Wanted: Someone to run local cable access
Comcast offers funds, hands over the reins
As Revere prepares to take over its local cable operation, members of the new cable access committee - and the mayor - do not expect to meet the June 1 deadline.
"Comcast wants out of the studio business," Ambrosino said. "There are a lot of restrictions. I would expect a transition period of six months after June 1."
While a Comcast spokesman would not confirm whether the company asked Revere to assume responsibility for its local access programming, the agreement reflects recent contract renewals between the company and other communities such as Newburyport, Peabody, and Saugus. Each of those communities formed a nonprofit organization, with funds from Comcast to operate cable access.
The transfer of operations is better for the communities because "it returns access television to its rightful owners, the community and its residents," said Comcast spokesman Marc Goodman. "More communities are making the choice to transition to the access corporation model so they have more control."
Comcast provides funding to communities taking over their own access operations, "based on each community's cable-related needs," Goodman said. Revere Comcast customers will continue to be charged a franchise fee that will support the local access operation, Goodman said.
Ambrosino said the company is prepared to give the city $375,000 for initial capital and equipment, and $300,000 for the annual operating cost for the duration of the 10-year contract. In a January letter to the City Council, Ambrosino expressed frustration ov er negotiations with Comcast, saying that, "although the city preferred to avoid this transfer of studio control, Comcast was adamant." Ambrosino said he has tried to court competitor
In Peabody, the local access transition took several months to be completed and there were some glitches along the way, said Mayor Michael J. Bonfanti. The city had to find a new studio, hire full- and part-time staff, and set up a board of directors, among other things. The nonprofit Peabody Access Telecommunications Inc. has been up and running for a year now, in what Bonfanti calls "a very successful, modern, state-of-the-art facility."
Peabody City Clerk Tim Spanos, also chairman of Peabody Access Telecommunications, said Peabody, like Revere, started at ground level, with nothing. After the board of directors was formed, members began the process of creating bylaws and finding an architect to build the studio. His advice for Revere would be to quickly get started on establishing a nonprofit status because that can be time-consuming, then find a location for a studio and make sure that a production engineer is working with the studio architect for the proper placement of outlets and equipment.
"I would just embrace it because it's a great thing," Spanos said. "They should probably talk to other cable studios that are up and running. What would they do differently? What are the do's and don'ts?"
A year into Peabody's operation, that public access group's executive director formed a collaborative with other cable studios nearby to brainstorm and share ideas, Spanos said. The studio is scheduled to hold its first membership meeting in May.
Saugus recently completed its transition after renewing its Comcast contract a year ago and is preparing to move the studio to the high school, said Ted Golan, a member of the town's Cable Television Commission. While he is not sure the town should have responsibility for its local access, Golan said he is glad the studio is moving to the high school so it can be used as an educational tool for the students.
Revere City Councilor George Rotondo said he would like Revere's operation to one day mirror the professional-level productions in Cambridge and Somerville and to include more cultural and health education programming.
Craig Costanza, a member of the cable access committee, said he expects the process to be difficult, "because a lot of us are in an area we're unfamiliar with." The committee is working on the bylaws and is scheduled to elect a board of directors soon after the bylaws are completed.
"We're at a very, very beginning stage," Costanza said. "In one respect, I could see where it would be better for us as a community to run our own [studio], but that depends on community involvement as well. We have a lot of talent coming out of here, and they can put it to good use."
By June 1, Costanza said he expects to have the board of directors in place, but "I don't see us getting much further."
Katheleen Conti can be reached at kconti@globe.com
