"Must See TV Pt. 3:
MGTV 5 Gives Viewers a Medium That is Well Done"

by Mark R. Leffler

"The rich are very different from you and me," F. Scott Fitzgerald
once told Ernest Hemingway. "Yes," Hemingway replied. "They have more
money." Midland Government Television (MGTV) does, of course benefit from
the comparatively ample coffers of the city in relation to Saginaw and Bay
City. But the staff and volunteers provide area viewers with an impressive
mix of public service programming, live meeting telecasts and interactive
media to inform and educate residents about the workings of local
government.

MGTV 5 also shows Midland Public School Board meetings,  Midland County
Board of Commissioners meetings,  County Finance Committee meetings and
City Planning Commission meetings. Some outside produced federal government
related programs also are part of the schedule (Army News, Air Force News
and Navy/Marine Corps News). The weekly schedule is printed in the Midland
Daily News and can also be accessed through the city's web site.

Public Access programming is now seen on the MCTV Network. MCTV 3 features
live and taped public access programs while MCTV 15 displays a message
board about community events.

According to Ron Beacom, director of MCTV, "we decided to separate public
and government access ... to increase the amount of time available to show
both types of programs. We (also) hoped it would make it more clear to
viewers who was responsible for the programs."

Both stations are funded through the same Cable Communications Fund. Last
year's expenses ran about $280,000, much of that going to upgrade equipment
and install a permanent production facility in the basement of City Hall.
The addition of remote controlled cameras in the council chambers eliminated
the need to haul MCTV's equipment back and forth for the live telecasts of
meetings.

Tisdale and Liberto came to the city with public relations backgrounds
instead of video production, but they earn high marks from Beacom for their
operation of the station. And both are excited and impressed with the way
the government access station helps them in their public relations work.

"MGTV provides a resource that is exclusively ours to promote the City and
the services we provide, " Liberto explains. "If there is an area we feel
needs to be promoted or explained further, we can utilize MGTV to get that
message out. It allows us to provide more detailed and visual information
to our citizens, and they can tune in at their convenience."

In addition to the programming the station operates a 24 hour message board
run on a PC with SCALA InfoChannel 2000 software, an upgrade from their old
message board that allows them to import jazzier graphics and scan photos.

The message board is updated with the help of Administrative Assistants Kim
Reisner and Paula Doucette. Items posted include city council agendas,
press releases, job postings, and traffic construction notices.  The new
system was launched a year and a half ago.

 "We've received many favorable comments from viewers on the look of the
new government message board," says MCTV's Beacom. "This system gives the
City of Midland a direct, unfiltered conduit to the citizens."

 "It's very easy to use and train staff on," Tisdale explains. "During the
nine years I've been here, it's been fun to see the new technologies
introduced that add to our repertoire... press releases, newsletters, the
Citizen Comment Line (voice mail), web site (www.midland-mi.org), message
board, etc..."

 "Different people prefer different mediums and MGTV, more specifically our
"City in 15" program, gives us another avenue to put a "human face" on City
government."

"City in 15" spotlights city workers and services exclusively. Tisdale and
Liberto feel is also serves as a "morale booster" for municipal employees
who often only get feedback when residents are angry and frustrated.  They
send internal e-mail within city government to promote the show.

With the technical and creative assistance from Beacom, Ron Brown and other
MCTV personnel MGTV also produces public service announcements (PSAs) and
mini-features. One example is a PSA that asks residents to call in to
report "safe acts", providing positive feedback. "It has generated some
response," says Tisdale. "We want to recognize safe working crews. We want
you to catch city employees in a safe act".

 Another locally produced PSA promotes the city's "Borrow-A-Container"
program. Locals may call City Hall and a 4' x 6' dumpster will be delivered
to their home. Midland Traffic Safety Officer Greg Tait serves as on-camera
talent to dispense bicycle safety tips also.

Tisdale and Liberto express gratitude and admiration for the assistance
from MCTV. "Ron Beacom and Ron Brown are wonderful producers... very
creative." Tisdale says.

 "They are good at working with us to develop programming," adds Liberto.
"We are very interested in feedback, especially from production people. We
encourage viewers to let us know what they like." Comments can be made by
calling City Hall or e-mailing ([email protected]).

Televising city council meetings has been a hot button item in many
municipalities. A recent front page article in the Detroit Free Press
discussed the fiery rhetoric and blood feuds that some councils struggle
with, and considered the merits and downside of having such antics
televised. Some cities have adopted time limits for public appearances and
enforce civil behavior with warnings, fines and possible jail time for
disruptive citizens.

These issues have not surfaced in Midland where the public usually sparsely
attends the meetings. There is no time limit for personal
appearances.

"Placing time limits on public comments has not ever been seriously
discussed among our City Council members, to my knowledge," explains
Tisdale. "We have found that our citizens have been very respectful of
their time in front of Council and do a good job of "limiting" themselves."

"While we are not without our share of residents who may become passionate
about a topic and take a good deal of time to present their point ... it
happens so infrequently that we do not consider it to be a concern."

According to Tisdale the City Council members have been very supportive of
televised meetings and feel that the cablecasts provide residents with a
way to be involved in City government and "informed of the decisions being
weighed in our community."

Sometimes, Beacom adds, the televised meetings prompt viewers to get
involved almost instantly.  "I know on a couple of occasions viewers have
come down to City Hall during a meeting to comment on something that's been
said at the meeting that they just saw "live" on TV at home."

From time to time viewers leave messages on the Citizen Comment Line or
send an e-mail that begins "I was just watching the City Council meeting
and..." Tisdale admits there aren't a lot of those, but "those are always a
nice confirmation that people are watching. We (also) receive some requests
for copies of meetings."

In March of 1999 the City of Midland's Cable Franchise Commission asked the
Central Michigan University Center for Applied Research and Rural Studies
to survey residents about MGTV. According to Beacom "approximately 66% of
those surveyed have sampled watching government programming meaning more
people are aware of and are participating in some form with their
government meetings than if the only way to see meetings was to come to
City Hall in person."

And plans for the future? Well, the advances in computer and media
technologies offers some exciting possibilities but there is always the
difficulty of finding the time and resources to make it happen, Tisdale
admits.  Video streaming city council meetings may be a pipe dream in many
communities but with Midland Government Television those golden slumbers
may become reality.