Community Media Review, Vol. 15, No. 3, May 1992

20 Pages·1992·11.9 MB·

WANTED!
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PRODUCERS FOR 1
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For more information call or w.r..i"te : community producers, call us at 1-800-369-6874, or visit us
"GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES
at the NFLCP national convention July 16-18.
ATTENTION MAGGIE LEE
4801 WEST PETERSON AVE SUITE 500
CHICAGO, IT. 60646
[phone] -
-
Winner of National Education Film and Video Festival Silver Apple RESPONSE TELEVISION CORPORATION
ACE Award Nominee
Technology Innovation Center, Suite 203
Intercom Video Festival Gold Plaaue Award
Oakdale, Iowa 52319
'Hilda
USA The national Catholic association
of broadcasters and communicators
J u
Honoring radio and television programs that enrich their audiences
through a values-centered vision of humanity.
Program Categories:
Entertainment The Arts News an-d Information Religion -
Commun.it y Awa-r eness Campaigns Children's Programming
Features PSAs Stations of the Year Awards Personal
Achievement Award
For Information and/or Entry Forms call:
National Office [phone]
To Enter.. Send Tapes, Forms & Fees to:
Gabriel Awards, Unda-USA,
4400 Shakertown Road, Dayton, Ohio 45430-1075
'
TABLE OF CONTENTS
:olumns
IT Andrew Lewis, Executive Director 1
IA ndrew Blau, Chairperson 3
Karen Helmerson, International Chair 4
5
Carl Kucharski, Public Policy Chair
MayIJune
Connections
OR EDITORIAL BOAF" Hometown USA update, video festivals, progressive media 3
Dirk Koning, Chair
Rick Hayes, Information Services Ct Independents, Media Artists & Access
Lynn Carrillo, Tom Karwin, IA Guide for Independent Producers Using Access - Heidi Mau 6
Heidi Mau, Martha Schmidt
Jim Skelly IA CTV and the Wexner Center for the Arts - Heidi Mau 7
TORSIN-CHIEFTHIS ISSUE - 8
red fohnson, Heidi Mau Ij umping Into the Frame Chris Hill
MANAGING EDITOR IA cknowledging the Conflict - Fredjohnson 10
Tim Goodwin
OPERATIONS IP eriodicals/Newsletters of Interest 11- 1 2
je Fitzgerald, John Haafke
13-1 6
Hometown USA Video Festival Finalists
IFLCP STAFF
T. Andrew Lewis, Executive Director 1 Cover Photo ofMedia/Rap Anid Robert5 bylohn Haofke ...
Shirley A. Carter, Office Manager
One Drum, Man-y Drummers
NFLCP BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1
Andrew Blau, Chair T h e r ew ere the Hatfields and the McCoys, the blue and the gray, the
Fernando Moreno, Vice Chair liladelphia "Eagles" and the Washington "To Be Renamed, the
Sam Behrend, Treasurer ste greats and the less fillings and, of course, the independent pro-
Judy Crandall, Secretary ducers and the access people.
iry Benin-Cardona, Ron Cooper, I recall my introduction to the "dichotomies" between independents and
Brian Girtman, Rick Hayes, access. Professional versus volunteer. Quality versus quantity. Financial
Karen Helmerson, James Horwood, gain versus non-commercialism. They did not seem to he the source of
Cart Kucharski, Julie Omelchuck, insurmountable doom to me then, and even less threatening now. Must
Kan Peterson, Paula Manley, these issues impede a truce? Must independent productions be technically
Sharon Mooney, Anthony Riddle, flawless? Probably not. Must access productions be technically flawed to be
Dorothy Thigpen, Mark Sindler, genuine? Ridiculous. Will technical quality increase access viewership?
aMonte Ward, Rika Welsh, David Vogel Maybe. Do independent producers increase diversity of expression within the media? Yes. Can we
!am to expand the potential of access through a reworkine of some of our rules and regulations?
munlty Television Review is published lithout doubt. ~ightth e work of independents expand the audience for all alternative media?
ui-nionthly by the National Federation of Local Certainly. Does the passion of access hold some nuggets to be learned by the independent? Surely.
Cable Programmers. Subscriptions available at
Should we continue to translate our differences into a language of common approach? Absolutely!
$15 a year for six issues. Send subscriptions, will
'hat is what the editors have set about doing here. You be introduced tothe artistry, politics,
memberships, address changes and inquiries to:
ccomplishments and travails of the independent media producer. We don't ignore the historic con-
NFLCP, 666 11th Street NW, Suite 806,
Washington, D.C. 20001-4542. Telephone (202) .ems, but place them in a context in which, rather than fighting words, they can become terms of
393-2650 Fax [phone]. respected differences that form the basis for a working merger along a broader common ground.
