Tis the season to begin getting your JAG Award entries ready for submission…even more so than in prior years, because there are several changes that will affect your registration and submission.
First, your registration: The registration will still open on January 1, 2024 but the deadline to have all your entries registered is January 31, 2024.
Second, your submissions: All entry submissions must be uploaded by February 15, 2024 and your video highlights will need to be uploaded by February 29, 2024.
Be sure to mark these dates on your calendar.
And speaking of your entry submissions, there are changes to what you will need to submit. After listening to our judges and members of JAG, it has been decided that each upload is not to be any longer than 10 minutes.
If the entry is 10 minutes or less, you will simply submit the entire video/program.
If the program is over 10 minutes, you will submit a video consisting of the opening of the program, a portion from the middle of the program, and the closing of the program, minus any credits unless they are part of the closing, with the entire run time not to exceed 10 minutes.
Each section of the “Over 10 Minute” entry must be clearly separated as follows:
1. begin with the Opening Section: at a time of your choosing, fade to black
2. followed by 10 seconds of black
3. then fade up into the middle section; at a time of your choosing, fade to black
4. followed by 10 seconds of black
5. then fade up into the ending section: at a time of your choosing, fade to black
6. the entire entry (all three sections) is not to exceed 10 minutes
How long each section will be is up to you but the committee suggests that you show your program in its best light possible.
The goal of this change is to help bridge the gap between the diverse programming produced by the member stations of JAG while leveling the judging plane plus help the judges have a better understanding of your entry.
You still must not re-edit the program sections themselves; the sections must appear as they were originally produced and cablecast. The JAG Awards committee is excited about the coming season and look forward to seeing everyone’s submissions. For a complete list of rules, please visit the JAG Website at jagonline.org. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the JAG Awards Committee Chair at gfairfield@piscatawaynj.org.
Recently, there has been concern regarding the Closed Captioning of PEG programming, and if the PEG community will be mandated to offer captioning.
Our partners at the Alliance for Community Media have some thoughts to ponder about where things currently stand on this issue.
From Mike Wassenaar, President, ACM:
Your cable channel is probably exempt from the FCC’s Captioning Rules – if revenue for the channel is less than $2M per year per the FCC’s self-implementing exemptions go into effect. We expect the FCC will implement a registry of video channels and distributors to handle captioning complaints in the coming year. We’ll keep our partners posted on when this is likely to happen, and what we’ll be required to provide – which will most likely be a contact address and email for questions about captioning.
As a reminder, all local governments and non-profits are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires that organizations use the effective communication standard with local residents
1. Are you a local government? You have an ADA requirement separate from the FCC requirement to implement effective communication – or have a publicly responsible official state that it isn’t economically feasible. This means every local government should have a plan to know the cost of implementing and providing captions, even if they don’t implement them.
2. Content that is exempt on cable is exempt online per implementation of the CVAA from 2011.
If video content is online only, there is no exemption (so I suggest online only content have a captioning solution) – This includes VOD delivered via Internet.
The DOJ will state new guidelines regarding accessibility and quality standards for all online content delivered by state and local governments in early 2024. Governments will have to meet WCAG2 standards https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/docs/ or https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/?versions=2.1. This specifies online video needs for captions.
The DOJ proposal is for jurisdictions over 50K people. Jurisdictions would have two years to implement these standards, and those under 50K would have three years. Please note there is no change to the Effective Communication standards suggested.
This is not a final rule – So don’t panic! It would probably take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, so we don’t have target dates at this time.
The key issue here is to plan when a timeline occurs, and work with vendors for best solutions (and budget accordingly in advance).
The ACM is monitoring this situation and will have materials to consider in 2024 – but talks with equipment vendors have already begun to ensure they meet WCAG2 standards in future products and upgrades. So all… don’t worry about it just yet. However, as Mike stated, start budgeting now. We are all doing VOD, it seems like this is something we will have to face head on whether we want to or not.
Hard to believe that yet another year is coming to a close. It’s been a busy year for JAG on both the legislative and operational ends. For me it also signifies the fact that my 15th year as JAG President is also coming to an end. However, I choose to look at all this as a new beginning. The beginning of a new year for JAG, the beginning of the twenty-fourth year of JAG’s existence and the beginning of the reorganization of the JAG board at the upcoming Trustee Meeting in January.
JAG as an organization is in perpetual motion. This constant motion is the very strength of this organization. The ability to grow, adjust, re-evaluate and change are the core strengths of this organization. JAG is no different from any other organization that goes through ebbs and tides. Complacency at some point attacks all organizations. But it’s our ability to get through these patches that makes JAG different from other organizations.
For some time, I have noticed that attendance at our monthly meetings has not increased. One of the things JAG does and does well is to host monthly membership meetings, typically on the last Wednesday of each month. These meetings are one way in which the Board reports back to the membership on the operation of the organization. These meetings also are a networking event in which members can see each other, discuss items of interest, and get to know each other on both a professional and personal level. Finally, these meetings also act as an ongoing educational event. JAG is in a unique position to bring in experts and vendors to introduce us to new technology and legislative updates. For these very reasons the JAG Board and External Relations Committee works hard to bring in a series of experts and information sessions during our meetings. To that end it is imperative that members support these initiatives and make every effort to attend the monthly meetings.
I believe that JAG is also turning the corner on membership participation in committees. Several new members and some of our regulars are now taking an interest in serving on committees. Their participation helps to breathe new life into the committees, which extends to the organization as a whole. I am happy to report that some of our committees now have both new and veteran members working together. The Membership Committee received a lot of good leads from our time at the NJ League of Municipalities Conference. They will work to expand the organization and draw in new municipal members. Please consider joining this committee and helping to grow the organization.
The JAG Awards Committee has reorganized and formatted the JAG Awards. The committee will be working very hard to get the awards program up and going for the new year and to have an awards show at the upcoming conference in Edison in May 16, 2024. The committee is working on finding new and inventive ways to allow all members access to the JAG Awards and help level the playing field for operations of varied budgets, sizes, staff and volunteers. The awards will open on January 1, 2024. So, I urge you to start preparing your entries and look for new announcements in upcoming emails, newsletters and social media.
