City residents will continue to receive Morgan Hill Access
Television Channel 19 on their sets but with an extra boost behind
the scenes from Gilroy-based Community Media Access Partnership
after the city council approved a three-year public access
television contract unanimously Wednesday night.
City residents will continue to receive Morgan Hill Access Television Channel 19 on their sets but with an extra boost behind the scenes from Gilroy-based Community Media Access Partnership after the city council approved a three-year public access television contract unanimously Wednesday night.
The partnership between MHAT’s parent company Media Access Coalition of Central California and CMAP will allow more people to take advantage of the city’s public access cable channel and regional production services, according to producers. CMAP, which provides public access cable in Hollister, San Juan Bautista and Gilroy, has a permanent studio at Gavilan College that will now be used by MHAT jointly, including the use of studio equipment and training expertise to local MACCC members.
The partnership formed after the city solicited bids for Channel 19 operators last year after learning other companies were interested in running the channel. The CMAP/MHAT team was the victor following Wednesday’s vote, which came to fruition following a meeting among CMAP, MHAT and Access Morgan Hill, which operates under the umbrella of the Sobrato Arts Foundation. According to Access’ Walter van Tagen, Access was the only producer to bring a decisive proposal to the table as to how all three local companies might collaborate.
“The new agreement does not benefit the community, it benefits MHAT and CMAP,” van Tagen told the city council Wednesday. MHAT’s all volunteer-crew has operated the channel since 1999.
“Limit the contract to one year to see where the money goes,” van Tagen said.
With that comment, there was discussion on the dais over how cable laws are designated only to pay for capital and not for employees or training, according to Tony Eulo, the city’s environmental programs director. Van Tagen clarified, claiming that the money would not stay in Morgan Hill since membership fees will also fund CMAP in Gilroy – and furthermore – not fund a more local company such as Access Morgan Hill.
Mayor Steve Tate, who worked with staff on the bidding process, said because the council’s wish was to have the most collaboration that was possible among the three producers, they recommended the MHAT and CMAP partnership. Tate recalled the meeting among the three producers and said that Access did in fact have the only clear plan, but “more or less were in charge of everything,” which was not acceptable to CMAP and MHAT, who worked together on their own plan that eventually won the favor of the mayor and council.
MHAT board member Bob Snow said money earned in Morgan Hill would not funnel to Gilroy or elsewhere and the partnership is based on cooperation, not a financial agreement.
“Our money will be spent the way it was spent before,” Snow said Wednesday at the meeting. “We’re not paying them to do training classes. It’s only going to enhance the facilities here in town.”
Though as part of the partnership with CMAP, it will have access to MHAT’s studio located inside BookSmart on East Second Street, where CMAP’s staff will teach advanced classes up to four hours per month. Revenue from those classes will go directly to CMAP.
Public access cable channels are offered by Charter as part of its franchise agreements with the cities. A portion of subscribers’ monthly cable bills pays for the service, which costs about $18,000 annually in Morgan Hill.
The proposal allows residents from Morgan Hill to join CMAP at the same cost as Gilroy residents, and allows residents of Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Bautista to join MHAT at the same cost as Morgan Hill residents, Snow explained.
Now, if non-residents of CMAP’s service area want to become members, they pay a higher annual rate. MHAT charges $20 for an annual membership, but Snow said that cost will likely go up with the partnership. One reason for the cost increase is that membership allows access to more facilities and equipment.
Being a member of either organization allows people to use MHAT’s and CMAP’s facilities to produce content, and to check out equipment, Snow said.
“We show you how to operate the equipment – that’s our basic training,” Snow said. “CMAP offers more advanced training.”
Plus, MHAT has long sought to increase its membership, which at 25 members is less than that of CMAP, Snow said. The partnership is a possible way to draw more members to MHAT.
There is no charge for the public to submit content to be broadcast on Channel 19. Plus, members from both organizations will be invited to produce content for broadcast on all channels they serve.
The council was first scheduled to accept an operator in February, when staff recommended hiring CMAP. However, due to protests that such a proposal contravenes the benefit of keeping money and services within the Morgan Hill community, council members asked the three groups to work out a collaborative proposal.