We are set to gather in St. Paul for our 1992 National Convention. Our focus there will he Telling
Please address your editorial and advertising
inquiries to: Community Television Review, Iur Stories: One Drum, Many Drummers. That single drum of human communication can begin to
15 lonia SW, Suite 201, Grand Rapids, MI 49503- ibrate now with the many stories and diverse drummers represented here by the Joining of access
411 3. Phone [phone]. Fax [phone]. nd our close colleagues, the independent producers. Come share the experience with us in this
me.
Bulk orders for additional copies are considered
on d case-by-case basis. Contac -I, AndrewLewis, ExecutiveDirector
officef or rates and delivery.
01992 by the National Feder Special thanks to the followingaccesscentersf or underwritingthe cost of
Cable Programmers, Inc. Non-profit organiza. additionalcopiesofthis issuef or the 1992National Convention.
tions may reprint items from CTR (with excep.
. .
Quote. Unquote, Inc.
Rihlic Access tn'le1evi'iion
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO COLUMBUS, OHIO
Crunch numbers in seconds instead of hours since
you have better things to do, like inspire access,
ARCHITECTURE
EXPERT TECHNICAL FACILITY DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
Online support for reports, equipment use, Television production
Post-production
channel scheduling, marketing, and more. Broadcast facilities & offices
Partal Client List:
Fairfax Cable Access CorDoration
See us at the NFLCP Convention.
Foxborn Access Channel '
-sà Contact us for more details. 4 Be Monitor Chamel
Fox Television
Metalogue, Inc. For information contact:
Brace Lawson, AIA
703.273.9003
4919 Btthesda Avenue
Betheah, Maryland 20814
3405 Park Hill Place Fairfax VA 22030
3011654-1600
A symposium on critical media "interventions" by African-Americans, Appalachians,
avant-garddperformance artists, feminists, gays and lesbians, independent producers,
labor activists, Native Americans, public access activists, scholars, and other groups
challenging the conservative domination of mainstream media. The symposium will
explore strategies for creating a diverse and tolerant democratic society through
critical media education and practices.
presented by
f a a t u r l n g :
> J Biderman, award-winning video artist and writer, stand-up theorist, professor of television production at Hampshire College.
Works include Joan Does Dynasty, No More Nice Girls, 30-Second SpoUReconsidered, Tell Them For Us: MADRE in Nicaragua, and
Natalie Didn't Drown: Joan Braderman Reads the National Enquirer.
> Doug Kellner, professor of Philosophy at University of Texas. Author of Television and the Crisis of Democracy, Camera Politics, and
numerous other works co-producer of "Alternative Views,"Austin Community Television.
MWG invites proposals from media activists, artists, and scholars for panels, performances, screenings, and other forms of participation
in the symposium. To submit proposals [or for more information), contact Nyoka Hawkim ISymposium Coordinatorl, 445 Brislol Road,
Lexington, KV 40502 (6061 266-6374.
Symposium registration: $45 [scholarships available). To register, send name, address, telephone number, and registration fee to Sym-
posium Coordinator at above address. Accommodations for participants available at the Vernon Manor Hotel, 400 Oak Street, Cincinnati,
Ohio 4521 9 1513 1 281 -3300 or toll free 1-800-543-3999.
Hometown USA Video Festiv-' new works by independent artists,
Announces Finalists hands-on workshops for children
The NFLCP's Hometown UL. and educators, screenings of
Video Festival, cable television's ground-breaking work by televi-
largest award competition honor- announced and receive their the lives of historically sit sion's pioneers, and demonstra-
ing locally produced programs, awards July 16 at a ceremony dur- cant Americans and requires the tions of the latest technologies that
received nearly 2,100 entries this ing the NFLCP's 1992 National collaboration of scholars in the are expanding the possibilities of
year. Convention in Minneapolis-St. humanities with experienced wit- video and electronic media for all
Germantown, Tennessee -with Paul, Minnesota. A complete list of ers, producers, and directors. independent artists.
all of its entries submitted by the Hometown USA finalists begins on Application deadline is Septem- Video categories include general
Germantown High School's "GHS- page 13 of this issue. ber 11. For more information, con- programming (with no thematic or
TV" - has 15 finalists, the highest tact James Dougherty, Division of content restrictions); works by
1992 Cabrlel Awards
total from any city. The other cities Public Programs, National Endow- Texas residents; and works pro-
Unda USA, the National Catholic
in the top ten are: Sacramento, CA ment for the Humanities, Rm 420, duced using an Amiga computer.
Association of Broadcasters and
(14); Centerrille, OH (11); Clear- Washington, DC 20506, or call Deadline for entries is August 17.
