Public Access TV on the chopping block in Washington County

The Metropolitan Area Communications Commision (MACC) announced a proposal to cut back public access TV in Washington County (TVCTV) from two full production studios and control rooms to one tiny studio the size of a walk-in closet with a single camera remotely controlled by the on-air host. Hours would be restricted to week days during working hours, live shows would be eliminated, editing would not be available. Equipment checkout for field productions would be restricted to government use, as would all editing systems. All training would be dropped. Productions like most of those you see on channels 21 and 23 would not be possible.

In spite of this cutback, the fees you pay as a cable subscriber would not be reduced. You would continue to pay the five percent franchise fee and the dollar-a-month “PEG/PCN Access” fee itemized on your bill, but the money would now be diverted to government controlled productions that would be expanded under the proposal, and to the general funds of the 14 towns, cities, and unincorporated Washington County who make up the membership of MACC.

Public Access producers and the crews who make the shows are unpaid volunteers yet provide viewers with important information you will not see on the commercial channels and with views that might be at variance with “official” views.

MACC staff claims that they can't afford to maintain the service at its present level, though they are expanding the government part of the service, which will require maintaining a full studio and editing facilities and the staff to operate it. MACC will also maintain the field production truck, a studio on wheels, and a variety of field TV equipment, but none of this would be available to the public.

The present studio space within the Beaverton Arts and Communication Magnet Academy (ACMA) will be lost if the Beaverton School District refuses to renew the lease agreement with MACC, requiring MACC to find new space. MACC says this is the “triggering event” though operating cost is said to be the major factor.

Producers were notified of this proposal on August 12 only four weeks before the September 9 meeting at which the commission members were to vote. Producers wonder why the short notice since MACC is said to have known about the looming funding issue as much as five years ago.

In spite of being held on a workday afternoon, the September 9 meeting was well attended by producers, program hosts, and viewers. After their testimony, the commission members determined they didn't fully understand the proposal and postponed the final vote to a special meeting on Thursday, October 28 at 1:30 pm, location to be determined.

MACC is made up of 14 representatives, one from each of 14 member jurisdictions in the Comcast and Verizon franchise areas in Washington County. Each member has one vote regardless of the size of the community they represent. For example, Rivergrove with a population of 350 has the same one vote as the unincorporated county with over 200,000. Assistant County Administrator Rod Massar usually represents the county on MACC. Massar can be reached at 503-846-8685, email Rob_Massar@co.washington.or.us.

More information can be found on the website http://www.saveTVCTV.org. A list of members with phone numbers and e-mail addresses can be found on this website.