Government access TV comes of age

VHS tapes used to record meetings by OGAT in neighboring community of Orange

By Sheila McCreven-Helfenbein, Correspondent
Orange Bulletin August 16, 2001 edition

Imagine if every resident could attend every town meeting, gavel to gavel all year round. To some this may sound like information overload! But if it didn't require anything more than the simple click of a remote control – from the comfort of one's own living room – how many would avail themselves of this dynamic source of information?

If the experience of Orange is any indication, actual attendance at town meetings might increase, as citizens become more aware of local issues and their own power to impact the governmental process.

Beginning just a few weeks ago, the town of Woodbridge made its first foray into the government access arena when its own channel 73 began cablecasting a community bulletin board service.

Under the federal Cable Communications Act of 1984, cable companies began to make available a government access channel for each town in their service area, funded by a surcharge on every cable customers' monthly bill. Our local communities have availed themselves of these channels to varying degrees.

The town of Orange has had its own government access cable channel since 1999. Run by Orange Government Access Television (OGAT), channel 73 plays tapes of town meetings and events. It even cablecasts live Board of Selectmen meetings from town hall each month. OGAT's programming can be seen by anyone in the town of Orange who subscribes to basic cable service.

*Page 8 of the 8-16-2001 edition of the Orange Bulletin*

Begun on a shoestring budget three years ago, OGAT has grown in influence and enjoys great popularity in Orange. OGAT Coordinator Ron Davis, who began by volunteering his time to set up operations, now works part-time for the town of Orange and manages the operation of the 24-hour a day/7 days a week programming OGAT produces and cablecasts from town hall.

Recent OGAT offerings have included: gavel to gavel coverage of every town board and commission meeting; Amity Board of Education meetings, including their Ad Hoc Facilities Expansion meetings this past winter; Memorial Day ceremony and parade; Orange Police Department awards ceremony; Gazebo concerts; and a local Eagle Scout awards ceremony.

In Bethany, residents can see certain town meetings and events on cable channel 10 as part of their cable service provider TeleMedia's government access offering. Gail W. Catlin, Public Access Coordinator for TeleMedia, receives items for the community bulletin board service, which runs on channel 10 when taped meetings and events are not playing. Information on church functions, community tag sales, fire department-sponsored events, and various town hall happenings are included.

Beginning just a few weeks ago, the town of Woodbridge made its first foray into the government access arena when its own channel 73 began cablecasting a community bulletin board service. Set up in town hall with the help of OGAT's Ron Davis, the service presently consists of a scrolling list of meeting dates, times and locations.

First Selectman Amey Marrella hopes to expand the offerings on channel 73 soon. As a first step, Marrella proposed to the Woodbridge Board of Selectmen (BOS) at their August 8th meeting that a Government TV Oversight Committee be appointed to draft regulations for transmission of material over the Woodbridge Government Channel. This committee expects to consult with OGAT and prepare a recommendation to the BOS for action at their September 19th meeting.