Communicators, is requesting
water, FL (11); Washington, DC [phone]. For details and entry forms, con-
entries for its 1992 Gabriel Awards
(10); Tucson, A2 (9); Arlington, VA tact the Dallas Video Festival at
honoring "radio and television NBPC Video/Film Competition
(8); Gresham, OR (8); Vancouver, 215A Henry Street, Dallas, TX
programs that enrich their audi- The National Black Program-
BC (8); and Don Mills, Ontario (7). 75226 or call [phone].
ences through a values-centered ming Consortium has announced a
The total of 449 finalists repre-
vision of humanity." call for entries to its annual Prized Progressive Media Sought
sent 198 cities in 35 states and
Program categories are enter- Pieces International VideoIFilm The issue of how to attract and
three Canadian provinces. Entries
tainment, the arts, news and infor- Competition, showcasing the keep people as listeners and view-
from California earned the largest
mation, religion, community videolfilm achievements of stu- ers has become a growing focus for
number of finalists with 72, pro-
awareness campaigns, children's dents, independent filmmakers, progressive electronic media. At
duced in 31 different cities. programming, features, PSAs, sta- and others. Prized Pieces features the same time, progressive media
Massachusetts was the second- tions of the year awards, and per- Blacks in roles whose themes organizations are exploring closer
ranked state with 49 finalists from sonal achievement awards. address issues and concerns of ties towards cooperative promo-
28 cities, and Michigan was third
Entry deadline is July 15. For interest to the public. tion, technical exchanges, and
with36 finalists from 17 cities.
details or entry forms, call (513) Deadline for entries is August 31. other areas of mutual concern.
Finalists were selected in each of
429-2663. For details, contact NBPC at 929 With a goal of audience expan-
37 categories by 30 preliminary Harrison Ave., Suite 101, Colum-
judging sites located throughout Humanities Grant sion, community media activist
bus, Ohio 43215, or call (614) 299-
the country. Most categories The National Endowment for the 5355, fax [phone]. Nan Rubin is working through the
include divisions for series and Humanities has announced a grant Veatch Program to design a pilot
single programs, as well as for pro- opportunity that supports the Dallas Video Festival promotion campaign based on
ductions by volunteers and media planning, writing, or production of The Video Association of Dallas cross-promotion for a selected
professionals, television and radio programs in has issued a call for entries to its number of progressive media out-
Final judging for the 1992 the humanities intended for gen- 1992 DallasVideo Festival. lets. Organizations interested in
Hometown USAVideo Festival was eral audiences. The sixth annual festival, set for participating should contact her at
at Fairfax Cable Accesrin Fairfax, Particular interest is focused on November 5-8 at the Dallas Mu- 838 Riverside Dr. #5A, New York,
Virginia. All winners will be television and radio projectscover- seum of Art, offers a showcase for 1 NY 10032, or call [phone].
FROM THE CHAIR: The Mission Statement As Touchstone
M ost every nonprofit has a mission statement that guides it. A The statement withits preamble is:
good mission statement provides the measure against which In orderfor democracy toflourish, people must be active participants
individual options are weighed and choices made. It encap- in their government, educated to think critically, and free to express
sulates thevalues of an organization and provides a compass that gives themselves. The mission of the NFKP is to advance democratic ideals
directions to the many choices that must be made every day. by ensuring thatpeople haveaccess to electronic media, and by promot-
Agrowing, changing, responsive organization, however, knows it has ingeffectivecommunication through community uses of media.
to review its mission statement regularly to ensure that the statement That statement conveys important values: that our workis to ensure
remains in sync with the worldin which it exists. Thanks to the leader- that people have access to electronic media, no longer limiting our-
ship of Grassroots Committee Chair Paula Manley, working with selves to cable as technology develops other multichannel services;
Midwest Regional Chair Mary Cardona, the NFLCP Board has been that we believe that the purpose of that access is connected to a
doing exactly that. broader social purpose: to advance democratic ideals such as
1h e ~oardscats ide time at its last mu mcetings to cun,idtr our mi'.- widespread participation in the life uf the cumniunity, upen di~~ub-
$ion statemmi in liehi of the many chances in our field since it È'a sions of community issues, and informed ~iarticipationi n decision
written. Discussion was lengthy and vigorous, which suggests that making; and that we have a responsibility to encourage the effective
people were really talking about their values as members of the PEG use of these resources.
access community - the convictions they have about the value of their As we build our organization, develop long range plans, and allocate
work and our organization. resources through our budgets and administrative choices, we will be
Out of that discussion, the Board adopted a revised mission state- looking to this mission statement as a touchstone. And we'll be looking
ment and committed to review it again next year to keep it fresh and for ways to fine tune it, too, in order to make sure that our mission
appropriate to our circumstances and our needs. statement provides a true compass for our work.
-Andrew Blau, Chairperson, NFLCP
by Karen Helrnerson,
International ComrnitteeChair
International Reception Set
On Wednesday evening, July 15, from 8-10
I pm, the NFLCP International Committee will
and SFX CD's host a reception and prize ceremony for
Democracy in Communication:LatinAmerica.
