HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #75 - Discussion ItemDonald Warshaw
City Manager
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Tomas Regalado
Commissioner
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA('11 . ••.''JA(_'ERS OFFICE
INTER -OFFICE MEMORAISIN aaR 25 AM 7: 55
GATE ' M 4, 1999 FILE
SUBJECT;
Discussion Item
ENCLOSURES:
Please place an item on the agenda of the City Commission meeting to be held on April
27; 1999. This item is in reference to discussion and possible legislative action relative to
programming on NET Channel 9.
Cc: Agenda Office
City of Miami
Office of Media Relations
Channel Net 9
April 27, 1999
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Brief Background History of Channel Net 9
• In 1992, Miami Net 9, a 24-hour, seven days a week, municipal access channel was
designated on Miami TCI's subscriber cable television system.*
• The purpose of this channel was to identify, explain and promote the use of City
services and to encourage interaction between City Government and its citizens.
Information is to be direct non -editorial concerning the operations and deliberations of
City Government.
• The channel would provide a basic level of programming which relied upon a simple
"Bulletin Board" format featuring graphic/text information alternating with Public
Service Announcements.*
-Coverage of meetings of the City Commission
-Tape delayed cable casting of live programming
-Programs produced with resources of department, agencies and offices
of the City -
-Outside source programs appropriate to the guidelines of the channel
-Text/graphic Bulletin Board -
• Administrative Policy for Channel Net 9, Resolution No. 92-413
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Slide Presentation
Comparison between Channel Net 9 &F.I.U. Studio Facilities
Present Status of Channel 9
This presentation is a quick comparison between FIU and Channel Net 9 studio facilities
and a status report on Channel 9.
The reason we have done this comparison with FIU studios is because we have recently
done production work at their studios, on an occasional basis, for some of our
programming.
Slide #1
FIU
• Exterior view of FIU studios facilities located at the North Campus on Biscayne
Boulevard
Slide #2
Channel Net 9
• Exterior view of location of our facilities, Fire Training Academy in Coconut Grove
Slide #3
FIU
• Typical studio environment
-Describe lighting equipment
-Racks and diversity of lighting equipment
-Note different sets: cyclorama, Chroma key background
-Professional staff: 3 camera people and floor manager.
Slide #4
Channel Net 9
• Our studio configuration
-Lack of space
-Lack of lighting equipment; portable; of inadequate size
-Loose cabling
-One of our video cameras for studio work
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` Slide #5 -
FIU
o Young lady controlling the Lighting Board
Slide #6
Channel Net 9
• No Lighting Panel. Lights strung by wire ties, no rack equipment to move the lights
-Patches of foam type material to reduce echo, no proper insulation
Slide #7 =
FIU
o Studio facilities Control Room at FIT _
-Only for production work
-Amount of staff working
-TelePrompTer -
-Camera swithcher -
-Character generator
- -Program producer (lady standing)
-Director sitting behind, using proper headsets
Slide #8 -_
Channel Net 9 _
o Our production facility -_
-Not as sophisticated -
-Multipurpose facility: production, editing and duplication. These fumctions
should be separated. In our set-up we can only do one at a time.
-Character generator
-10 VCR's --only 6 are operational
Slide #9
_ FIU
• Switcher at FI J- multiple camera switcher and special effects generator
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Slide #10
Channel Net 9
• Our production switcher on left bottom quadrant of picture
-Next to the Audio Board
-Switcher came from Police Dept., bought in 80's
-Right top quadrant of the frame there is an old 3/4' Sony VCR donated by a
citizen. This unit was repaired and is the only one in our facility that is
operational. Built around 1984.