The Legislative Committee is one of the most fluid committees in JAG, and for a very good reason. The political landscape is always changing and with those changes there are always new polices, laws or FCC orders that effectively impact our very existence. The committee is always working very hard on keeping on top of these changes. They continue working closely with both NATOA and the ACM, two national organizations, in getting both information and direction. The committee is also taking that information and relaying it to both our membership and our legislators on the local, state, and federal level with their monthly legislative newsletter. The committee continues with their partnerships and commitment to work with the NJLM Organization as an affiliate member. This committee has also seen a revived interest from new members and is actively seeking others to join the committee as well.
The JAG Conference Committee is already full steam ahead and working on creating what we believe will be the best conference in a long time. It is through the evaluation of our successes and failures, and measuring these against the future, that the committee will present a refreshed conference, bring in new interest and present an exciting and informative event to our members. The committee has also welcomed new members and is already starting an active new social media campaign. I would urge you to follow their progress on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Come mid-January look for an updated conference website (www.jagconference.com) and be on the lookout for informational newsletters. It’s not too early to mark your calendar for the 2024 JAG Conference, which will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, May 16, 2024. Feel free to reach out to the committee to share your thoughts and ideas for the upcoming conference sessions. Finally, I want to wrap up this month’s update by telling you that the JAG Board of Trustees and Executive Board will be holding reorganization meetings in January 2024. During these meetings the board will look at the outcome of the JAG Executive Board Retreat back in August, look at the upcoming landscape for the industry and, just like franchise renewals, plan for the future of the organization. It is the board’s commitment to this organization that helps mold the future of JAG. As the Chairman of the Board and current President it is very important to me that I am in tune with the pulse of the members. I would urge you during the next couple of weeks to reach out to me via email or phone and express your thoughts, interests and concerns about the organization. I will then take your thoughts and share them with the board so they may be discussed and acted upon. It is only through your participation that the future and success of JAG can be possible. I would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. And may the Jersey Access Group be equally as blessed and successful in the upcoming year.
by Gary Campbell, Station Manager/Producer, Newark TV
In today’s competitive television, cable and streaming market, government-access television Newark TV-78 is producing high quality content for the largest city in New Jersey–Newark. Newark continues to shine in public safety, affordable housing, the arts, equitable growth and empowering residents. Mayor Ras Baraka says that in 2023 we are finally experiencing the Newark Renaissance that has been in motion for over fifty years, and TV78 has been there to help the city achieve its goals.
We strive to achieve consistently high-quality content with every production. In this context, we are referring to visual, audio or video created and made available through a particular channel(s) as programming that appeals to a large percentage of Newark residents. Behind the renaissance at TV-78 the Newark access channel are the talented people at Cologna Productions. Under contract from the city, Cologna Productions has been running the station for nine years. Initially it was a one-man operation run by Ed Cologna alone; today, the production company now has a staff of 6 employees and covers over 250 events annually. The channel not only covers city council meetings and local emergency announcements, but many other events and programs which have become very important in to the content hungry residents of Newark. This programming is provided 365 days and 24 hours a day.
The diligent work has allowed TV-78 to receive many awards throughout the years and 15 awards in 2022 alone. This trend will hopefully continue in 2023 when we may be considered for an Emmy Award.
Our current programming lineup includes Ras in 60, led by host, Mayor Ras J. Baraka and co-host Desiree Hadley. Ras in 60 provides conversations about Newark’s community, economic development and more. Recently, the show has featured the American rap group The Sugar Hill Gang, best known for its hit single “Rapper’s Delight”, …what a treat!
Overall, TV-78 has been successful because of its focus on quality videography while responding to the particular needs of the Mayor’s initiatives. The Mayor has masterfully gone past just a boring access channel to clearly convey the intentions and progress of the administration. Under his reading initiatives there is programming provided such as “Launch of 1,000 Books before Kindergarten”, “ Literacy Conversation with Dr. Brown,” “Mayor’s Book Club” and “Soar with Reading” held at various schools and libraries throughout Newark. The Arts are also important to the Mayor’s vision for the city. In the past year, we have covered events like Newark mural unveilings and the Newark Arts Festival. In addition, Great Point Studios and NJPAC partner have partnered with LionsGate to present Down in the Ro, a Great Day in Newark and many other events. Annual TV events include 24 Hours of Peace, Latin Festival, Fashion Forward, Lincoln Park Festival, LQBQT events and flag raising, the Senior White Affair and many others. We also cover events that concern the public safety of our citizens, OVPTR events, Newark Peace Week, Woman’s Empowerment, Men’s Meeting, Women’s Meeting, Prayer Walk against Violence and National Night out. In addition, we have documented events that honor the following members of the Newark community: ethnic groups from Nigeria, Italy, Mexico, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cape Verde, Barbados and others by having their flag raisings recorded for TV. The station is now working on new shows, including “Out Loud”, “Caribbean Commission” and “Scooter Stories” along with others, and this list is growing, so stay tuned!
How is all this accomplished? In a two floor studio located in the Central Ward of Newark that includes seven rooms, two edit bays, four computer work stations, programming room, equipment room and green room. However, I must add that Cologna Productions has a bunch of creative people that love the City of Newark and love creating quality content. We look forward to growing and creating more content to serve the diverse citizens of Newark.
On January 19th, the 5th Circuit Appellate Court tried to decide if it should toss out a ruling that upholds the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund. The judges expressed their objections about the constitutionality of the practice of using an outside company to collect fees for the telecom assistance programs.
The USF was originally designed by having interstate long distance carriers appraised in order to subsidize telephone service to low-income households and high-cost areas. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act expanded this definition to include among other things rural health care providers and eligible schools and libraries.
But litigants have been challenging this fund in different circuits throughout the country as they have argued that this program is an unlawful authorization to the FCC by Congress’ own taxing power.
Last March, the 5th Courtupheld the FCC’s authority totally, though in June they agreed to rehear the litigation.
During the September proceeding, the court seemed concerned by the way the fund was currently set-up. According to the figures in the court documents the USF seems to have grown to around $7 billion in 2020, from just over $1 billion in the mid-1990s.
An attorney for the FCC told the court that the FCC’s universal service definition has been extended over the years to cover new technologies, while accounting for the growth of the program, as directed by regulation.
Though he did not provide thoughts on what it might cover in the future, the attorney went on to say that; ”There are many different ways that people communicate these days”. “But the key point in the case, is that Congress gave the FCC the clear legal authority to set up the universal service system.
