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BiWeekly Newsletter April 22, 2010
In This Issue
Update on Tucson 12 Co-location
Programming Highlights
Featured on the Marquee
Parking Lot
Programming for June Closure
Stay Connected
Update: Tucson 12 Not Moving An Inch

Last Tuesday Mayor Walkup and the Tucson City Council reversed their previous decision to move Tucson 12, the City government access channel into the Access Tucson building.  The move was supposed to save money but by the time the City's General Services department tallied up the costs, there were no immediate savings. They rough-estimated that it would cost between $513,000 and $818,000 for minor modification of the facility at 124 E. Broadway and to move the ten Tucson 12 employees and their equipment in.

Hunker Down

Because the City is in such deep financial trouble and the prospects for next year are bad to worse, City Manager Mike Letcher told the Access Tucson Board that there is no money to move anyone anywhere and that both Access Tucson and Tucson 12 need to "hunker down and try to survive."  Letcher was also instructed by the Council to take a look at a proposal made by the management of where Tucson 12 is currently located and paying rent, The Pioneer Building. The Pioneer Building management proposed to move Access Tucson into their space with Tucson 12 and to buy the city-owned Access Tucson building. 

Pennies on the Dollar

The area around Access Tucson is undergoing change
with the soon to be available signsconstructed Tucson Electric Power building on the site of the former Santa Rita Hotel, the recent announcement that Janos will open a restaurant in the former Barrio Food & Drink location and other businesses renovating space in the area. City real estate advisors recently informed the Council that it should not sell it's property now at the bottom of the market and that speculators and "bottom-feeders" are out there trying to buy for "pennies on the dollar." 

Furthermore Michael Keith, the newly-named CEO of the Downtown Partnership
also believes that property values will increase as well, citing a Marshal Vest report stating that Tucson's Real Estate prices may recover significantly in the next three years.

Weathering This Economic Downtown

With all of this lack of funding and uncertainty, one thing is certain - Access Tucson is in dire need of financial support from its members and the community. The People for Access Tucson Foundation is about to step up its fundraising efforts but don't wait to be asked.  You can contribute right now by clicking on the donate button.

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You will help make the difference in Access Tucson weathering this economic downturn and surviving until funding from the City resumes.

Budget for July

Although the City Manager's budget for July is not due out for a few more weeks, it seems sure that the recommendation will not be more than $303,000.  That is the amount that was promised this year--$758,740 reduced by 60%. And remember, Access Tucson only received $379,370 this year because all funding was cut half way through the fiscal year. Compare these amounts to about $1 million awarded just a couple years ago.  And for those comparing Access Tucson's funding to that of Tucson 12 -- theirs is over $900,000 this year.  

Sticky Situation

Cox cable billThat brings us back to that sticky situation of the cable license and that $1.38 monthly charge for PEG (public, educational and government) Access that Tucson Cox subscribers pay.  Well, according to Cox, they just hand the money ($5,250,000 a year) over to the City and don't really have any say how it is spent.  The City says the cable revenue goes into the general fund and is allocated yearly in the budget process.  The City claims that the language in their agreement with Cox which says that the City will apportion the estimated $1.6 million a year (roughly about the same as what that $1.38 per month per customer generates) for PEG capital actually means it can choose to apportion any or all of that amount to PEG capital and it chooses to apportion none of it to PEG capital. Access Tucson has made an inquiry about this seemingly unusual interpretation of the cable license agreement to the City Attorney but has yet to receive a response.

Mail in Your Ballot

All of these matters are under discussion by the Access Tucson Board of Directors, a 15 member body of community volunteers nine of whom are elected by the membership.  If you are an active member you will soon receive a ballot in the mail. Please take the time to read the information provided by the eleven candidates running for four Board seats this month.  Mark your ballot and return it in the mail in the envelope provided to the certified public accounting firm that will count the votes and provide the tabulation at the annual meeting on Thursday May 13 at 7pm. Come to the annual meeting and honor our many volunteers and participate in an interactive discussion about the state of Access Tucson. Your views and ideas are welcome.


