Allen, Jordan disagree with council decision to accept controversial Telecom Board decision

 
Jordan, Allen disagree with decision to limit Government Channel programming
BY DUSTIN TRACY Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Thursday, October 9, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/69925

No issue forums or round-table discussions will be aired on Fayetteville’s Government Channel despite the protests of two aldermen.
Ward 4 Alderman Lioneld Jordan and Ward 2 Alderman Nancy Allen said they are not content with the City Council’s Tuesday-night decision to accept the Telecommunications Board’s recommendation on the issue.
Allen said the previous policy, which allowed the channel to air forums and discussions pertaining to government issues, had worked since 1992. Allen said she didn’t see a reason for it to be changed.
“ Those programs are dealing with government and certainly impact our city, ” Allen said.
With the change approved Tuesday, only official government proceedings and meetings, such as City Council meetings, are allowed to be broadcast on the channel.
She used examples of forums and discussions pertaining to the future of Fayetteville High School and the Walton Arts Center. She said it is nice for the Government Channel to cover such events because it’s easier for trained professionals to tape, edit and produce the video than it is for an average citizen to attempt it via Community Access Television.
Allen added that there has yet to be a show aired on the Government Channel that was “ silly” or “ off the wall. ” She pointed out that there have been things on the channel that have seemed a bit out of place.
“ When it gets to be a sort of propaganda or somebody using their office to promote something, there’s a real thin line, ” Allen said.
Jordan agreed with the first part of Allen’s sentiment. He said there was never a problem with the original rules of the Government Channel and that he enjoyed the forums and round-table discussions previously aired.
“ When an aldermen wants to put a forum on (and have it aired on the Government Channel ) they’re part of government, ” Jordan said. “ I didn’t see a need to reinvent the wheel. ”
In other news, Marvin Hilton, the former Fayetteville cable administrator, got to keep his seat on the Telecom Board. On Tuesday, Ward 1 Alderman Brenda Thiel attempted to get the council to reconsider Hilton’s appointment but was voted down 7-1.
Hilton, who served as cable administrator from 1995 until this past May, was appointed to the board Sept. 16 by the city’s nominating committee despite the fact that his application to fill an empty spot on the board was denied by the committee in early June.
At a Sept. 30 council agenda-setting session, Thiel said a letter from Colleen Pancake, president of the Community Access Television board of directors, protesting Hilton’s appointment was the main reason she brought the motion forward.
The letter stated Hilton had a troubled history with the TV station while he was the cable administrator, including an order of protection filed against him by a former board member.
“ We’ll go ahead and monitor him, and if something comes up, we can re-evaluate (the decision ), ” Allen said.
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