Back in March, this was the crucial point that guided the Fifth Circuit court decision to uphold their authority. They held that Congress had properly limited the commission’s revenue-raising activity while adequately providing the FCC with “intelligible principles” to guide the fund’s administration.
Reform discussions are currently being held in a U.S. Senate working group. Their objective is to expand the revenue stream to go further than the interstate telecoms. They are looking to have it include all Broadband Internet Access Services in order to fund the Universal Service Fund programs.
FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Proposes to Restore Net Neutrality Rules and Authority Over Broadband Providers Under Title II
From the Office of Chairwoman Rosenworcel – Sept. 26, 2023:
The internet is too important to our society and economy not to have effective oversight. However, in 2018, the FCC abdicated its authority over broadband and repealed net neutrality. Today, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues a proposal that would begin the process of re-establishing the FCC’s oversight over broadband and restoring uniform, nationwide net neutrality rules, which would allow the FCC to protect internet openness and consumers, defend national security, and advance public safety.
The Chairwoman is proposing the FCC take the first procedural steps toward reaffirming rules that would treat broadband internet service as an essential service for American life. As work, healthcare, education, commerce, and so much more have moved online, no American household or business should need to function without reliable internet service. This was especially true during the pandemic. Such rules would affirm—under Title II of the Communications Act—that broadband service is on par with water, power, and phone service; that is essential.
The proposed rules would return fixed and mobile broadband service to its status as an essential “telecommunications” service. The proposal will be made public and will allow for public input. The proposal seeks to largely return to the successful rules the Commission adopted in 2015.
How It Helps Consumers ?
Openness – Establish basic rules for Internet Service Providers that prevent them from blocking legal content, throttling your speeds, and creating fast lanes that favor those who can pay for access.
Security – Reclassify broadband internet access to give the FCC and its national security partners the tools needed to defend our networks from potential security threats.
Safety – Allow the FCC to enhance the resiliency of broadband networks and bolster efforts to require providers to notify the FCC and consumers of internet outages.
Nationwide Standard – Establish a uniform national standard rather than a patchwork of state-by-state approaches, benefiting consumers and Internet Service Providers.
To hear the entirety of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s remarks from the National Press Club on September 26, 2023, please visit the link below.
Comments on Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet Sought by the FCC
In order to re-establish the FCC’s oversight over broadband and restoring uniform, nationwide net neutrality rules, the FCC has also put forth a notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comments for safeguarding and securing the Open Internet.
Public Notice – WC Docket No. 23-320:
On September 28, 2023, the FCC released a public draft of its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on proposed rules for safeguarding and securing the open Internet, which is planned for vote at the FCC’s open meeting on October 19, 2023. The proposed draft would reestablish the Commission’s authority over broadband Internet access service (BIAS) by classifying it as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. There is currently no expert agency ensuring that the Internet is fast, open, and fair.
The draft NPRM proposes that the FCC take the first procedural steps toward reaffirming rules that would treat broadband internet service as an essential service for American life. As work, healthcare, education, commerce, and so much more have moved online, no American household or business should need to function without reliable internet service. This was especially true during the pandemic. Such rules would affirm—under Title II of the Communications Act—that broadband service is on par with water, power, and phone service; that is essential. More facts are listed in the fact sheet linked below.
Regarding accessibility for individuals with disabilities, the draft seeks comment on how the proposed reclassification of BIAS would affect:
The availability and performance of IP-based telecommunications relay services (TRS);
The FCC’s authority to ensure that individuals with disabilities can communicate using IP-based services such as video communications and electronic messaging services, IP equipment, and mobile browsers;
The requirement that Internet service providers (ISPs) comply with certain sections of the Communications Act (Sections 225, 255, and 251(a)(2)), and associated FCC rules, which advance access for persons with disabilities, and the Commission’s proposal to forbear from (that is, refrain from) applying TRS Fund contribution requirements;
Past analyses and conclusions that the Communications Act, as amended by the 21st Century Video and Communications Accessibility Act (CVAA), provides the FCC with authority to ensure that consumers with disabilities can access broadband networks regardless of whether BIAS is classified as telecommunications service or information service.
Emergency communications and public safety of persons with disabilities by preventing the degradation of latency-sensitive and data-intensive applications;
IP-based home health monitoring systems and other connected systems for individuals with disabilities;
The implementation and enforcement of other laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, designed to protect individuals with disabilities.
The draft NPRM also asks about the accessibility of ISPs’ website disclosures. Are more requirements needed to ensure accessibility? Should ISPs be encouraged to use the Web Accessibility Initiative guidance?
The comment and reply comment dates are proposed to be December 14, 2023 and January 17, 2024. More information about the filing procedures will be sent out through an AccessInfo after the draft is considered at the October open meeting.
by Bill Bennett, Media Solutions & Accounts Manager
Your municipality’s broadcasts are key to informing your residents about what matters in their community, and ENCO has products that make your content more accessible to a broader audience with economical, automated Closed Captions and in-room CART displays. We can also help make your productions and playout more reliable via our acquisition of RUSHWORKS, a world-class computer-based video production and playout maker. All this is available via a single, consolidated package with unified US-based support.
You probably know Closed Captions bring meeting accessibility for people with hearing loss, helping them to access and understand video content. This includes people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have auditory processing challenges. They also improve comprehension for everyone, as many people like to watch captions even though they can clearly hear the words as captions help confirm what they think they heard. And with as many technical and legal matters as your meetings often have, viewers may learn better how to spell the words too.
These days captions are for more than just inserting into a broadcast signal, they can also be viewed on large video screens inside your meeting room (often called CART: Continuous Access Realtime Translation), and can be viewed live on websites too. Plus, ENCO’s enCaption platform also saves everything it captions to plain-text transcripts and sidecar files (used for video editing or subsequent playout).
Transcripts are essential in any meeting environment, they are helpful to back up whatever minutes your secretary may be drafting, and can help them review and confirm what was said later on, to help ensure their own accuracy. Further, since the transcripts are time-coded, you can easily find exactly where in a captioned, recorded video certain words were mentioned, which helps everyone find what they need more quickly.
ENCO’s enCaption system is entirely on-prem, meaning no Internet is needed for operation. And it supports customizable word libraries where you can add presenter names, jargon, and other uniquely spelled words. Plus, once you use ENCO enCaption, you have the base for ENCO enTranslate – it’s live, real-time translation system. Just imagine – your viewers can see English captions on one CC channel, and another language on another. Talk about access for all!
