HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 01-08 Critics say Maplewood opting out of cable is an attempt to silence them - PIONEER PRESS
Critics say Maplewood opting out of cable is an attempt to silence them -TwinCities.comPage 3of 4
Critics say Maplewood opting out o
f
cable is an attempt to silence them
By Sarah Horner
shorner@pioneerpress.com(mailto:shorner@pioneerpress.com?
subject=TwinCities.com: )
POSTED: 01/08/2016 12:01:00 AM CST
UPDATED: 01/08/2016 02:46:51 PM CST
For more than 20 years, Maplewood residents have been able to turn on Channel 15 and watch Bob
Zick's face photo-shopped on to the image of Superman as the superhero flies across the television
screen.
It's part of the intro to his long-standing local cable show, "I
the clip from the movie "A Few Good Men" where Tom Cruise famously yells, "I want the truth!"
Coming soon, Maplewood residents will have to drive outside city
sometimes controversial local government watchdog program, which has historically been
broadcast on the public access channels throughout Ramsey, Washi
Some have alleged the show takes unfair shots at local
government officials and blurs the lines between truth and
fiction. Zick, who lives in North St. Paul, has property in
Maplewood and once lived there.
"Inside Insight," along with a handful of other shows produced b
local community members that play on cable channels 15 and 17,
will no longer be broadcast in Maplewood following the
Maplewood City Council's decision to pull out of the Ramsey-
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The city joined the commission more than two decades ago.
Maplewood officials say the move will allow the city to better s
local information needs. They also expressed concern over vague
gave to questions raised about its operations.
Zick and a few Maplewood residents --
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including one former city council member --
suspect the real motivation was to censor
critical voices in the community. They also say
residents will lose a lot of quality and
informative programming under the switch.
"Maplewood wants to silence any critiquing of
the way they run the city, that is the purpose,"
Zick said.
"They wanted to get (Bob) Zick off the air," said
former Maplewood City Council member Bob
Cardinal. "He's focused on the Maplewood City
Council and they don't like what he has to say
about it... Maplewood is going from being a part of one of the f
doing (public access programming) on its own with no expertise... This is not in the best interest of
residents."
Cardinal was the lone council member to vote against Maplewood's
commission late last year. He was replaced on the council earlier this month after losing his re-
election campaign to political newcomers Tou Xiong and Bryan Smith.
CITY'S VIEW
City officials say censorship had nothing to do with Maplewood's exit and that viewership o
produced cable shows is dismal anyway. They cited concern that M
value from the commission despite being its biggest financial contributor as a primary reason for
the departure. They also said incomplete answers to questions ab
balance and allocation of resources raised by Maplewood's repres
city council member Marylee Abrams -- were a factor.
"There were issues with transparency," Abrams said. "Also, the fact is that Maplewood was
contributing 25 percent of the (commission's) budget, but I don'
getting a proportional benefit... I just didn't see it."
http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_29360083111201
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Critics say Maplewood opting out of cable is an attempt to silence them -TwinCities.comPage 4of 4
She added that Maplewood's needs as a fully developed suburb wer
of the smaller member cities, such as Lake Elmo, adding further reason to leave.
"We just decided our residents and the fees they pay on their Comcast bill deserve to go toward
more shows about Maplewood with more of a focus on the city and the government," said Melinda
Coleman, Maplewood's city manager.
COMMISSION RESPONDS
Tim Finnerty, executive director of the cable commission, said the commission attempted to
address all of the concerns raised by Maplewood, adding it was a blow to see them go.
He wouldn't comment on whether concerns about critical community programs, such as Bob Zick's
show, influenced the city's decision. He did point out that the
of many perceived "threat(s)" in Maplewood's strategic plan adop
Maplewood isn't the only city to leave a cable commission in rec
North Suburban Communications Commission in 2014 over concerns with high public, education
and government fees and operations.
The Ramsey-Washington commission formed back in the 1980s as a j
between 12 suburbs in Ramsey and Washington counties to provide leverage to communities in
contract negotiations with cable companies.
The commission, which has its own staff, handles the contract ne
also produces local content for each community, including coverage of city council and school
board meetings and other local happenings. Residents in the various cities can also use the
commission's studio and equipment to produce their own shows for
channels.
It's funded through franchise fees and public, education and gov
subscribers in the member cities.
GOING ALONE
By pulling out, Maplewood will now collect its own franchise fee along with residents' PEG fees,
which will total about $800,000 collectively in 2016. City offic
for residents in the future.
Maplewood will use the PEG fee funds -- about $360,000 -- to pay for the new costs associated
with producing its own content for its government channels.
Programming focused on city government and local happenings, suc
meetings, advisory committees and Mayor Nora Slawik's show, Spot
remain, Coleman said.
But cable shows broadcast on channels 15 and 17, such as Zick's,
Longrie's show Off the Record News, What's Up with (Minnesota Senator) Chuck Wiger, and other
programs on veterans, local artisans and a host of other topics
under the switch.
It's not clear when the change will take place but those involved said it would likely be soon.
To help fill the void, the city aims to produce more of its own
available to residents. It also has plans to hire another part-t
enhance engagement with residents, Coleman said.
"I think most residents of Maplewood will really see an improvement with the switch," Coleman
said.
As for Zick and other local cable show producers, their programs can still be viewed in other
member cities, or in some cases online. Zick has a long list of
www.bobzick.com(http://www.bobzick.com).
"I don't know how naive Maplewood is but if they think we will n
City Council meetings and showing the dysfunction going on over
said.
Sarah Horner can be reached at 651-228-5539. Follow her at twitter.com/hornsarah
(http://twitter.com/hornsarah).
http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_29360083111201
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