Comments on: Big Idea: I Want My CCTV (City Council Television) http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/ Because Spartanburg Matters Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:53:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: John http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6615 John Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:46:48 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6615 I still think Junie White's comments are at least curious. The way I read them was to say "if you are really interested enough in wanting to witness a city council meeting, then you should be more than willing to just come down to City Hall and be here in person". That might even be a valid argument, although I am with the folks who believe they should be televised, just for the heck of it. Although I doubt many people would watch it. I still think Junie White’s comments are at least curious. The way I read them was to say “if you are really interested enough in wanting to witness a city council meeting, then you should be more than willing to just come down to City Hall and be here in person”. That might even be a valid argument, although I am with the folks who believe they should be televised, just for the heck of it. Although I doubt many people would watch it.

]]> By: Steve Shanafelt http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6611 Steve Shanafelt Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:28:41 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6611 Yeah, while it's tempting to imagine that the "real" motivation here is somehow one of citizen disempowerment, I really don't think that's the case in this situation. Given how cash-strapped the City is, and how behind the times the civic infrastructure is in general here, I think it's probably one of those things that really hasn't been examined very seriously or is considered a very low priority. As a result, it's quite possible that no one in a position to do so has even taken the time to run a cost estimate on what it would take, and is quite happy to shrug and say "it'll never work." I completely reject that kind of thinking. They could be holding City Council meetings in a cardboard box in a dark alley and there'd still be a way to film it and get it out to the public. And the answer Tammy was given -- the chambers are bad for filming -- smacks more of apathy on the Council and City staff part than anything else. That's the kind of answer you'd get if no one had even bothered to look into it seriously, since there's surely a camera and lens combination that would work just fine for getting at least the Council in frame in that size of a room. Even a decent audio recording would be an improvement. I don't think anyone is expecting perfection here, just a basic means that would allow us to watch what happened at Council twice a month. Yeah, while it’s tempting to imagine that the “real” motivation here is somehow one of citizen disempowerment, I really don’t think that’s the case in this situation.

Given how cash-strapped the City is, and how behind the times the civic infrastructure is in general here, I think it’s probably one of those things that really hasn’t been examined very seriously or is considered a very low priority. As a result, it’s quite possible that no one in a position to do so has even taken the time to run a cost estimate on what it would take, and is quite happy to shrug and say “it’ll never work.”

I completely reject that kind of thinking. They could be holding City Council meetings in a cardboard box in a dark alley and there’d still be a way to film it and get it out to the public.

And the answer Tammy was given — the chambers are bad for filming — smacks more of apathy on the Council and City staff part than anything else. That’s the kind of answer you’d get if no one had even bothered to look into it seriously, since there’s surely a camera and lens combination that would work just fine for getting at least the Council in frame in that size of a room.

Even a decent audio recording would be an improvement.

I don’t think anyone is expecting perfection here, just a basic means that would allow us to watch what happened at Council twice a month.

]]> By: Christopher George http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6609 Christopher George Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:44:53 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6609 Speaking as the guy who normally covers city council for the Spark, I can say I love the idea, if for no other reason than I can't see why not, and we'd get the props for being the group to do it. Will it be something that more than 50 people a week will watch? Probably not, but that's not really a reason not to do it. I have to disagree with j rome though. If you've ever actually been to a city council meeting you know there's nothing really conspiratorial going on there. As far as salaries, they're all posted as part of the budget which is available online for anybody who wants to look at it. I'm all for televising/recording the thing, but if you think it's going to bring about some great revelation that's going to expose something beyond the normal, usually boring goings on at a council meeting, you're dreaming. Speaking as the guy who normally covers city council for the Spark, I can say I love the idea, if for no other reason than I can’t see why not, and we’d get the props for being the group to do it. Will it be something that more than 50 people a week will watch? Probably not, but that’s not really a reason not to do it.

I have to disagree with j rome though. If you’ve ever actually been to a city council meeting you know there’s nothing really conspiratorial going on there. As far as salaries, they’re all posted as part of the budget which is available online for anybody who wants to look at it.

I’m all for televising/recording the thing, but if you think it’s going to bring about some great revelation that’s going to expose something beyond the normal, usually boring goings on at a council meeting, you’re dreaming.