We also have our new RUSHWORKS computer-based video production and playout software applications, designed to enable simple, live multi-camera meetings with an intuitive user interface (capable of both automatic and manual camera switching), as well as software made for multi-channel cable and stream channel programming, where you can build automated and live playlists for weeks in advance, with fail-safes to always make sure something is on the air. Media technology keeps evolving, so when you can find a single vendor to support all your meeting production, broadcast and accessibility needs, the sooner you’ll be on your way to a reliable, accessible broadcast network. ENCO will do a presentation at the next JAG General (ZOOM) Meeting, Dec. 13, 2023 at 12 Noon.
It is now officially the start of the Holiday Season, starting with Thanksgiving just ending. This also means there are just slightly more than 30 days until the new year starts. Every year at my house, the kids get ready to celebrate Christmas and they start working on their Christmas List, although as they get older the gifts become more expensive! The same can be said for running your station or JAG as an organization.
What would be on your list this year for your station? There is no wrong answer in this situation. Each station operates differently from others across the state and stations have different needs. Each has the same core principle, to inform the community which they serve. When you make your wish list, keep in mind your community and their needs and how, as a station, you can serve them.
As most of you know, I have always been a tech head! I love new and exciting things that come along and can help our industry. I love to play around with these items, demo them, beta test and give valuable feedback on how they would fit in with my station operations and how to best serve my community. This is also why I look forward to our conference each year, so I can see the latest and learn about upgrades (FYI… Conference for 2024 is Thursday, May 16th). With that in mind, I am going to share with you a few items that are on my wish list for this holiday season. Now these may not be your needs but let these act as a guide or talking point for your station.
Closed Captioning – this seems to be the number one item on the list this year. There has been talk about this for years, but for me and others, it is turned to a “now” situation. Recently, there have been new regulations for websites and video on websites and how they must be ADA compliant and contain closed captioning. Building on that new requirement, now is the time to get a closed captioning plan in place. You can start slowly or go all in. Maybe you just want to get closed captioning for all your VOD that lives on your website. Do you stream live on your website? If so, then you need to add in a live-streaming closed captioning plan. That same live-streaming plan will also serve your needs for your broadcast as well. I would suggest you start your research now, determine a plan that suits both your current and future needs, and then reach out to vendors who support JAG for more information and costs. I believe this to be our number one topic to tackle in 2024.
OTT and The Cord Cutters – Cable is at the heart of our operation and broadcast source, but there are new viewing trends and these need to be met as well. There is much evidence that indicating that at the end of 2023 more people will watch live streaming video than cable. People no longer tune in at “7pm” to watch a particular program. Our lives are busier now than they were years ago, running in different directions with family activities, volunteering, exercise and more. We are now more than ever an “on-demand” society, wanting to consume video when we want, and how we want. This is why it is important to establish an online presence in social media. People tend to turn to their mobile devices first, so you need to make sure you stay on their radar. **NOTE: This is a good time (when you are done reading my article naturally) to watch on the JAG website my presentation at the League of Municipalities 2023 Conference. Since viewing habits have changed, binge watching programs and sources have become the new norm. We must continue to be part of that source and get our station and programs out to those individuals. Over-The-Top (OTT) devices like ROKU, Apple TV and Fire Stick are some examples of those sources of content distribution. This is why we feel it is important to be part of that as well. My station in Bloomfield can now be found on ROKU, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire, in addition we have both an iOS App and Android App for view on tablets and phones. We began our soft launch in 2023 and we plan to announce and market this further in 2024.
Enhancing Your Stations Look – This can be done by making purchases of new equipment, add-ons and other items that can help you technically achieve this, but there is another way as well. Sometimes all it takes is a little more time and effort. One of easiest ways and places to start is with your bulletin board. We all have them, and we all use them. Sometimes this is the first thing that gets neglected. By making a few simple changes you can make a difference that will have a big impact on the look of the station. Start by taking a little more time in creating quality graphics. You will be surprised what a difference this makes. In addition, you may need to recreate graphics you receive from outside sources or departments. These typically are created for handouts or posters, and not television. They usually contain small font that is difficult to read on TV, not properly formatted for optimal television viewing. This is where you come in to correct this, create a better version and then “train” those who create these to give you a TV version for the future. If you are not doing it already, you should also have music as background for your bulletin board. Why not take it a step further and create multiple music selections and even holiday music as well. Another step you can take is taking your productions to the next level. When covering an event, get lots of b-roll, and when you think you have enough, get more. One thing I always tell my camera people is that you can never have too much b-roll. Get creative with both your shots during events and during the editing process assembling the footage together. Quick, tight editing, editing to the beat of your background music and the use of creative graphics take your production to the next level. This will ultimately end with more viewing of video both online and on-air. Putting in the extra effort will pay dividends in the long run.
Let these few items I mentioned be the start of a discussion at your station and township of where you want to see your station move forward. Some of you may want the same thing, some may want something different, and others may just be trying to find solutions within their budget. It does not matter what path you take next; the important thing is to have a plan in mind, get that information out to your viewers and keep engaging them as well. It will be at that point when you find that wishes do come true! I wish your station, your family and yourself all the best during this Holiday Season. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions you might have as I am always willing to share my thoughts and experiences: bduthaler@jagonline.org .
New Ways You Can Communicate With Your Citizens Beyond the Traditional Cable Television Channels!
The New Jersey League of Municipalities will be holding their 2023 Annual Conference in Atlantic City, November 14th through the 16th.
JAG will be joining forces with the League to present two timely sessions on broadband that will not only be of interest but a must for you to know about to help you steer you through its deployment.
*Follow the Money – The Sequel*, will guide you through the federal funding that is available to ensure broadband access. Billions of dollars have begun to flow to the states for distribution. This panel will explore the status of NJ’s broadband deployment program, how municipalities can access the money, and what to do with it once it arrives at the local level.
Bob Duthaler – President, JAG & Station Manager, Bloomfield Township
Joseph Rivera – Manager, Broadband Access, NJ Board of Public Utilities
Brian C. Wahler – Mayor, Piscataway Township – Past President, NJLM
Nancy Werner, Esq., Partner, Bradley Werner, LLC
This session will occur on Wednesday, November 15th at the Atlantic City Convention Center-Room 413 at 10:45AM.
