This is a Showcase of TV Shows Created or Sponsored by Pinellas County Citizens
Question to Members
How would folks feel about being able to use the old facility again? It would have to be a totally different structure. There's a rumor that the County would be interested, if we came up with a proposal that included $'s to them . . . This means we'd have to do fundraising and have membership dues, etc.
It's a big task, but doable.
Let the discussion begin . . .
Jen
It's a big task, but doable.
Let the discussion begin . . .
Jen
Views: 35
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ron Savelo on
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Rumor does have it that the County is harder up for money than they ever were.
And there sits an almost totally unused studio, paid for by taxpayers.
A little birdie heard that Carl Brody even mentioned to someone that the County would be very interested, if someone came up with some funding.
And there's all kinds of ways to get funding.
And Brighthouse Channel 96, as most of you probably know, is still off the air.
Ron Savelo
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Permalink Reply by David Lee Maxwell on -
I'm down with this!!! Let me know how I can help. I just got in the loop at the bitter end (around August of 2007) thanks to John Casimiro who shot Blind Willie's B-day Benefit Concert just as the govt. was pullin' the plug. I offered to coordinate a concert fund-raiser with several bands to try to get a "stay of execution" for Access of Pinellas, but the staffers were already so overwhelmed by the situation I guess, that they never gave me the go-ahead.
My strategy was to recruit a couple of 1st Amendment-Supporters-cum-Media Anti-heros to champion the cause to raise public awareness by getting Joe Redner and Bubba The Love Sponge to emcee my "Access Benefit Concert" and to lend their notoriety to the mix, but alas, my offer just came too late I think. Please feel free to contact me with any ideas on how I can help. My cell # in St Pete is (651) 208-2092.
While my $ resources are limited, my skills are not. My fledgeling CHITLIN CIRCUS PRODUCTIONS would be glad to offer support in the areas of networking, publicity, media, recruiting public support as well as that of artists/musicians in the community and certainly I could coordinate a multiple band concert and maybe even get some fire dancers or sideshow acts and visual artists to display and sell their work w/ a portion going to the Access cause.
That's just off the top of my head, but I am an "Idea Man" and I look forward to seeing how we can show the "powers-that-be" how important Public Access is to some of the more-enlightened public.
Best regards,
David Lee Maxwell
E-mail via davidleemaxwell@yahoo.com
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Permalink Reply by David A. Rollins on -
I would be interested in seeing this Project go forth. Had worked on Productions at this Studio before it was closed.
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Permalink Reply by Vince Mangone on -
Awsome!!!! Would Love to....Vince
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Permalink Reply by Harriet Spradley on -
Sounds good to me. Will we have to pay to produce and air our shows? Harriet
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Sloane on -
I think that there would have to be some kind of membership dues in addition to a serious fundraising effort in order to even put something together that the County would accept. The County is broke!!! County employees are losing their jobs like crazy now.
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Permalink Reply by John Casimiro on -
I 'll Believe it when I see it, but hopefully it will work out. They should open it up to other counties too.
BTW I'm working at Tampa Public access now. Stop by & say hello!
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Sloane on
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So, can we brainstorm fundraising ideas?
Lease space?
Membership dues?
Open to neighboring counties?
Anyone?
:)
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Permalink Reply by Lisa Inserra on -
Hi All,
I was in a voting line last November when Commissioner Seel gladhanded me and asked for my vote. In front of a queue of voters I said loudly "I'd NEVER vote for you." She was shocked and asked why. Of course I said "Because you were behind closing Access Pinellas. So much for free speech." Mortification set in, but she did invite me to come in to see her at any time if I had any ideas on how to start it up. She also said that "the major forces behind closing Access Pinellas no longer existed on the Board." Hm. I think we know who those parties are.
Everyone misses Access Pinellas enormously. In my current job I've come across SO many people who took the classes and were very upset that it had closed. But I think it has to be acknowledged that a lot of it's appeal was in the social gathering aspect. We can all look at video on TV and the web, but it's the community of citizens aspect...people getting together...that was it's real appeal for most people. For that alone it's worth reviving.
Of course there's a way to get Access Pinellas up and running again. But, the same issues as before need to be solved.
Who is willing to take responsibility for
A) Content
B) Funding
C) Legalities
Etc. ?
I do believe that there is a substantial commitment time-wise to be made. If several of us can commit to sharing the time commitment necessary, I'm in.
Lisa
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Permalink Reply by bill mclain on -
If "they" said it took $300,00 to run Access TV for a year and we have 68 producers at last count, it would only cost us $368. each per month, and does that allow us to put our shows back on TV....?
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Permalink Reply by Lisa Inserra on
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I know I can't afford $368 a month to do a Public Access program. But I don't think it would cost $300,000 a year to run the place unless administration was structured as it had been in the past. That included salaries. What we're looking at now is insurance, renting the space, and perhaps overtime of 1 or 2 county employees as they would have to have a county employee on the premises during times when the public was in the building.
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Sloane on
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I'm happy we're generating some discussion about this topic! Thank you!!!
Lisa, I agree that $368 a month is very steep for most folks, especially in these times. I'm thinking that we would need to create multiple sources of funding . . .
Bill, there could be a sliding scale type of fee.
Also, instead of replicating what we had before (i.e. Public Access), this space could be used to create an Arts and Education Station that includes a core group of producers, rental of the space to income generating production companies, sliding scale fees, fee-based education programs, etc. This doesn't mean that we'd negate the social gathering aspect, but perhaps create it in a new and better/different way.
This post was meant to generate some initial discussion, see what the interest level was and to gather ideas. It looks like that's happening.
Someone was supposed to speak to Carl Brody about the legalities, insurance, etc. I haven't heard the results of that conversation. I think the County is in serious financial trouble, and any proposal should be geared towards income generation for the County. They might loosen up their previous "stranglehold" on things, if they're making money off a space that now is virtually empty.
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