]]> By: j rome http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6607 j rome Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:07:47 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6607 Out of site, out of mind. That's the only reason why cameras aren't at Council Meetings. What if Spartanburg residents really knew what was going on or whose salaries they were paying!!! Scary for them! I'm assuming it's legal for a citizen to record in the chambers? I wonder if you'd be confronted and told otherwise? Out of site, out of mind. That’s the only reason why cameras aren’t at Council Meetings. What if Spartanburg residents really knew what was going on or whose salaries they were paying!!! Scary for them!

I’m assuming it’s legal for a citizen to record in the chambers? I wonder if you’d be confronted and told otherwise?

]]> By: dave http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6603 dave Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:36:01 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6603 There are an endless number of ways this can be done on the cheap, with nothing more than a laptop, a decent quality camera (i.e. NOT a webcam), and a good network drop. My brain is already running on all the ways this could be accomplished. There are an endless number of ways this can be done on the cheap, with nothing more than a laptop, a decent quality camera (i.e. NOT a webcam), and a good network drop. My brain is already running on all the ways this could be accomplished.

]]> By: zaksma http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6602 zaksma Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:23:24 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6602 What about the City Channel (or whatever the proper name is for it) on Charter Cable? What would it involve to get it broadcast on that since the City is already producing shows to air on it? It's been a while since I flipped over to it but I know that there used to be some sort of crime show (maybe not crime per se but iirc, it had a police officer on it) on it and recently, I caught a few seconds of a sort of round table discussion involving Mayor Barnett. If the City is producing shows for this (and honestly, I have no clue who is actually doing it), then shouldn't they already have video equipment? If not, shouldn't there be someone who knows how this stuff is getting aired? That could be an alternative to putting it online exclusively. What about the City Channel (or whatever the proper name is for it) on Charter Cable? What would it involve to get it broadcast on that since the City is already producing shows to air on it? It’s been a while since I flipped over to it but I know that there used to be some sort of crime show (maybe not crime per se but iirc, it had a police officer on it) on it and recently, I caught a few seconds of a sort of round table discussion involving Mayor Barnett. If the City is producing shows for this (and honestly, I have no clue who is actually doing it), then shouldn’t they already have video equipment? If not, shouldn’t there be someone who knows how this stuff is getting aired? That could be an alternative to putting it online exclusively.

]]> By: Daniel Hagerman http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6597 Daniel Hagerman Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:12:11 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6597 I'll definitely throw in $10 and man that camera. This is an excellent idea. Meet photogerman. I’ll definitely throw in $10 and man that camera. This is an excellent idea. Meet photogerman.

]]> By: tammy http://www.spartanburgspark.com/2009/10/28/big-idea-i-want-my-cctv-city-council-television/comment-page-1/#comment-6595 tammy Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:22:19 +0000 http://www.spartanburgspark.com/?p=7461#comment-6595 This is another one of those projects that no doubt needs to move back to the top of the 'to-do' list. I asked a few years ago about Council meetings being televised and was told something about Council chambers being horrible for filming or something lame like that. Our City Council chambers are horrible but that is no excuse to not televise Council meetings. Back in graduate school (that was in '96 & '97) I had a part-time job working as the Deputy Town Clerk for the Town of Boone (NC). At that time, all of our meetings were televised. In Boone, NC...in 1997?!?!?! And we can't televise meetings in Spartanburg, SC in 2009? That's kinda sad y'all. Why can't the County Council chambers be set up to televise meetings so that City AND County Council meetings can be held in those chambers and put on the already existing City channel? This is another one of those projects that no doubt needs to move back to the top of the ‘to-do’ list.

I asked a few years ago about Council meetings being televised and was told something about Council chambers being horrible for filming or something lame like that. Our City Council chambers are horrible but that is no excuse to not televise Council meetings.

Back in graduate school (that was in ‘96 & ‘97) I had a part-time job working as the Deputy Town Clerk for the Town of Boone (NC). At that time, all of our meetings were televised. In Boone, NC…in 1997?!?!?! And we can’t televise meetings in Spartanburg, SC in 2009? That’s kinda sad y’all.

Why can’t the County Council chambers be set up to televise meetings so that City AND County Council meetings can be held in those chambers and put on the already existing City channel?

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