*Using Existing Infrastructure to Enhance Broadband Deployment*. Here you will learn how utilities and municipalities can work together to accelerate broadband deployment for their communities. Discover strategies, options, and real-world success stories, and learn about the legislative efforts that could assist or hinder these goals.(HR 3557)
Our panelists for this session will be:
Robert Boyle – CEO, Planet Networks
Edward Purcell, Esq., Attorney, Price Meese Shulman and D’Arminio
Brian C. Wahler – Mayor, Piscataway Township – Past President, NJLM
Nancy Werner, Esq., Partner, Bradley Werner, LLC
This session will take place on Thursday, November 16th in Room 315 at 9AM
*Municipal Television: It’s Not Just Cable Anymore* In addition to these broadband sessions, JAG will also be hosting a special discussion for those interested in Local Access Television. In this lively forum you will explore the various ways a municipality can communicate with their citizens beyond the traditional cable television channels.
Our panelists for this informative session will be:
Geoff Belinfante – TV Commissioner, WM-77 West Milford Township
Bob Duthaler – President, JAG & Station Manager, Bloomfield Township
Gina Forbes – Station Manager, Woodbridge Television
Joe Fernandes – Assistant Manager, Woodbridge Television
This session will take place on Thursday, November 16th in Room 409 at 10:45AM
JAG is proud to present these forums to you because as the league has stated, strong municipalities are built on a foundation of cooperation, creativity, and community outreach.
JAG is that an organization that believes in these simple concepts. JAG constantly advocates, analyzes and addresses emerging issues in areas such as: Local Government Communications and Internet Policy, New Technology Initiatives and Advancements, Cable Franchising and, the Operation of Public, Education and Government Media Facilities.
Please join us and see how we can prepare you for the broadband transformation and also help you to communicate better with your specific audience.
Federal funding is available to ensure broadband access. Billions of dollars have begun to flow to the states for distribution. This panel will explore the status of NJ’s broadband deployment program, how municipalities can access the money, and what to do with it once it arrives at the local level.
Panelists: Robert Boyle, CEO, Planet Networks, Valarry Bullard, Transparency Officer & Broadband Advisor, Governor’s Office of Disaster Recovery, Bob Duthaler, President, JAG Station Manager, Bloomfield Township, Joseph Rivera, Manager, Broadband Access, NJ Board of Public Utilities, Kenneth Fellman, Esq., Of Counsel, Helmer, Conley and Kasselman, P.A.
November 16, 2023
Using Existing Infrastructure to Enhance Broadband Deployment
(Joint Session with the NJ League)
9:00 AM-10:15 AM
Learn how utilities and municipalities can work together to accelerate broadband deployment for their communities. Discover strategies, options, and real-world success stories, and learn about the legislative efforts that could assist or hinder these goals.
Panelists: Edward Purcell, Esq., Attorney, Price Meese Shulman and D’Arminio, Robert Boyle, CEO, Planet Networks, Kenneth Fellman, Esq., Of Counsel, Helmer, Conley and Kasselman, P.A.
November 16, 2023
Municipal Television: It’s Not Just Cable Anymore
10:45 AM-12:00 PM
Room 409
This panel will explore the various ways a municipality can communicate with their citizens beyond traditional cable television channels. Panelists: Geoff Belinfante, TV Commissioner, WM-77, West Milford Township, Bob Duthaler, President, JAG, Station Manager, Bloomfield Township, Gina Forbes, Station Manager, Woodbridge Television, Joe Fernandes, Assistant Manager, Woodbridge Television.
New York City has a step-brother, and it’s called Newark. The locals call it “Nork.” Newark is New Jersey’s largest city by population, known for its vibrant arts scene and one of America’s oldest. It was founded in 1666 by Connecticut Puritans and led by Robert Treat.
Newark was known for being the theater capital of the USA long before Broadway, NYC. It was the home to Thomas Edison’s Invention Factory (now a parking lot, which speaks volumes about American culture or its lack thereof). It boasts a park similar to Central Park by the same designer, gave us the first pressed record factory, and served as the former home and sometimes birthplace to celebrities like Sarah Vaughan, the Ballantine’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael B. Jordan, Queen Latifah, Whitney Houston, Joe Pesci, Jerry Lewis, Amiri Baraka, Paul Simon, and the birthplace of yours truly.
Newark TV is located in the same building as historic Symphony Hall.
Symphony Hall
Newark and its Broadcasting History
One detail to mention is that this building is important to the history of American Television. At some point in the early 1960s, WNJU-TV signed on from Newark as the New York City market’s first commercial UHF station, channel 47. It carried a format of ethnic programming. Pete Seeger hosted an early folk music program called “Rainbow Quest,” and a live teenage dance show aired from WNJU called “Disc-O-Teen.” The station also created some controversy early on by airing bullfights.
My First Visit to Newark TV
My first brush with this location came before I was born when my mother, Nella Zadra, a talented painter and muralist, was pregnant with me. She designed the set for an opera, “Francesca Di Rimini,” which premiered on the main stage of Symphony Hall in 1966.
Fate would have it that many years later, I would find myself working there. On a stormy winter blizzard morning in 2014, due to personnel issues, Newark’s PEG TV Station was unable to post emergency announcements about the snowstorm. I had no political connections to Newark, only a reputation for helping JAG stations such as Edison and Roselle TV. I drove through the snow to Symphony Hall in Newark, where the station exists, and did what I could to get announcements running. Upon examining the broadcast schedule, I noticed that the programming was minimal: a weekly news magazine about the city with excerpts of events, a few street dedications, and council meetings. It was unimpressive for a city of this stature. If you can imagine, Newark TV was still recording and broadcasting programming in a 4×3 aspect ratio.
In 2007, the city of Newark invested a lot of funds in building a beautiful TV Studio. Light grid with DeSisti components, two acoustically treated edit rooms, a large conference room, green room and a large office for the station manager that would impress visitors. At a first glance, this looked like PEG heaven: until you realized there was not a staging area for equipment, lights and only two tall storage cabinets in a machine room. Newark TV was designed by someone who didn’t know anything about the day-to-day operation of a PEG Station. It looked pretty, but it wasn’t practical. There was no makeup room, the kitchen had no stove, the green room was tiny, etc. And last but not least, the city spent $850,000 that year on video equipment for the studio. All of it Standard Definition, without a plan for upgrades. For those who do not know, HD had already been in ubiquitous use by that year. I compare that to buying a horse and buggy when you can get a car.