Programming Highlights


KickboxerL and H Shorts: Michael's Knight (45:00)
Producer Horacio Trujillo Jr. presents an experimental documentary about a local kickboxer preparing for his first fight. American Kickboxing is essentially a mixture of Western Boxing and Karate. Opponents are allowed to hit each other with fists and feet, striking above the hip. Using elbows or knees is forbidden. Bouts are usually 3 to 12 rounds (lasting 2 - 3 minutes each) for amateur contests.


Thursdays 4/22 through 5/13 at 9pm
Access Tucson channel 72* (Comcast) / 120* (Cox)
Mondays 5/3 through 5/31 at 4pm
Access Tucson channel 73* (Comcast) / 98 (Cox)


Living Healthy in AmericaLiving Healthy in America(6 part series)
In 2008 through a unique partnership between La Frontera, Inc., the Tucson Burundi refugee community and Access Tucson, an informative and award winning television series was produced for the refugee and immigrant community of Tucson about health issues, home safety and injury prevention. As requested by our viewers, here's an encore presentation of the series.


Special Encore Presentation

Sunday 4/25 through Friday 4/30 at 8pm
One episode per night (30min to 1hr each)
Access Tucson channel 74 (Comcast) / 99 (Cox)
Sunday: Fire Safety and 911
Monday: First Aid
Tuesday: Poison Control
Wednesday: Stranger Danger and Gangs
Thursday: Mental Wellness
Friday: Health Care Providers


Through Thick and ThinThrough Thick and Thin (1:20:00)
From our FSTV documentary series, Through Thick and Thinfollows the extraordinary stories of seven binational gay and lesbian couples whose lives are dramatically affected by the current immigration laws. Filmmaker Sebastian Cordoba captures integral moments of each of the couples as they struggle to stay together, unfortunately demonstrating that love does not conquer all.

Saturday 4/24 and 5/1 at 6pm
Access Tucson channel 74 (Comcast) / 99 (Cox)

*
not all channels are available in all areas - FAQ

all programming is simultaneously streamed on our website - watch online

now playing



Featured on the Marquee

AIFF marquee

Don't miss the last weekend of the Arizona International Film Festival at the Screening Room downtown. Download the schedule here.

Access Tucson shares a long-time association with the Arizona Media Arts Center (The Screening Room) and has been an in-kind sponsor of the festival for many years. Primarily, Access Tucson assists with equipment needs and promotes the festival on the channels.

We thank the festival for bringing great independent films to Tucson.

The Parking Lot

parking lotDue to the fact that there has been no funding for Access Tucson since December, Access Tucson is no longer able to rent the western half of the parking area next to the building. The Fenton family, its owner, has blocked access to that part of the lot.

Members and guests are advised to park in the plentiful metered spots nearby which are free after 5:00 p.m. and all day on weekends.

Submitting Encore Programming for June Closure

Similar to last year, Access Tucson will close it's facility for the month of June. All employees will be furloughed without pay for that month in order to deal with budget cuts. Programming on the channels will continue through master control automation.

However, the closure will prohibit the intake and processing of programs. Master control operators will be using the month of May to process the programs and pre-schedule the channels for June. The cablecast rule that producers must turn in a new episode at least every four weeks will be suspended for June.

Deadlines

As mentioned previously in the March 25th eNewsletter, the deadline for tape producers (local and import) to submit programming for June is Wednesday May 5.

Live producers may submit their last live show through Saturday May 22 on the day it was live to play in June.

Producers may only submit up to two programs for June. Please be sure to use a cablecast calendar so staff knows which episode you want to play when.

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Celebrating 25 years, Access Tucson strives to provide the highest level of public media access service to the community. We facilitate the expression of ideas, opinions, and perspectives through electronic media. By tuning in to public access, viewers are discovering their own communities, alternative news and information not influenced by corporate or government interests.

All Tucson public access channels are operated and controlled by Access Tucson.  Access Tucson is an independent, nonprofit corporation and is not an agent or affiliate of Cox Communications, Comcast or the City of Tucson. 

Cox Communications, Comcast, the City of Tucson and Access Tucson are prohibited by law from controlling the content of programs on public access channels.  They are not responsible in any way for the content of public access programs, and are not liable for any material cablecast on pubic access channels.  Public access users and producers are solely responsible for and have complete control of the content of their programs. 

You can produce your own program and use this channel to share your message with the community.  Go to accesstucson.org or call (520) 624-9833 to find out how.