The Politics of PEG

Manchester is a political town, and we like it that way. People here pay attention to what is going on and they get involved. They go to town meetings, they speak at school board meetings, they go to PTO, they write blog entries at the Union Leader and op-eds at the Manchester Express. It doesn't mater what it is as long as it's affecting us. The night we covered the dog park on the “2-Joes Live Show” we got over six-hundred email and chat entries! I bet more people watch the Board Of Mayor And Alderman meetings in this town than Desperate Housewives. Which is why their decision to ax the MCAM & MCTV budget by over $300,000 cuts right down to the heart of who we are.

Federal law since the 1980's allow municipalities to charge a 'franchise fee' to cable-television companies to offset their pole costs and pay for access television stations that feed local programming into the private cable networks. This local programming is sorted by Public, Educational, and Government, or PEG. The nationwide standard franchise fee is 5% of entertainment services, and appears on the bottom of your cable bill.

Until now, the franchise fee line item that you pay is what keeps MCAM and MCTV alive and bringing you alderman meetings, school concerts, cross-dressers, and live call-in programming. Now we are going to buy a new firetruck with it.

The city has always kept two of the five-points, allocating one-point per channel delivered. So MCTV gets 2 (about $550k), MCAM gets 1 (about $275k). This year mayor Frank Guinta wanted to cut back and limit the total amount to $500k. The new allocation based on the same math would be about $333k/$166k. Neither station can survive given their current cost structure. MCTV's labor cost alone will eat up the bulk of their allotment. MCAM's rent and utilities will eat up over $120k a year. The only choice is to reduce staff, move in together, share expenses, and seek other revenues to fill the gaps.

Before we get to cozy, let's remember that we are a political town, and there is some history here. In the 1980's Dr. Grace Sullivan wrote the original proposal that started access television in Manchester with MCTV. We owe it all to her, and she guarded her baby well. But when that baby grew legs and started to go its own way, not only did she get protective; some say she grew horns. Tensions got so hot over who made the rules, what could and could not air, and issues of personality, that the alderman ended the arguments with a divorce that created MCAM with 'P', leaving MCTV with E & G.

The separation allowed MCAM to explore the limits of access programming at is Commercial Street location. Even with half the budget, its use of technology and volunteers has allowed it to shine with very popular audience events including talent contests, telethons, presidential rallies, congressional debates, and cutting-edge live call-in talk-shows that claim an audience of over 5000 each night. MCAM has also extended into education areas unserved by MCTV, providing summer video camps for kids, and concert and sports coverage for area catholic schools. On any given day, there are classes and projects with area youth involved with theater, music, art, and sports. MCTV has also evolved and refined its services as well, and has done particularly well with business and social groups.

But like it or not, the two stations must adapt to the reality of a dramatically reduced budget. The choice is this: split the money and risk the failure of both, or share the money so that both can survive.

Dr. Sullivan must decide if it is time for her to step aside and let the next generation emerge. She has done her job well, but the cost of her salary and benefits alone consume almost 20% of the total budget. She should consider what is best for access television, understand that BOSC and BMA loyalty to her is now an impediment to the survival of PEG services in Manchester, and file for the retirement that she richly deserves. By acknowledging and removing herself as both the primary personality focus and number one line-item expense, she will secure the respect of all and ensure the survival of both stations.

MCAM has developed a high-level plan for a combined operation that will provide both the cost-savings and the continued station identity by separating the common resources and technology from the programming decisions. It synergizes staff with volunteers, and integrates with the business community. It is a starting point that Alderman Mike Lopez, who has been tasked with investigating and recommending a solution, should consider.

The loosers here are not just the 35,000 cable subscribers who will now pay a disproportionate amount of taxes, and see even less service for it. But also the thousands of kids, residents, artists, activists politicians, and non-profits, who have learned to depend upon MCAM as a constructive outlet for their ideas. By putting personality aside and our heads together, we can weather this storm storm until better days arrive for PEG in Manchester.

Joe Briggs is a co-host of the 2-Joes Live Show which airs Wednesday's 7-10pm on MCAM-TV23.