0 0 0 0 0 0
The festival was initiated at the 1991 NFLCP
convention in Portland, Oregon. Since then, 127
Compact Disc
entries have been received from nearly every
Hotline country in Central and South America Previews
1 -800-22 1 -671 3 of the work will be shown during the event.
Special screenings of tapes entered in the festi-
val will take place in the viewing room at the
convention. There will also be a video package
of this material available for free to public
Pichoneupat thendtiondlconventionin
access channels.
St Paul, or send $5 to:"Equalize~c /o CRUI, The International Reception provides an
50 library PIazdnE. lirdnd Rdpids, mi 19503. opportunity for the NFLCP to honor community
producers around the world. For more informa-
Proceeds to the michigdn Chapter's tion, the video touring package and a wonderful
evening, join us at the International Reception
ConventionSchoiarshipf und.
at the national convention.
Specidl thanks toDetrohfreePress Cdrtoonist International Profile
Bill toy fortheuseof hn~=mn Videazimut, a coalition founded in 1990,
brings together people from the world of inde-
pendent and alternative video and television
from every con~~t'to,pramotthee democrati-
A NON-PROFIT MEDIA
PRODUCTION AND MEDIA
EDUCATION COOPERATIVE OF to defend a democracy,ine 6mmunication as a
VIDEO, FILM,TELEVISION, fundment^;h&an right through the trans-
AUDIO, PHOTOGRAPHY AND forfflatfon of communication oractices in
PRINT ARTISTS AND video and television at the local, national and
international levels;
PRODUCERS.
/ to promote the democratic practice of com-
munication through public awareness can-
paigns, training, production, coproduction,
exchange and distribution of video works;
to facilitate individual and collective access to
the mediums of video and television and to
communication for development;
to support endogenous production in all
countries as well as the international recogni-
tion and dissemination of those productions;
4101 1 USA
to carry out policy analysis and advocacy and
/- , to organize campaigns to effect concrete
513.921.4271 d o changes to further the democratization of
2C I1NC0I4NN SATT. I,M IOCHHIAOE L ST. ^ 1 I , , , , I . ,, . II cTohme mcouanliitcioatni ocno.n siders itself part of an inter-
45204 USA national movement towards the creation of a
pluralist network of self-determined voices.
Karen IIelmerson is the Director of Finance at
FilmIVideo Arts, 81 7 Broadway, New York, NY
10003. Phone [phone]
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE
by Carl Kucharski PEG Access Affects FCC ironsions in the 1984 Cable Act to provide for
PublicPolicy Committee Chair Technical Standards )ublic access, and it seemed to us that it was an
mormouslv important ~rovisionin that bill. to
On March 4, the Federal Communications
Setting a Common Agenda nake surethatthe so-called bottleneck
Commission released its new technical signal
...
It's depressing, looking at the stack of media quality standards and testing requirements in lures, so that some individual company could
action alerts that I've received in the last two Report and Order In the Matter of Cable lot control the bottleneck and could not shut
months from the Media Alliance, National Television Technical and Operational )ut all kinds of public programming, whether
Alliance of Media Arts Centers, National Requirements: Review of the Technical and hat is educational or community town meet-
Coalition of Independent Public Broadcasting Operational Reauirements of Part 76, Cable ngs and city county meetings, and so on, was
Producers, Independent Television Service, ~&viuiiia,M M llkkn NO$. 91 1169 and 85-38 illowed and could have easy access to the cable
People for the American Way, Media Working I he SFLCP ~attici~aiioinn this docket had a iystem.
Group, National Association of Telecom-muni- favorable impact on the outcome. The FCC rec- Clearly, that has now been abused. Any of us
cations Officers and Advisors and, naturally, the ognized the uniqueness of PEG Access .hat has been to New York City rece.n.t.l y and
NFLCP. Programming while considering the new techni- ooks on the television set, on the main on the
...
All of them about a blizzard of Congressional cal standards. The Reportstates'. zhannel in New York I think it's a Time-
bills- S.1504, S.12, HR 4850, HR 1303, HR 2546, As several commenters have noted, certain Plarner system. Time-Warner has no choice, I
HE3515, HR 3560, and S.1200. signals, notably those provided on access chan- nean, they. .h. ave to provide this kind of access
All of them using the same key words and nels, are often of alesser standard than those of for what is essentially has nothing to do with
phrases - "oppose amendments which under- commercial channels, yet provide a valuable any kind of public interest whatsoever. It is the
mine," "the future is at stake," "defund," "cen- public service. We agree that our technical most prurient and, in fact, in many waysgrossly
sorship," "pull the plug," "lose what we've standards should not be applied so as to pre- illegal access one could i.m..a gine.
gained," "government control of programming," vent such programming from being carried by Clearly, there are First This skirts around the
"threatens the public'sinterest." cable systems. We accordingly will not require series of First Amendment issues. I think the
All of them calling for the same actions - cable operators to take extraordinary mea- way this amend..m. ent has been constructed by
CALL, WRITE, FAX YOUR SENATORIREPRE- sures to improve upon sienals over which the Senator Fowler We really have met that prob-
SENTATIVE NOWIIMMEDIATELY TO operator bainocoitrol, (emphasis added) lem, and met that problem in avery well-crafted
STOPIBLOCK. .. The standards are to be imnlemented over a Fashion.
