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Reinventing PEG Access in Atlanta. TelePAC Subcommittee on Public, Educational, and Governmental Television. Subcommittee Members. Beverly Molander Earl Johannaber Hans Klein (Chair). Report: 3 Parts. Recommendations PEG in general “the PEG model” PEG in Atlanta. Some Caveats.
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Reinventing PEG Access in Atlanta TelePAC Subcommittee on Public, Educational, and Governmental Television
Subcommittee Members • Beverly Molander • Earl Johannaber • Hans Klein (Chair)
Report: 3 Parts • Recommendations • PEG in general • “the PEG model” • PEG in Atlanta
Some Caveats • A surprisingly complex system • Many organizations • Long history • Complex interactions (conflict) • Federal and local regulation • New technology • Study had limited resources • Time • Thinking has evolved • Research continued past June • Our recommendations • Suggestive, not definitive
Our Focus • Most focus • People TV (24) • City Channel (26) • Some focus: • Clark-Atlanta TV (23) • APS (22) • Fire Channel (25) • Also: • Atlanta Community Technology Centers (ACTI/“Cyber Centers”) • People TV is the most complex entity
For Each Entity • Assessment • How is it doing • Improvement? • What can it do better • Technology? • Opportunities in the digital revolution
City Channel • Assessment • Performing its mission well • Improvements? • Needs a program guide • Technology? • City Channel is at the cutting edge of innovation. • It is pioneering the use of digital technology • web archives of City Council meetings • On the web, it has a “programming guide” • List of archives • Atlanta is a national leader • Quiet innovation
Clark-Atlanta Television • Assessment • Seems to be performing its mission well • Improvements? • Needs a program guide • Has an on-line program guide, but • Out of date (lists college lectures) • Actual programming is quite different • e.g. NAACP leadership conference, not “earth sciences” • (actual programming seems more relevant to community) • Technology? • No assessment
APS • Assessment • Improvement? • Needs a program guide • Technology?
Fire Channel • In flux • Channel to be reassigned? • Do not know current plans • (Plans are not known) • This resource is currently in play • Opportunity for innovation?
ACTI • Impressive program • Ambitious • Reported many achievements • Now ended • Lacked sustainable model • One-time infusion of funds • Regrettable loss of momentum • Continuity? • Atlanta Workforce Development program • Little information on the WWW • Needs a “program guide”
People TV: Assessment • Public access television model is aging • Goals still relevant • Local democracy • But other community media work better • WWW • Email • Local examples • Beltline debate • Recycling news and education • Panhandling debate • Parking deck debate
Assessment: Who Benefits from People TV? • Producers • The public? • Community groups? • Or a few individuals? • A “video club”? • Using non-digital technology • Viewers • Needs a program guide
People TV: Improvement? • Implement existing commitments • Newsletter, program guide, advertisements • But: • Better implementation of aging model is not the solution • Fundamentally, the model needs to be updated • Shift to the new community media • From analog video • To the Internet
People TV: Technology? • What role for public access television? • The Internet-based community media is already thriving • What role for publicly-funded entity? • Reinvent People TV • Huge need for training • Digital video • Web page • Email • Access to equipment • People can buy their own, but some need access • Free bandwidth • Equivalent of a cable TV channel
City Council • Enforce existing obligations (PTV) • Program guide, newsletter • Diffuse best practice • City Channel helps other stations • When renewing cable franchise • Obtain bandwidth • Open up system governance (PTV) • Viewers and producers on board
All PEG Stations • Coordinating Committee • Promote new ideas • Innovation-supportive environment • Develop expertise in new media • “human capital” • Use the new media • On-line program guide, newsletter
People TV • People TV’s biggest asset • Its public funding • Challenge: • Reinvent itself for today’s world • A thriving community media exists • But not based on cable television • Seek a way to contribute • Creative thinking needed
Process, Not Product • There is no easy “solution” • But there is tremendous opportunity • Promote a process for • Learning • Encouraging innovation • Mutual assistance • Risk taking