Members of the New Paltz Public Access Committee are charged with making the local cable channel that’s provided under terms of a franchise agreement the best it can be. With many people suddenly unemployed and with little to do, this could be their shining moment.
According to committee member Don Kerr, who also produces the long-running Slice of New Paltz series that airs on Channel 23, there is a full-court press to fill up the schedule with new programs. Much of what has aired on the channel recently has been repeats of old local shows to supplement government meetings, and those meetings are not what they used to be.
Public access coordinator Bob Fagan, in an email to Kerr, confirmed that evening programming pre-pandemic was all live broadcast of government meetings. Now, with those being conducted via video conference, they are not aired live at all. Moreover, due to a combination of learning how to use these platforms and there just not being as much work to do, most meetings are running closer to half an hour, rather than the two to four which was the old normal.
In a post on Facebook, Kerr said that public access committee members are “responding aggressively to the need for our community to stay home, stop the spread and stay well-grounded while doing so” by asking “our neighbors: what can you bring to your community via video that might brighten our days and our nights? Yoga classes or tai chi? A film starring your children? Poetry? Education?”
Much of what’s aired on Channel 23 in the past has been political in focus, but during the pandemic there has been a shift: there are religious services from several denominations now being broadcast, as well as daily briefings from the governor. Based on this announcement, it’s clear that expanding well beyond the current scope is precisely what’s being sought at this time.
This call for content is open to anyone with a New Paltz address. The promise is that if residents step up and offer any kind of entertainment or education in a video format, committee members “will work hard to provide a means to share your content with your neighbors.”
Inquiries and submissions should be sent to submissions@npstv.org. Creators will be asked to provide permission to share their work in writing. No matter what’s created, it’s probably safe to say that Channel 23 will be getting its highest viewership in the coming weeks.
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