Cable Choice and Competition Act

[Bill O'Neill]

Dan Billings wrote:
> They had people that they called reporters who went to the meetings 
> and then wrote stories that could be read in minutes telling what 
> happened.  

I'm on a school board in Vermont.  The meetings are live and replayed on 
the local access channel.  So, I can only assume that the local paper 
cleans what it wants from the video.  On those rare occasions when there 
is a real, live reporter at the meeting it does make a difference in 
much of how business transpires. It may be in the subtle stuff such as 
how board members or visitors act, react, and contribute. As it should be. 

Having grown up in a very news-oriented home and in the former 
full-contact sport market of Boston, it can be quite a let-down when 
public business just sort of ... happens.  Not that there are many 
earth-shattering events in local town or school business, but it is 
something that could garner eyeballs to the page (and adverts thereon).  
The raw feeds of municipal meetings do have a place, but...

Bill O'Neill