Seven years later, although it was a temporary solution, I embraced the challenge to improve the operation almost overnight. To me, it was a canvas, and my cameras were my brushes. I didn’t ask for permission regarding what I could or couldn’t do. I brought my own cameras and editing computers, plus invested in more of them out of pocket. I started asking around what events were taking place throughout the city and if I could show up and record them; I did. At the time, Mayor Quintana was the first Latino Mayor of Newark, and he was too preoccupied with running this behemoth of a city with thousands of employees to worry about what was happening at the TV station. But the administration soon took notice.
Most field events prior to me were recorded and edited with a single camera and were not posted on social media. Soon, I increased to three-camera productions in 16×9 HD, posting the HD files on social media and then broadcasting the 16×9 content squeezed to a 4×3 form factor for Cablevisión (now Altice) and FiOs.
In a matter of days, I reduced bulletin board time from 20 hours a day to almost zero. Instead of bulletin board static slides, I created video PSA’s. I went from 4 hours of programming a day to 24/7 original content. At first, I repeated programming in blocks, similar to how the Discovery Channel did in the 1990s. As I increased the original programming with events, so did the requests to cover more and more events from all city departments. I could no longer be a one-man band if I wanted the operation to be sustainable. At the time, I raced between Edison TV as a full-time job with flexible hours (always to my monetary detriment) and this new project. This stint at Newark TV was temporary. After six months, the personnel issues were resolved, and the person in charge prior to me got their job back. I thought my time with Newark TV was done. It wasn’t.
Newark TV, a Second Chance
Soon after Mayor Ras Baraka was elected, his press office called me in to take the helm once again. To my disappointment, all the changes I implemented the year before were undone. Little to no programming was on the air, everything went back to 4×3, and the bulletin board returned. This was in March of 2015. Now, more secure in this position, I hit the ground running and hired an editor, Armin, to help keep up with the pace of post-production. For a while, this seemed to work. Then I added a still photographer turned videographer who could also help coordinate. As he learned the craft, Gary Campbell became my right-hand man. At Newark TV, we work to provide all kinds of productions and support to every department of the city. From the Administration that produces the State of the City at NJPAC, to interesting events such as parades and music festivals and even special coverage for events like the 24 Hours of Peace. Newark keeps us busy.
Newark in the National Headlines and the Lead Crisis
In 2014 Flint, Michigan was in the eyes of the media because of a horrendous water crisis caused by mismanagement of their water supply. This caused illness and retardation in many people, with the depths still unfolding. In 2017, the National Media focused on Newark because the EPA had detected high levels of lead in a few of its schools. Mayor Baraka took this challenge head-on. While the media, even liberal outlets like Democracy Now, were reporting this bad situation and pointing fingers at Mayor Baraka, it was Newark TV that was there showing what the city was doing to address the problem: how to get home water tested for lead, where residents could pick up lead-removing water filters and free bottled water, and reported on the constant progress of replacing the lead service line to all the homes in the city. A monumental task that was done effectively and economically by a Mayor that was told it was impossible to do. The goal of some entities was to take over and privatize Newark’s water. Not under this Mayor’s watch.
Newark TV and the Covid-19 Pandemic
No sooner was this situation almost fully solved that the Covid-19 pandemic began. Mayor Baraka began broadcasting on Newark TV daily updates during the lockdown. My team and I were there to report about rapid and PCR testing, how residents without addresses were being cared for, and all the reporting of daily contagions and deaths from what was an unknown situation that evolved daily.
When the pandemic was over, in addition to the ongoing bi-weekly COVID updates we resumed coverage of the fun events such as the MTV VMA’s Red Carpet at the Prudential Center, public forums, consent decrees, art events at the Newark Museum and Library, ribbon cuttings and press conferences.
Newark has had a separate vendor to cover their Council Meetings, but that doesn’t mean we don’t help each other whenever needed. The Tidwell’s, as I know them or ITM Gospel, which is their company, have been serving Newark’s City Council long before I even knew of Newark TV’s existence, and they are an institution more than a production company. Working together, we have more strength. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Mayor Baraka proved his mettle during the pandemic. My team and I decided to think of ways to provide more services to other towns. So we came up with the GovTV platform, and in New Jersey, it is called NJGOVTV. At this year’s NJLM trade show, my team and I will have a booth and talk about this.
My Team at Newark TV and Other TV Stations
At Newark TV, we have four full-timers, and we pull from Cologna Productions, many part-timers that help in every capacity because we serve Newark and other TV stations throughout New Jersey. We aim to grow bigger. An author and artist in his own right, Gary Campbell now keeps the madness in check, and we work together to make sure every request within reason is fulfilled. (Check out “The Artist Recreates the World” if you can. That’s his pet project.) Directing Editor Charles Baraff is beyond an editor. He has a vision for when productions take place and has wise advice to allow for creative turnarounds. Amira Richardson is a field producer who can host like the best in a pinch and helps in every aspect of the operation. On the part-time side, I have some superstars from the corporate and broadcast world, such as Thomas Terreri, former President of Prudential Productions, who substitutes in my place occasionally; Ting Yin, who graduated with a Master’s degree in Digital Media from Northeastern University in Boston, has been helping the operation since 2016; Lauren Downs comes from SVA and has been with me for over 10 years; Julia D. is an Art Director and an artist who graduated from FIT; Zhenzhen Luo is a Rutgers Master’s Graduate and fills in the gaps at various productions, and I could go on. For a while, we had other talents helping, such as field producer Chris Rog, Armin, Juwaan, and last but not least, Doug Seidel, who now works at PCTC. I leave other station managers reading this article with this thought. There is a saying that goes, “Your business is only as strong as your weakest link.” True, but to that, I add we are human, and we all have weak moments. What matters is that in those times of weakness, the person next to you pulls you up and keeps the operation going. Pick passionate people, not people who are only in this as a job or are going through the motions. They have to love what they do. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Eddy Edward Cologna is a very early member of the JAG family, and a strong advocate for community media.
News & Events
Posted: December 15, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Happy “JAGmas” Season!
by George Fairfield, JAG Awards Committee, Chair
Tis the season to begin getting your JAG Award entries ready for submission…even more so than in prior years, because there are several changes that will affect your registration and submission.
