With funding for Boulder's recently revived Access Station being pulled this week, we thought it important to start posting some discussions of the local Public Access Community here in a new page on the website. For now, this will consist of conversations between Tony Shawcross and other local access players, posted for all to see, but please add your comments below and help contribute.
------Message From Tony to the Deproduction Board------
Read this article about Boulder Public Access getting the axe yesterday.
The author fails to recognize that, Even in boulder, there are individuals who do not have access to the cameras, computers, and broadband access to use YouTube... And that cable penetration is 30% higher in low-income communities than broadband internet access. Only middle-class and up are using YouTube.
http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/oct/18/tax-free-public-access/
Below is a message I sent today to their E.D. and legal council.
------ Forwarded Message sent to Boulder------------
From: Tony Shawcross <tony [at] deproduction [dot] org>
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:47:00 -0600
To: Barry Satlow <b.satlow [at] comcast [dot] net>, Alan O'Hashi <alanohashi [at] comcast [dot] net>, Ann Theis <ann [at] deproduction [dot] org>, Christopher Hall <chris [at] dcat [dot] tv>
Conversation: Boulder Access
Subject: Re: Boulder Access
Alan, Barry,
Can I get the e0mail addresses for all the Boulder Board members?
I’d like to schedule a call to see what your plans are if any, and if there is no hope, I would like to discuss the possibility of keeping 54 alive from Denver. We’re in the second phase of the Knight Grant, which is for up to $400,000, and are also moving along with Surdna, both grants aimed at helping Colorado Access stations upgrade and implement user-automation systems that allow you to operate your channel at little or no cost.
And Barry, the work you were doing for Boulder would also be invaluable for us, so I hope we can keep you involved in the work you were doing.
Tony Shawcross
Public Access stations are serving people who could not turn to YouTube as an alternative...
They really should feel ashamed when they say “Everyone has access to YouTube”. Take a look at YouTube and let me know how many inner-city, low-income faces you see. If you don’t have $500 in disposable income to spend on a camera and computer and a LOT of spare time and decent broadband and computer literacy, YouTube is not an option.
And you can’t watch youTube without Broadband, which in poor communities is still rare.
The Statistics vary, but its safe to say that Cable TV is in far more low-income households than Broadband Internet.
http://www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0706/
http://www.ncta.com/ContentView.aspx?contentId=54
Boulders Public Access