All of us scurrying around pursuing the same 90 day to three year period depending upon the So, I would hope that all of us would support
goals without much communication, collabora- specific rule. However, a few of the standards the Fowler amendment and give a clear signal to
tion or coordination. are being appealed to the FCC, the cable companies that in fact they can police
Independent film and video producers, PEG A copy of the Report and Order should be their own systems, which they cannot do now. I
access producers and volunteers and access available from the FCC, [phone]. believe this is a service not only to the puhlic
staff have too much in common to allow this sit- but also to those cable companies themselves.
uation to continue much longer,
Our Government in Action
Isn't it about time for us to set a common, The amendment passed by voice vote and
positive agenda and take the initiative to further The following is taken from a transcript of the reads: "Within 180 days following the date of the
the public's interest in telecommunications in a Senate debate on amendments to S.12 by enactment of this section, the Federal
collaborativef ashion? Senators Wyche Fowler (D-GA) and Timothy Communications Commission shall promulg-a te
The NFLCP is taking one step in that direc- Wirth (D-CO). such regulations as may be necessary to enable
tion. At our national convention in St. Paul, July a cable operator of a svstem to prohibit the use.
15-19, we are scheduling sessions to explore a FOWLER: Mr. President, I have an amend- on such system, of any channel capacity of any
more cooperative future in areas like; public ment that would empower cable operators to public, educational, or governmental access
policy and legislative influence, membership prohibit sexually explicit conduct - obscene facility for any programming which contains
services, electronic databases and BBS and cul- material as defined under the Federal obscene material, sexually explicit conduct, or
tural diversity enhancement. For more informa- Communication Commission and the courts - material soliciting or promoting unlawful con-
tion contact Dirk Koning, [phone] or and material soliciting or promoting unlawful duct."
[phone] FAX. conduct that is now carried - programmed and Yo, Wyche! Yo, Tim! Listen Up. 1) The pro-
To quote Pat Aufderheide, carried through so-called public access chan- gramming you described in ~ew~oisrnk't o n a
nels. It is my understanding that cable operators puhlic access channel hut on the leased access
*The public sphere in American society is
nearly inchoate at a rhetorical level. But when do not have the authority to prohibit such pro- channel. 2) Time-Wa.m e-r is currently in litiga-
members of the public have resources to raise gramming and this amendment would tion over that kind of nroerammin"ei n NewYork
empower them to prohibit it. City. 3) The Cable Act prohibits obscene pro-
issues of public concern, debate them among
As the president, the presiding officer, knows, gramming (Section 640) and protects cable
themselves and develop ways to act on them,
in many cities throughout the country, unfortu- operators from criminal and civil liability for
telecommunications become a tool in the pub-
nately, public access channels are now being proerammine on PEG and leased access chan-
lic's organizing itself. Otherwise, the public's
interest in television easily becomes reduced to used through live television to basically solicit iei(~ection639)4.) DO you really want to give
prostitution through easily discernible shams cable comoanies governmental police and iudi-
ex-commissionerM ark Fowler's view of the pub-
such as escort services, fantasy parties, where cia1 powers regarding Constitutional issues? 5)
lic interest as what the "public" (ie., consumers)
live pariicipanti through two-way convcrsatini~ Maybe aumcune iTiiite-\Varni.'r"Ig ave you wmc
is interested in watching3 (Journal of - -
thtoue!~th e telephone an solicitinc iileadl activ- hum informdtinn un thii"problem."
Communication, Winter 1992) "
ities. This should be stopped, must be stopped,
If we are ail working to achieve what Pat is and I think this amendment will empower the Carl Kucharski is Executive Director ACTV
talking about then our collaboration now is cable operators to stop it. Cable 21, located at 394 Oak St, Columbus OH,
even more important than ever. WIR1H: Mr. President, I was the author of the 43215. Phone [phone].
CTR Mayllune 1992 5
A Guide for the Independent Producer
Usina Public Access for the First Time
s
o you're an independent producer and no problems at all. Remember to weigh the risks
have just learned that there is a public and benefits and choose accordingly.
access center in your neighborhood. >
When Asking for Special Services, Create
You've heard a little about public access, you
Options That Agree with The Access Center's
may have seen the channel at a friend's house,
Policies
and you are definitely curious about what kind
Almost every access center has a policy and
of equipmentlfacilities they might have that you
procedure handbook or orientation booklet.