First, your registration: The registration will still open on January 1, 2024 but the deadline to have all your entries registered is January 31, 2024.
Second, your submissions: All entry submissions must be uploaded by February 15, 2024 and your video highlights will need to be uploaded by February 29, 2024.
Be sure to mark these dates on your calendar.
And speaking of your entry submissions, there are changes to what you will need to submit. After listening to our judges and members of JAG, it has been decided that each upload is not to be any longer than 10 minutes.
If the entry is 10 minutes or less, you will simply submit the entire video/program.
If the program is over 10 minutes, you will submit a video consisting of the opening of the program, a portion from the middle of the program, and the closing of the program, minus any credits unless they are part of the closing, with the entire run time not to exceed 10 minutes.
Each section of the “Over 10 Minute” entry must be clearly separated as follows:
1. begin with the Opening Section: at a time of your choosing, fade to black
2. followed by 10 seconds of black
3. then fade up into the middle section; at a time of your choosing, fade to black
4. followed by 10 seconds of black
5. then fade up into the ending section: at a time of your choosing, fade to black
6. the entire entry (all three sections) is not to exceed 10 minutes
How long each section will be is up to you but the committee suggests that you show your program in its best light possible.
The goal of this change is to help bridge the gap between the diverse programming produced by the member stations of JAG while leveling the judging plane plus help the judges have a better understanding of your entry.
You still must not re-edit the program sections themselves; the sections must appear as they were originally produced and cablecast. The JAG Awards committee is excited about the coming season and look forward to seeing everyone’s submissions. For a complete list of rules, please visit the JAG Website at jagonline.org. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the JAG Awards Committee Chair at gfairfield@piscatawaynj.org.
Posted: December 15, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Legislative Update December 2023: News from Washington DC
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Closed Captioning / ADA Requirements
Where it Currently Stands for PEG
Recently, there has been concern regarding the Closed Captioning of PEG programming, and if the PEG community will be mandated to offer captioning.
Our partners at the Alliance for Community Media have some thoughts to ponder about where things currently stand on this issue.
From Mike Wassenaar, President, ACM:
Your cable channel is probably exempt from the FCC’s Captioning Rules – if revenue for the channel is less than $2M per year per the FCC’s self-implementing exemptions go into effect. We expect the FCC will implement a registry of video channels and distributors to handle captioning complaints in the coming year. We’ll keep our partners posted on when this is likely to happen, and what we’ll be required to provide – which will most likely be a contact address and email for questions about captioning.
As a reminder, all local governments and non-profits are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires that organizations use the effective communication standard with local residents
( https://www.ada.gov/topics/effective-communication/ )
1. Are you a local government? You have an ADA requirement separate from the FCC requirement to implement effective communication – or have a publicly responsible official state that it isn’t economically feasible. This means every local government should have a plan to know the cost of implementing and providing captions, even if they don’t implement them.
2. Content that is exempt on cable is exempt online per implementation of the CVAA from 2011.
If video content is online only, there is no exemption (so I suggest online only content have a captioning solution) – This includes VOD delivered via Internet.
The DOJ will state new guidelines regarding accessibility and quality standards for all online content delivered by state and local governments in early 2024. Governments will have to meet WCAG2 standards https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/docs/ or https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/?versions=2.1. This specifies online video needs for captions.
The DOJ proposal is for jurisdictions over 50K people. Jurisdictions would have two years to implement these standards, and those under 50K would have three years. Please note there is no change to the Effective Communication standards suggested.
This is not a final rule – So don’t panic! It would probably take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, so we don’t have target dates at this time.
The key issue here is to plan when a timeline occurs, and work with vendors for best solutions (and budget accordingly in advance).
The ACM is monitoring this situation and will have materials to consider in 2024 – but talks with equipment vendors have already begun to ensure they meet WCAG2 standards in future products and upgrades. So all… don’t worry about it just yet. However, as Mike stated, start budgeting now. We are all doing VOD, it seems like this is something we will have to face head on whether we want to or not.
Posted: December 1, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Spotlight: Newark – Quality Content at Newark 78
by Gary Campbell, Station Manager/Producer, Newark TV
In today’s competitive television, cable and streaming market, government-access television Newark TV-78 is producing high quality content for the largest city in New Jersey–Newark. Newark continues to shine in public safety, affordable housing, the arts, equitable growth and empowering residents. Mayor Ras Baraka says that in 2023 we are finally experiencing the Newark Renaissance that has been in motion for over fifty years, and TV78 has been there to help the city achieve its goals.
We strive to achieve consistently high-quality content with every production. In this context, we are referring to visual, audio or video created and made available through a particular channel(s) as programming that appeals to a large percentage of Newark residents. Behind the renaissance at TV-78 the Newark access channel are the talented people at Cologna Productions. Under contract from the city, Cologna Productions has been running the station for nine years. Initially it was a one-man operation run by Ed Cologna alone; today, the production company now has a staff of 6 employees and covers over 250 events annually. The channel not only covers city council meetings and local emergency announcements, but many other events and programs which have become very important in to the content hungry residents of Newark. This programming is provided 365 days and 24 hours a day.
The diligent work has allowed TV-78 to receive many awards throughout the years and 15 awards in 2022 alone. This trend will hopefully continue in 2023 when we may be considered for an Emmy Award.
Our current programming lineup includes Ras in 60, led by host, Mayor Ras J. Baraka and co-host Desiree Hadley. Ras in 60 provides conversations about Newark’s community, economic development and more. Recently, the show has featured the American rap group The Sugar Hill Gang, best known for its hit single “Rapper’s Delight”, …what a treat!
