l0/9  CABLE TV REFORM ANNOUNCED---Every resident who wants to air a cable TV show must register by December l5th with George Malone, cable TV access coordinator. Mr. Malone will divide up the available air time among those who want to produce a program. The time slots given to cable TV producers will be for one year (January-December). Those who currently have a show will also have to register and registration will be annual. In the past I received some complaints from people who were told that there was a waiting list to produce programs. Now, we welcome everyone----even if hundreds want to produce a show. Registration forms will be available at Town Hall.

There are several problems with the above "reform".

The most significant objection is it leaves PUBLIC access television totally in control of incumbent-candidates who can dictate cable operation, to the detriment of others. The LWV-sponsored Greenburgh Campaign Reform Commission's  December 2000 recommendations, which you have not acted upon, overcome the incumbent-dominated cable access problem.  The recommendations need to be implemented if you really want to be fair to all.  You helped set up the commission and are now ignoring its recommendations.  That's not good -- for you or the town.

Second,  you do not define the amount of "available air time".  Hastings-on-Hudson has a nearly 24/7 system.  We have a 4 hour / 5 day system.  There is NO reason why we cannot have a 24/7 cable system, unless you want to continue to limit what can be shown.  Dividing up the existing time, giving each producer a few minutes, is, frankly, ridiculous.  If "hundreds want to produce a show", as you state, the amount of time allotted weekly on channel 73 would be:  100 producers = 12 minutes each;  200 producers = 6 minutes each.  The time allotted on channel 71 would be significantly less since municipal meetings take up many of the time slots.

Other unanswered questions include:
>> Why wait until December 15th to register?
>> How much studio time will be available to the 100's of producers?  What hours will the studio be open?
>> Will residents be able to fully control production/editing of their shows, as is common in other municipalities?
>> Will weekends be used for airing/taping programs?  (We know weekend programming is possible.)
>> Alfreda Williams, the town clerk, told the Greenburgh Campaign Finance Commission that she previews submitted tapes for content to ensure they are appropriate to air.  What standards are used?  Who set the standards?  Are they written?
>> Will shows produced outside the town be allowed on our town's public access channels (cutting the limited number of slots available to Greenburgh residents)?  If so, is preference given to a resident who actually produces a local show over a resident who sponsors a show produced outside the town?
>> When will registered programs actually begin airing?
>> What impartial entity decides time slots?
>> What impartial entity decides replay frequency?
>> What impartial entity handles complaints?

I fully understand cable access principles and our system's capabilities.  The above limited "reform" you recommend will not reduce the controversy regarding the town's infringement of residents' first-amendment rights by controlling their access to public access television.  Please consider comprehensive reform, such as the recommendations made by the Greenburgh Campaign Reform Commission.  Thank you.

--Francis Sheehan