四 川 铁 FourRiverIron

Source

Scottsdale council bans partisan hosting of cable forums

Channel 11 panel disbanded

by Beth Duckett - Sept. 1, 2011 06:42 AM

The Arizona Republic

Organizations that endorse or oppose candidates in an election are banned from hosting forums on Scottsdale's government-run cable channel, under guidelines adopted by the Scottsdale City Council this week.

The move comes two years after the city formed a commission, whose mission was to fine-tune the policies and programming guidelines for CityCable 11.

The Channel 11 Commission no longer exists.

In the past, private and other outside entities, including the Scottsdale Republic, have hosted shows and interviewed political candidates in forums broadcast during election season.

Some have questioned whether the groups should be allowed to host the forums on taxpayer-funded Channel 11, which has a budget this year of $347,300.

In addition, members of the Channel 11 Commission were finding ways to best use the channel - and its shows - to the city's advantage.

After disbanding the commission by a 5-2 vote Monday, the City Council adopted programming guidelines that outline, among other things, what types of shows can air on the channel

CityCable broadcasts public meetings and shows that highlight city events and programs.

Under the council-approved guidelines, which took effect immediately, the channel can televise candidate and ballot-question forums for elections.

But any organizations or individuals that have endorsed or opposed, or will endorse or oppose candidates in an election season, are barred from hosting the forums. Previous guidelines said organizations cannot sponsor forums once they have actually made endorsements.

"We do allow for election forums, as we have in previous guidelines," said Kelly Corsette, Scottsdale communications and public affairs officer. "What these guidelines eliminate is hosting those forums from any organization that makes political endorsements."

The new rules also prohibit shows that are produced by private individuals or non-government agencies.

Vice Mayor Bob Littlefield has opposed airing shows by for-profit and outside organizations, particularly The Republic.

"I've always objected to the fact, besides the fact they were constantly trying to get rid of me, the fact that Scottsdale Republic was treating Channel 11, a taxpayer-funded resource, as their privately funded TV channel," he said Monday.

Littlefield called the ban "a very minimum restriction." He accused The Republic of having a "particular political agenda" in the forums.

Councilwoman Linda Milhaven took a different stance, saying that "eliminating the election forums gives the benefit to the incumbent and doesn't allow for a rich exchange."

The Scottsdale Republic last hosted a city election forum in fall 2010, highlighting candidates for City Council. The election was Nov. 2.

Michael Ryan, vice president and general manager of Community Newspapers for The Republic, has hosted "Scottsdale Conversations" programs this year featuring interviews with Mayor Jim Lane and the City Council's newest members, Milhaven and Dennis Robbins.

Ryan said he believes the forums were "more of a public service." He called them "extremely important to the community," since they allow residents to "assess for themselves the merits of the different candidates."

"The fact was, they were part of the process we use to make our judgments," Ryan said. "It's unfortunate the public will no longer be able to see those discussions we had on Channel 11. But we will continue to engage the candidates in a variety of ways, including doing our own forums."

John Washington, a member of the former Channel 11 Commission, said he was "not terribly displeased" with the adopted guidelines. At the same time, he said it took a long time to reach this point, and not all of the commission's goals were fulfilled.

The public can submit ideas for shows at www.scottsdaleaz.gov/citycable11/program-proposal.