can use in your production work
These publications usually state clearly the cen-
Here are some tips that were assembled after
ter's "mission statement" along with what one
speaking with access managers about what they
can and can't do. Learn the difference between
think would best prepare independents for
what is a gray areavs. clearly "no". Staff people
entering the world of public access. It is impor-
. can usually inform you of the areasin which you
tant to note that these tins mav not hold true for
, have the most latitude. If you want to do some-
each and every access center, but it's a good
thing that is not in the policies-somethingbril-
place to start. iant and brand new - present your idea along
\1
 You May Not Receive the Response You kwith how it helps the access center achieve
Kx~ecWt hen You Walk Into an Access Center ~tsmlssions tatement. See if youcan set it up
aid ~nnounceT hat You Are an "Independent lfl s an experiment or trial run. If you feel that
P..r o- duce.r. " . e access center's policies are outdated or
In Public Access television, "independent DI lid be adjusted to accommodate your needs
ducer" is a broad term that encompasses eve? .,..iout harming the center's contractual obli-
thing from a community volunteer produce1 gations, ask how you can propose changes.
to a commercial producer who produces Many access centers have committees that han-
wedding videos to an independent mediae dle policy and many welcome friendly sugges-
artist who distributes work internationall, tions in writing. Hint: No one reacts well to
What do you mean when you say "independent demands.
producer"? Usually public access management
producers. It is imp >Don't Bea Stranger.
considers everyone that uses the facility an
to realize that the access cente Some access management and staff view
independent producer and is much more con-
ally an overloaded community organization that independent producers as prima donnas who
cerned that all its users receive equal treatment
isso dedicated to equal and fair use that it is just only use the facilityw hen it'sgood for them and
and that everyone use the facility according to
easier if everyone has to follow the same proce- then ignore public access entirely. They're a
public access guidelines.
dures when using the facility. If you are consid- sensitive type - access management. Again,
>M ake No Assumptions - Be Sure lhatY our ering the use of an access center's facilities, public access is usually set up with a commu-
Access Center Can Fulfill Your Specific Needs. check well in advance of your deadline to deter- nity organization philosophy. If you are inter-
Every access center is unique to its commu- mine the steps you need to take to become a ested in building a growing relationship with
nity. Although it is rare, some retain the copy- certified user of their equipment. They're not your access center - help them out. Many of
right of produced programs. Almost all require that way just with you - they're anal with every- them are non-profit organizations that could
that if you use their facilities you play the pro- one. sohe centers do offer quick certification use your expertise in workshops or volunteering
gram on the local cable access channel. Are you tests for applicants with prior equipment expe- with new community producers. Consider your
interested in using the video facilities?A sk what rience. access center a place where you can do your
the steps are to get certified, how long it will > Realize That Public Access May Not community service. It's a valid cause and right
take, how much equipment access you will get up your alley. The relationship you build will
OperateLike aMedia Production Facility.
(some centers allow a certain amount of usage probably be more conducive to your getting
Many public access centers operate in a com-
per month), who owns the copyright of the your needs fulfilled. People are more relaxed
completedprogram, can you later enter thepro- munity spirit - they are not usually appreciative with familiar faces and you can help break their
of client-driven theory. This can be a bit mad-
gram into competitions or distribute it commer- stereotype.
dening to the independent producer, who is
cially? Some access centers have residency used to media production facilitiest hat are con- >P atience and a Good Sense of Humor Go A
requirements-checkto make sure you are eligi-
stantly maintained and operating properly - or Long Way.
ble to use the center. Do your needs fall within
your money back. Most public access media It may seem like a lot of work to get what you
the access facility's guidelines?
facilities are no or low cost. There is not usually want from an access center, but when it works,
>Y ou Want to Use the Public Access Video the funding to employ those fabulous engineers it works quite well and can be an incredible
FacilitiesandYou Want to Use ThemNow. who keep the equipment happy. Also, most benefit to the independent producer. Have alit-
You have a deadline and need into the edit public access centers encourage hands-on by Ie patience with access users, staff, and man-
suite now. Access management translates this as everyone. This means that you may find your agement; ask all the questions that are impor-
,, ,
I m better than the rest of your users, more edit suite wired a bit differently than how you tant to your needs; and remember that public
important and deserve special treatment." That would like to use it. You may have to be a bit access may not fulfill all your needs as an inde-
may not be what you mean to say, but often it is more patient at an access center, you may have pendent producer but it may be an important
an unfortunate impression that access manage- to troubleshoot, wait, or reschedule. Then element in your production mix.
ment needs to lose concerning independent again, you may have avery smooth session with -Heidi Man
6 MayIJune 1992 CTR
Access and the Arts:
ACTV 21 and the Wexner Center for the Arts
by Heidi Muu seemed only fitting and visu-
ally stunning to send it from
s often assunled that the Paper Tiger Dream Home.
