelastdecade,anumberofsocialandtechnicalchangeshaveconvergedtopresentachallengeofdistributionforCTNandtheCableCommission.ThefundingmodelofCommunityAccessTelevisionandregulatorypowersofmunicipalitiesacrossMichiganhavebeenoverthrownbytheStatelegislature.ThenatureofmediaconsumptionandproductionhaschangedsigniXicantlysincethelate1990s.Whiletheciviccontentandeducationalthemestheorganizationpromotesremainrelevanttothecommunity,severalfactorshavepreventedtheorganizationfromadapting,andCTNhasnolong‐rangeplanorclearlyarticulatedshort‐termgoals.Toensurethecontinuedcirculationoflocalnews,productionofimportantcivicrecords,andmediaeducation,severalchangestothedistributionandmediaaccessprogramsofCTNarerecommended:

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PromotecommunityusesofCTNmediabycreatingafull-featuredonlinevideodistributionsystem.

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Usethird-partyvideoprovidersasprecisiontools,notasgenericvideodistributionsystems.

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Releasemediaunderalessrestrictivelicense.

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Exploreprovidinglower-qualityconsumerhardwaretoengageawiderpopulationofmediacreators.• Workwithlocaleducationalinstitutionstoproduceaseriesofshort,creativeclassesthatintroducenewmediaconcepts.

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Carefullyinvestigatethefuturerolesofbroadcasttelevision.