Plymouth Community Channel 3 Committee
1993 Annual Report
Calendar year 1993 was the first year that continuous programming was created and sent out over State Cable TV's community access channel to cable subscribers in Plymouth and several adjoining towns. This was a very exciting year for the 9 member town committee which provides direction for and oversees operation of the channel for Plymouth public television.
The year started with implementation of a Community Bulletin Board on Channel 36. The bulletin board is a continuous display of announcements which have been submitted by the public and are entered in a microcomputer by local volunteers. By years end, 248 different announcements had been run. These announcements came in from 96 diffeent people or organizations. In April, thanks to underwriting from WPNH radio, we added radio programming to the Bulletin Board.
In February, the Plymouth Community Channel 36 (PCC36) Committee began accepting tapes for cablecast from Plymouth governmental agencies, the first being from the Plymouth Police Department (tape of WNDS-TV Channel 50 newsmagazine story on the 1991 murder of Theresa Reed). This was followed by 22 tapes from Plymouth State College Athletic Department and one from Plymouth Regional High School Music Department. Many of the tapes had repeat cablecasts. Total cablecasts of government submitted tapes was 34.
In March, PCC36 Committee members began video taping local governmental hearings and meetings. Five meetings were taped and were subsequently shown over the Community Channel 24 times.
In late April, the PCC36 Committee began accepting video tapes for cablecast from members of the Plymouth general public. By the end of the year, only one tape had been submitted. It was cablecast 3 times.
On September 1st, the Community Channel was moved from cable channel 36 to cable channel 3. Because of this, the name of channel operation and committee were changed from 36 to 3.
The PCC3 Committee has many people to thank for the success that the Community Channel enjoys. First, the Board of Selectmen, Town Administrator, and her staff members have been supportive with staff time and some money. The Pease Public Library Trustees and Director have gladly provided a temporary space for the cablecasting center and generously extended staff assistance. Seven volunteers from Plymouth and Ashland are indispensible to the channel operation. Many more of you can help. If you are interested in helping, drop us a note at the Pease Public Library circulation desk or attend a committee meeting on evening of the 4th Tuesday of most every month.
The 1990 franchise between the Town of Plymouth and State Cable TV Corporation requires that State Cable TV only provide channel space and some very elementary video equipment for the town to use for governmental and public access programming. Other than for maintenance of the cable lines and termination equipment, State Cable has no further obligation to Plymouth to pay for operation of the Community Channel. This leaves the PCC3 Committee with no budget with which to operate and develop, save for things contributed by the Selectmen's office, the library, underwriters, committee members, volunteers, and others. Under the franchise, the Selectmen could also require that the cable company collect a franchise fee from cable subscribers to financially support PCC3. To better provide for the channel's future financial and organizational needs, in 1994 the PCC3 Committee will work to create a non-profit corporation to assume the channel's operations.