HOW TO DOWNLOAD TEXT: Netscape: under the "FILE" button, "Save As .." is a text option. Mosaic: "SAVE AS" has two text options. ``candidates-forum.text'' written from Webmacs(TM) at 17:16 on 6/09/95 ====================================================================== Browser Title: Candidates' Call-in Forum Candidates' Call-in Forum cablecast by Cable Co-op; live mapping by PGC. [IMAGE SRC="candidates-forum-img-00.gif" ] Introduction: Josh Wallace, Cable Co-op Moderator: Margaret Marshall, League of Women Voters [IMAGE SRC="candidates-forum-img-01.gif" ] Tom Passell: On the board since 82. Claude Ezran: Cable system run by members. Current board member. 1. add value by promoting local 1. control costs to offer best value origination programming to viewers 2. increase variety, narrow focus OK 2. partnering with local companies to 3. add high speed connection offer services like internet access to information highway 3. community involvement Christopher Crump: Gordon Fuller: 1. strengthen financial to grow, protect CC from takeovers Now a convergence of TV and digital 2. CC is proper vehicle for Info HW tech; not just one information 3. CC should reflect viewers input highway but many new trends. CC has 4. more local programming opportunity to position in new world market of telecommunications Peter Aloo: Ken Allen: 1. Make sure our schools are not left behind in new technology Engineering, communications, law, 2. Would like to see CC remain a public access, community community venture, resisting involvement. Produced local content merging with big companies. for many years. High value services 3. Involve with other communities. and local advertisers, retain local control. Seth Fearey: Leonard Ely III: Work at: HP; on InfoHW in Washington; Finance is very important. The Board and Smart Valley. Excited about should work together. Public access delivering new services. Can help for non-profit sector in Palo Alto. deal with tech and business issues. Moshe Kreitzer: Marvin Lee: Children have been neglected One of the founders of CC. due to lack of funds. CC should Low tech also important, cooperate with education encouraged CC to do FM music, system, state, and private now working on local news on FM enterprise to raise funds. Gary Madden: Current board member. Involved with interactive TV and mutlimedia communications in work at Apple. CC should partner with tech companies; relevant local community programming. [IMAGE SRC="candidates-forum-img-02.gif" ] Question: Margaret [moderator] What is the role of board member? Claude: Tom: Need to improve financial Represent subscribers. position of CC. Increase membership, find sources of revenue. Seth: Ken: Finance important. Must decide Represent the community; if Internet access is profitable keep finances together; service, school access. sounding board for management [IMAGE SRC="candidates-forum-img-04.gif" ] Question: Roland [call-in] Christopher: Not interested in any current channels; I attend the operations meetings; is there a way to give members more it is difficult to integrate options? for instance, the "90's channel" viewers into the selection process, but very important. Should be using new technology for getting input. Gary: Chairs programming [Operations] Ken: committee, feedback welcome. Stive for diversity. Members can give input by calling Director of Marketing, Carolyn Come to meetings -- third tuesday Hillman, directly. of every month at 7:30 [IMAGE SRC="candidates-forum-img-03.gif" ] Question: Yvonne [call-in] Seth: Someone said this is a money-making business, but I thought it was a CC is a for-profit organization. co-op and supposed to be customer It needs financial strength oriented. Also, would like to have in order to deliver community more attention paid to the basic oriented services. subscriber. Claude: Marvin: It is for profit, but members CC founded as service organization are the owners for the community; but higher rates because of loans ... if each member would invest $300 we would get local Ken: On more for the basic subscriber: ownwership and reduced rates we could redesign the fees, less for basic and more for some premium channels; the technology exists for multiple base levels. We could also expand the subscriber base. Question: Yvonne, again [call-in] I think CC is trying to do too much, and our rates are high because of that. Gordon: note that 65% of cable subscribers Peter: are dissatisfied -- it is difficult to please everyone. Explore different combinations of programming to lower rates, Telecommunications regulations are give different choices. changing. Telephone, TV and data are coming together. One thing which is Tom: emerging is universal service. One way to reduce bill is to increase CC might consider selling cablingsystem subscribers; only 40% of the community hardware to keep control of content. are subscribers, and very few of them are investors Question: Margaret [moderator] Mavin: How do you see Cable Co-op's role as a community resource? Working now on local TV news ... and a better way is free news on FM. A number Seth: of fre services could be provided CC is interactive communications; connect Claude: local schools to Stanford classes. Public access to the internet thru CC days of monopoly are over. Community access is an important way for CC to Ken: differentiate itself from other providers CC is right now involved in broadband internet access experiments, esp to Gordon: the schools. Internet already at JLS; Gunn Public access to networks -- Our content will allow us to cut some improve content important deals with the major telecommuni- cation companies. People want things Moshe that are relevant to their lives and community. Content not hardware; this Multimedia access to libraries community is content producer rich. [IMAGE SRC="candidates-forum-img-05.gif" ] Question: Margaret [moderator] How should Cable Co-op involve itself in the new technologies? Gary: Christopher: Cable is first associated with Role of entertainment in cable will entertainment. Reliable, convenient not change; but also information and fun first. Make it easy to use, services combining Internet and and well meshed with services that community needs. Time is the scarce people want. email? Internet access? resource for the future. Look at Avoid high-risk experiments; partner people's time and tune to their needs. with local companies. Probably data services. Peter: Claude: Need for the new technology to There is a lot of hype with future be deeply rooted in our community technologies .. we must be careful. and schools. Basics are important. Pizzas, no; internet data access, yes [currently partnering with Com 21 in epxeriment]. Not clear that 500 channels would be good. Because we have limited resources, we must be prudent; let's see how things shape out. [IMAGE SRC="candidates-forum-img-06.gif" ] Moshe: Marvin: Cable Co-op may be small now, but CC responds to members: some of the AT&T started out the same way, so best sports coverage, classical FM did Bank of America. CC can grow any way it wants. Ken: Seth: CC should be "proactive but cautious" Derive revenue from syndication of in regards to the new technologies -- local programming. We can be a test bed expensive and risky. Partnering with for others who want to try out their large companies: offer desirable technology such as Com 21. CC does need demographics; proving ground for new outside funding. And should provide services members want without risking transport as well as content. our capital. next page Hit "RELOAD" in your browser to [more instructions and legal see the latest version of this live notices] Web page. [Meeting Page generated live by [background information on the Performing Graphics Company candidates] (PGC); Copyright 1995 by PGC who is solely responsible for [TV/Web Simulcast survey] its contents.] TEXT-ONLY VERSION IMAGE LINKS POSTSCRIPT VERSION