:ess and media an cen. The Wexner Center for the
s, if in close proximity to Irt'i donated their engineering
each other, arein competition itaffand cunverted their post-
for users funding, and public iroduction suite into a live
1
support. This ass&nption can switching studio. Community
often breed an antagonism producers created short
that creates the presumption pieces that were used during
that there needs to be a com- the live interaction.
petitive attitude between the The result of this sharing is
access and media art center - a textbook example of how
that onlv one can survive. different yet similar organiza-
This survivalist theory is [ions can pool resources for a
further fueled by the current project rather than compete
economic and political cii- against each other and still
mate surrounding the arts in serve the needs of their inde-
the 1990s. While this can pendent constituents. The vis-
cause an "every man for him- .,,.I.n.s. ->-,,,*,* ..." ."w ere 2hb t."" have
self' attitude it seems like the LivefromPaper Tiger'sDream Houseat the Wexner Centerfor theArts. access to equipment and the
more intelligent choice would be cooperative In the Fall of 1991 a unique opportunity arose community was given access to the artist. The
programs that can offer what each center may for a natural relationship between the arts and Media Department - FilmNideo program of the
not be able to provide independently. access. Paper Tiger Television was the recipient Wexner Center for the Arts could use the com-
In Columbus, Ohio, ACTV-public access tele- of one of the Wexner Center for the Arts first vis- munity and electronic resources of the local
vision, and the Media Department-FilmNideo iting artist residencies. Their Paper Tiger Dream public access center and ACTV 21 was able to
Program of the Wexner Center for the Arts, have House exhibit was a funky Paper Tiger home pull off a project that otherwise would have
been working together to share programming, with different television viewing environments, been tricky., g-i ven its financial and technological
resources, and community interaction. The Because of their support of public access televi- means.
intent is to be collaborative where it makes sion, Paper Tiger requested that one of the Certainly both ACTV21 and the Wexner
sense while respecting each individual organi- available viewing channels be ACTV 21. Paper Center for the Arts offer programs that can seem
zation's basic mission. Tiger andACTV21 worked together to invite the in opposition -to eachither, ACTV is a local
The relationship started with program shar- community in on the fun. Community produc- community organization well-rooted in local
,
ing. The Wexner Center for the Arts presented a ers and members of the public were invited to voices being heard while Wexner is an interna-
series of free AIDS educational programs which help build the home and/or work with the tionally recognized contemporary arts center
ACTV21 also carried on the public access chan- Tigers on creating Paper Tiger video programs. focusing on the presentation of nationally
nel. A similar program followed with videos cre- ACTV21 was excited to offer thisunique inter- known artists. But by sharing their different
ated in opposition to the Gulf War. When Deep action to its community producers and since resources and expertise, ACTV 21 and the
Dish TV offered their live Day Without Art satei- theArt andTechnology Centerwasnot yet com- Wexner Center for the Arts are able to ioin
lite feed, it was simulcast on Am21a nd in the pleted, offered to donate use of their video facil- together- t o present programming and projects
Wemer Center for the Arts FilmIVideo Theater. ities on Sunday, its only closed day. Public that mieht otherwise not exist if left to each
The event was well-attended by many people access staff members donated their time to organization individually.
who either did not subscribe to cable or wanted oversee productions and help people learn
to view the program in an audience setting. equipment. Heidi M uis Operations Manager ACTVCable
The Wexner Center for the Arts started build- ACTV21 had been invited to create aprogram 21, heatedat394 OakSt., Columbus, OH, 43215.
ing their Art and Technology Center - a film and that would be a live satellite feed to the 1992 Phone [phone]
video resource for visiting and local media Olympiad of Localvideo andTV Creation and it
artists. At the same time, ACTV 21 was going
through an equipment replacement progra]
Staff from both organizations were in conta
about how their purchases could serve the pur-
poses needed by each place both individually
and collaboratively. While the Art and
Technology Center, now completed, is techno-
logically superior to the facilities available at
ACTV21, the equipment set-up atACTV21 can
be used as a complementary source for simpler
needs. Programming completed in this fashion
is shared by the two centers with the commu-
nity either through presentation at the Wexner
Center for the Arts or on ACTV 21's public
access cable channel.
Just a Few "I am thinking of a topological metaphor: a two- requires an alert and attentive audience for whom par-
way communication loop twisted into a Moebius ticipation is an encouraged option. 111
Friends
strip. ..W ho's on the outside and who's on the inside What issues emerge for artists working with access?
Since art-making to some degree is about developing
of the production? Who is controlling or authoriz-
Collaborative-minded, pro- dialects- by. eng-a-gin -g inventively with the formal stmc-
ing the representational frame when the viewer's
gressive media and arts tures of speech, sound and image, by exploring strate-
participation is constantly pushing and destabiliz-
organizations. gies to shift visual and aural attention, by leading audi-
ing that frame?" [Referring to a series of live, ences toward alternative modes of experiencing and
phone-in, viewer-interactive programs on thinking- criticism persists that in creating new dialects
Association of - .