-Audio mixer, the unit on top, borrowed from Police Dept., is used to mix
audio that comes from the studio --very basic
Slide #11
FIU
• FIU's PC based character generator -bulletin board facility
Slide #12
Channel Net 9
• Our character generator and bulletin board equipment
-Uses a Commodore Amiga computer
-Purchased between `91-'92
-Manufacturer out of business for the past 5 years
-No replacement parts
-Software antiquated
-No Spell Checker
-2 units like this in the city -at studio and inside Control Room at City Hall
-If one of these unitt fails there will be no bulletin board
Slide #13
Channel Net 9
• Gym located at Fire Training Center located on 6th floor above the Channel 9 studios
-Noise of weight throwing and people working out resonates in studio
-Either stops programming or must do takes between weight drops
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Slide #14
Channel Net 9
• Our typical field work camera equipment
-Purchased in 1994. Two (2) of these units
-Not of professional quality, prosumer use --for an advanced amateur use
-Not of broadcast quality
Slide #15
Channel Net 9
• Modulator
-This unit permits the conversion of video information to cable signal
-Back-up modulator unit
-One of GSA employees, Raul Cuevas, found this unit in the middle of the
street and brought it to us to see if we could use it. With a little fiddling we made
it work.
-Probably discarded by someone who considered it outdated
-During the last hurricane scare we took this modulator to the
Emergency Center and used it to transmit emergency information to the Bulletin
Board
Slide #16
Channel Net 9
• Lapel Microphones
-Circa 1980's
-Came from Police Department
-Used to have three (3), now only (2) microphones
-Taped to keep them running
Slide #17
Channel Net 9
e Routing switcher
-Brought from Police
-Switches signals between editing equipment and live production
-Jams up because of age
Slide #18
Channel Net 9 [
• Storage Room
-Not an optical illusion
-We have stopped storing for fear of units collapsing _
-Needs to be replaced with proper shelving
Slide #19
FW
• We are not asking for a similar facility but to have a studio with proper lighting,
background, proper audio
Slide #20
FIU
• We are not asking for a Control Room of this caliber or as many staff persons but we
need to replace and enhance our equipment to produce quality work. We need:
-Adequate lighting
-Adequate sound
-Adequate production capabilities
-Adequate staff
The staff at Channel Net 9 and Media Relations is enthusiastic to meet the challenge of
bringing about changes is our programming. We are working with the Administration
and the Budget Department to produce the changes that we need in order to meet the
requests made by this Commission, and offer a programming all of our citizens can feel
proud of.
On a final note, this quote is from the late great artist Orson Welles:
"A painter needs a brush, a writer needs a pen, and a filmmaker needs an army. "
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JORGE Luis HERNANDEZ
DIRECTOR
April 19, 1999
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OFFICE OF MEDIA RELATIONS
444 S.W. 210 AVENUE, 91" FLOOR
MIAMI. FLORIDA 33130.1910
(305) 416-1440
FAX (305) 416-1441
Mr. Bert Delgado
SJMC FIU / NORTH AC2, Rm 313
3000 NE 15151 Street
North Miami, FL 33181
Dear Bert:
We wish to thank you for directing five (5) additional programs for the City of
Miami.
I will be calling you soon to discuss the possibility of resuming the tapings of the
programs after you come back in the Fall.
Again, thanks for your help and cooperation. I will be talking to you soon.
Sincerel
Jorge Luis ernandez
Director
JHL:xmc
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Facts RWrding iami-Dade County
Government Channel 34
A conversation with Don Patchen, Studio Manager of Channel 34 revealed the
following facts:
• An annual budget of $1.1 million dollars
s A state of the arts Chyron character generator of broadcast quality as found in studios
of commercial stations like CBS, NBC or Univision.
• Thirteen (13) full time staff including:
1 Station Manager
3 Producers
2 Editors
1.5 Engineer
• $150,000 in recurring funds annually for the purchase of new equipment
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On July 1998, the Office of Community Information was renamed the Office of Media
Relations. Jorge Luis Hernandez was appointed Director of Media Relations. Channel
Net 9 became a part of this office.
Channel Net 9 never had an independent budget. Equipment found in Channel Net 9
has either come from other departments or bought with the funds from other departments.
The members of the Office of Media Relations and Channel Net 9 have concluded these
are the most pressing needs to ensure quality work is produced in our studio facility:
Basic lighting
• Microphones
• Character generator
• Insulation-Soudproofing
• Cyclorama
• Two (2) professional video cameras for outside field work
• Light belts
• Batteries
• Additional staff