We do not have adequate competition to "mainstream media" (monopoly media corporately connected with other big business, often with blatantly interlocking ownership).
In the past few years we have had a relatively independent Arcata Cable Access Television (ACAT) station brought under greater control of parties who are apparently not tolerant or presenting competitive viewpoints outside of the "mainstream", who do not allow the full use of the television creative resource, for whatever reasons. I do not believe there is a lacking of local video-audio producers who can express beautifully through the time slots that are now filled with "community calendar" type "filler" material. Why is this resource not exploited to the max? And because of our being inundated with international corporate media, it wouldn't hurt to use "non-local" material to provide for the information base of local citizens.
Governing One's Own Time. By the way, Council should not choose for future Councils who is to be running Arcata Public Education Government (APEG, now) access t.v., for us all in a time period beyond Council's own. Even the 3 present Councilpersons, who will be in office the next 2 years for the remainder of their 4 year terms, can change their minds with further information and public persuasions. This "governing one's own time" is an integral part of The Principle of Self-Government. I am reminded that 3 of the Councilpersons who approved the "interim contract" that runs through 2003 would still form a majority of City Council...but we all know how some politicians turn like a leaf blowing in the wind {smile}, and it is still a matter of Principle.
We need diverse culture, art, and music, sports, happy poetry, but we severely need "alternative" information that is not available in network media, the newspaper chains, nor National Public Radio/KHSU. Sherman Skolnick writes, "...Note that the great grandson of old John D. Rockefeller, founder of the infamous bloody Standard Oil Trust, namely John D. Rockefeller 4th, has been U.S. Senator from West Virginia. Senator Rockefeller's wife, Sharon Percy Rockefeller, plays a key role with NPR, which we call National Petroleum Radio and PBS Network. Once Arkansas Governor was William Rockefeller Clinton [elsewhere we explain why we use that as his middle name]. See our website series, "Wal-Mart and The Red Chinese Secret Police". ..."
Yeah, some label this "conspiracy theory", and I too am discerning and skeptical of what I believe in the course of my own studies, but you know what?: If you haven't studied something don't judge it! And certainly, you have no right to censor it from others' purview. Check out the Public Access Awareness Association for the real news on threats to public access across the continent.
(Web facilitator's note: There is a newly-updated website dedicated to this issue, Save Public Access!)
Go back to Dex Anderson, INDEPENDENT candidate for Arcata City Council in 2002 main page.