MATA-MilwaukeeAccess TelevisionA uthority] artists' scenes inevitably create exclusive insider erou~s
Independent Video 6
whose members are the only ones who can decode the
Filmmakers (AIVF) -Barbara Lattami (Felix,S pring, 1992) new language. However, if artists seek an audience for
625 Broadway, 9th Floor their work that is broader than that self-selected in-
F
New York, NY 10012 rom time to time there's discussion about tension group, and a diverse audience, with an ability to
[phone] between media artists and public access organiza- respond, is considered an essential component of the
tions. Media arts funding panels periodically structure of an artwork, artists might he challenged to
The national trade associa-
debate the artistic merits of public access productions, work with public access television which delivers a
tion of independent pro-
and it is not uncommon for public access centers to broad audience independent of marketing preoccupa-
ducers, providing dis-
report frustration from artists wanting to negotiate indi- tions.
counts on insurance and
vidualized access and production packages. At the . Over the last few years in Buffalo, artists have
publishing The Indepen-
moment, however, attacks on First Amendment rights, approached the access channel as a public theater para-
dent, a film and video the marginalizing and defunding of authentic cultural doxically located in people's private residences, a plat-
monthly expression, the trivializing of inde- m for projecting community
pendent public forums like access, JUMPING icerns as well as a peculiarly
Deep Dish Television and the economic and cultural imate performance space.
339 Lafayette St. dilemma of corporations not rein- pes like A Bed Time Story by
vesting in the cities from which rhara Lattanzi and the Media
New Vork, NY 10012
they profit are problems which alition For Reproductive
[phone]
affect all of us - artists, community I N T O T H E ;hts (1990) delivered informa-
Coordinates a national
producers, city dwellers, and cul- n to viewers about the New
satellite network of access
tural funders. Whether we call our- rk State Catholic bishops' 1990
and other grassmots pro-
selves television producers, cam- campaign against abortion in
ducers of social-issue pro- corder enthusiasts, video witnesses 1 hushed tones of a mother
gramming. or media artists, our differences are iding a fairy tale to her chil-
completely overshadowed by the ;n. Other projects involving
Independent Media shifting political and cultural ists and community producers
rn
Distributors Alliance ground we all occupy. We media 1 Buffalo, Milwaukee, Staten
activists, artists, community pro- and and elsewhere have
(IMDA) BY CHRIS HILL. PRESIDENT
ducers and motivated viewers need ght to excite and broaden
PO Box 2154 to coordinate a longterm, united, by
St. Paul, MN 55102 progressive, and inspired response. eloping feedback loops
. .
(61 2) 298-01 17 As we in Buffalo anticipate innc-ins, di,cus'iiona, vicu'cr-
Works to improve oppor- Buffalo Cable Access MEDIA (BCAM) with its equipment animated devices such as masktl and wider local distn-
tunities for distribution of access and training programs opening this summer, it is bution networks (reaching audiences heretofore isolated
work by independents. instructive to ask why, two years ago, after the city can- by geography, cultural bias, income).
celled its existing contract with the public access opera- What long-term agendas might be shared by self-
Independent tor (channel time existed hut no studio through which described artists and community producers? As they
the public could access training or equipment), did a coordinate access resources, channel time, and work on
Television Service
group of Buffalo artists lobby to get public access going projects together, community and cultural producers
(INS) again, incorporate a new not-for-profit access organiza- are likely to learn from each other new strategies for
Box 65797 tion, and invite a coalition of community and cultural connecting messages with particular audiences, and
St. Paul, MN 55165 activists to further develop BCAM as board members? ways of inviting or provoking those audience-members
[phone] Because, as cultural workers and residents of the city to respond, eventually with their own productions. Both
A programming service of Buffalo it was clear to us that artists and community activists have a stake in moving
> public access television is a unique cultural stage viewers to recognize that in our end-century society the
committed to increasing
that reaches into homes in most neighborhoods of the ability to read and write (that is, watch and produce)
the diversity and innova-
city and, with First Amendment protection, can sup- media is fundamental in order to be able to articulate
tion of programming
port, produce and challenge new audiences with a wide ideas with the most powerful communication tools of
available to public televi-
range of public discussion and cultural production; our time (despite the rare offeringo f media literacy as
sion stations across
>Buffalo (and other cities) cannot afford to have seg- part of our standard education).
America. Especially regated cultural scenes, misrepresented and unrepre- Popular culture, television, and the independent arts
addressing the needs of sented public opinion, and no way for individuals or all make use of the same strategies - exaggeration,
unsolved and under-served communities to speak to each other about shared urban change of scale, change of focus, surprise, fascination
audiences, particularly resources, concerns and their real differences resulting with novelty, soundlimage discontinuities, experimen-
children and minorities. from income, ethnic background, class, gender, age; tation with point of view - for telling a good story,
>c ultural health -that is, public expression that can underscoring an important idea, communicating with
take many forms and invites response and critique - commercial interests, new dialects and independent