CABLE TELEVISION ALIVE IN DES PLAINES

By KAREN M. HENRIKSON, Public Relations Coordinator, City of Des Plaines

First and third Monday evenings of every month find many community-minded cable television subscribers in the City of Des Plaines tuned in to TCI Channel #25 as City Council Meetings are broadcast live. Channel #25 is the local government access cable station and its engineers, nine members of the Des Plaines Cable Commission, are optimistic about the future of television in Des Plaines. Des Plaines was fortunate in 1982, not long after the signing of a franchise agreement for cable services with TCI, to have the foresight to develop a cable television commission. It is this group, assisted by other local trained community access producers, that has focused their efforts over the past two years on the "hands on" programming associated with the government access station and, particularly, televising live Des Plaines City Council Meetings.

(Above) Des Plaines Cable Television Commissioner Chairman Richard Luckritz discusses the evening's council meeting agenda with Commissioner Julie Koelig in the cable television control room of Des Plaines City Hall prior to the onset of the meeting. Council Meetings are televised live on the first and third Monday.

Created by ordinance, the cable television commission is comprised of a chairperson and eight members appointed by the mayor with city council consent. All members serve without compensation. They are charged with various powers and duties including advising the city council with respect to all aspects of cable television which would benefit or assist subscribers. They have the power to conduct hearings in review of the franchisee's decisions, review the franchise records as required, promote and review the use of community access channels, etc. Three of the original cable commissioners continue to serve, with one of them presiding as chairman.

This past year, cable television commissioners, along with a city staff member liaison, have produced several programs for government access. These include a program involving the mayor and the executive coordinator of Keep Des Plaines Beautiful, Inc. discussing anti-litter campaigns, recycling, and the city's "Adopt A-Spot" Program in the production "Keeping Des Plaines Beautiful;" and informational interview focusing on the function of the city clerk's office entitled "Government Review: The Des Plaines City Clerk's Office;" a live press conference involving Maine West High School Students questioning city officials regarding pertinent issues; two entertaining productions featuring the Memorial Day Parade and July 4th Parades and other similar productions. This type of live government access programming didn't happen for the commission overnight. The city and TCI had a formal agreement whereby the cable company agreed to move existing operational equipment from the local community access studio, located in a former elementary school, to a control room located on the second floor of Des Plaines City Hall. It was necessary for the city council chambers, on the first floor of city hall, to be wired for cameras.

(Above) Des Plaines Cable Television Commissioners and access producers crew a production from the control room in Des Plaines City Hall.

One major concern was the audio system in the city hall council chambers. Having been installed in 1975 when the building was constructed, it was never intended to be used for broadcasting. When the commission made their live broadcasting debut, the sound was everything but audible.

In an effort to make an educated decision regarding what should be done with the audio equipment or whether new equipment should be purchased, the cable commission requested that they be given the authority to hire an audio consultant. Having been granted the request by the city council, Westend Recording, Hoffman Estates, IL, was contracted to assist with evaluating the equipment and, eventually, with the development of bid specifications for a new system. Wizdum Audio, Arlington Heights, IL, was awarded the bid and by January 1994 a new system, meeting broadcast needs as well as Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, was operational.

November 1994 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 5

(Above) City of Des Plaines Cable Commissioner Jim Brink motions to another access producer during the taping of the July 4th Parade. The parade production is one of many programs aired on the local TCI access station.

Response to the new system was favorable and confirmed that a considerable number of individuals watch the government access channel audience. A fully functional studio opened up all kinds of opportunities for productions. Currently three productions are underway; a program focusing on the many functions of the fire department which will include video footage of training procedures, home inspections, and burn scenes; a police department oriented program focusing on gang awareness/education; and a theatre guild production sponsored by Keep Des Plaines Beautiful promoting environmental issues. When the control room was established at city hall, the Des Plaines Park District gave the municipality a character generator, a device used to create alpha/numeric messages that would be transmitted over the government access station. The park district, having been granted their own access station at one point, agreed to give the city the device with the understanding that the city would carry some of their messages. Essentially, the character generator allows written messages regarding upcoming meetings, vehicle sticker purchases, the park district's free concert series, safety tips from the police and fire departments, aldermen's names, addresses and phone numbers, etc. to be scrolled over the screen on an ongoing basis when no live programs or tapes are being telecast. The executive director of the Northwest Municipal Cable Council (NWMCC), to which the City of Des Plaines pays an annual membership fee, assists commission members with the development of the alpha/numeric messages.

Des Plaines is one of five communities that comprise the Northwest Municipal Cable Conference (NWMCC). The NWMCC monitors the development and operation of the cable system and oversees activities related to the confirmation of franchise compliance. As part of an agreement whereby the NWMCC has a rent free office in city hall within close proximity to the cable television control room, the director has agreed to assist in the coordination of alpha/numeric messages. The NWMCC is also making efforts to produce public service productions for its member communities' government access stations. As franchise renewal comes closer, the city looks forward to enhancing their relationship with the NWMCC and will have the perfect opportunity to do so with their offices being located at city hall.

With ever advancing technology and an interest in local governmental cable television programming being cultivated by groups like the Des Plaines Cable Commission, it appears that Des Plaines has every reason to feel enthusiastic about the future of cable television.

For additional information on the Des Plaines Cable Television operations call 708-391-5312.

Page 6 / Illinois Municipal Review / November 1994