Overall, TV-78 has been successful because of its focus on quality videography while responding to the particular needs of the Mayor’s initiatives. The Mayor has masterfully gone past just a boring access channel to clearly convey the intentions and progress of the administration. Under his reading initiatives there is programming provided such as “Launch of 1,000 Books before Kindergarten”, “ Literacy Conversation with Dr. Brown,” “Mayor’s Book Club” and “Soar with Reading” held at various schools and libraries throughout Newark. The Arts are also important to the Mayor’s vision for the city. In the past year, we have covered events like Newark mural unveilings and the Newark Arts Festival. In addition, Great Point Studios and NJPAC partner have partnered with LionsGate to present Down in the Ro, a Great Day in Newark and many other events. Annual TV events include 24 Hours of Peace, Latin Festival, Fashion Forward, Lincoln Park Festival, LQBQT events and flag raising, the Senior White Affair and many others. We also cover events that concern the public safety of our citizens, OVPTR events, Newark Peace Week, Woman’s Empowerment, Men’s Meeting, Women’s Meeting, Prayer Walk against Violence and National Night out. In addition, we have documented events that honor the following members of the Newark community: ethnic groups from Nigeria, Italy, Mexico, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cape Verde, Barbados and others by having their flag raisings recorded for TV. The station is now working on new shows, including “Out Loud”, “Caribbean Commission” and “Scooter Stories” along with others, and this list is growing, so stay tuned!
How is all this accomplished? In a two floor studio located in the Central Ward of Newark that includes seven rooms, two edit bays, four computer work stations, programming room, equipment room and green room. However, I must add that Cologna Productions has a bunch of creative people that love the City of Newark and love creating quality content. We look forward to growing and creating more content to serve the diverse citizens of Newark.
Posted: December 1, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Legislative Update November 2023: News from Washington DC
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Universal Service Fund – Latest Update
On January 19th, the 5th Circuit Appellate Court tried to decide if it should toss out a ruling that upholds the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund. The judges expressed their objections about the constitutionality of the practice of using an outside company to collect fees for the telecom assistance programs.
The USF was originally designed by having interstate long distance carriers appraised in order to subsidize telephone service to low-income households and high-cost areas. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act expanded this definition to include among other things rural health care providers and eligible schools and libraries.
But litigants have been challenging this fund in different circuits throughout the country as they have argued that this program is an unlawful authorization to the FCC by Congress’ own taxing power.
Last March, the 5th Court upheld the FCC’s authority totally, though in June they agreed to rehear the litigation.
During the September proceeding, the court seemed concerned by the way the fund was currently set-up. According to the figures in the court documents the USF seems to have grown to around $7 billion in 2020, from just over $1 billion in the mid-1990s.
An attorney for the FCC told the court that the FCC’s universal service definition has been extended over the years to cover new technologies, while accounting for the growth of the program, as directed by regulation.
Though he did not provide thoughts on what it might cover in the future, the attorney went on to say that; ”There are many different ways that people communicate these days”. “But the key point in the case, is that Congress gave the FCC the clear legal authority to set up the universal service system.
Back in March, this was the crucial point that guided the Fifth Circuit court decision to uphold their authority. They held that Congress had properly limited the commission’s revenue-raising activity while adequately providing the FCC with “intelligible principles” to guide the fund’s administration.
Reform discussions are currently being held in a U.S. Senate working group. Their objective is to expand the revenue stream to go further than the interstate telecoms. They are looking to have it include all Broadband Internet Access Services in order to fund the Universal Service Fund programs.
FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Proposes to Restore Net Neutrality Rules and Authority Over Broadband Providers Under Title II
From the Office of Chairwoman Rosenworcel – Sept. 26, 2023:
The internet is too important to our society and economy not to have effective oversight. However, in 2018, the FCC abdicated its authority over broadband and repealed net neutrality. Today, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues a proposal that would begin the process of re-establishing the FCC’s oversight over broadband and restoring uniform, nationwide net neutrality rules, which would allow the FCC to protect internet openness and consumers, defend national security, and advance public safety.
The Chairwoman is proposing the FCC take the first procedural steps toward reaffirming rules that would treat broadband internet service as an essential service for American life. As work, healthcare, education, commerce, and so much more have moved online, no American household or business should need to function without reliable internet service. This was especially true during the pandemic. Such rules would affirm—under Title II of the Communications Act—that broadband service is on par with water, power, and phone service; that is essential.
The proposed rules would return fixed and mobile broadband service to its status as an essential “telecommunications” service. The proposal will be made public and will allow for public input. The proposal seeks to largely return to the successful rules the Commission adopted in 2015.
How It Helps Consumers ?
Openness – Establish basic rules for Internet Service Providers that prevent them from blocking legal content, throttling your speeds, and creating fast lanes that favor those who can pay for access.
Security – Reclassify broadband internet access to give the FCC and its national security partners the tools needed to defend our networks from potential security threats.
Safety – Allow the FCC to enhance the resiliency of broadband networks and bolster efforts to require providers to notify the FCC and consumers of internet outages.
Nationwide Standard – Establish a uniform national standard rather than a patchwork of state-by-state approaches, benefiting consumers and Internet Service Providers.
To hear the entirety of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s remarks from the National Press Club on September 26, 2023, please visit the link below.
Chairwoman Rosenworcel Remarks – 9/26/23
Comments on Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet Sought by the FCC
In order to re-establish the FCC’s oversight over broadband and restoring uniform, nationwide net neutrality rules, the FCC has also put forth a notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comments for safeguarding and securing the Open Internet.
Public Notice – WC Docket No. 23-320:
On September 28, 2023, the FCC released a public draft of its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on proposed rules for safeguarding and securing the open Internet, which is planned for vote at the FCC’s open meeting on October 19, 2023. The proposed draft would reestablish the Commission’s authority over broadband Internet access service (BIAS) by classifying it as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. There is currently no expert agency ensuring that the Internet is fast, open, and fair.
The draft NPRM proposes that the FCC take the first procedural steps toward reaffirming rules that would treat broadband internet service as an essential service for American life. As work, healthcare, education, commerce, and so much more have moved online, no American household or business should need to function without reliable internet service. This was especially true during the pandemic. Such rules would affirm—under Title II of the Communications Act—that broadband service is on par with water, power, and phone service; that is essential. More facts are listed in the fact sheet linked below.
Regarding accessibility for individuals with disabilities, the draft seeks comment on how the proposed reclassification of BIAS would affect:
The draft NPRM also asks about the accessibility of ISPs’ website disclosures. Are more requirements needed to ensure accessibility? Should ISPs be encouraged to use the Web Accessibility Initiative guidance?
The comment and reply comment dates are proposed to be December 14, 2023 and January 17, 2024. More information about the filing procedures will be sent out through an AccessInfo after the draft is considered at the October open meeting.
Link to the draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:
URL: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-397309A1.pdf
Link to Fact Sheet: https://www.fcc.gov/document/chairwoman-rosenworcel-proposes-restore-net-neutrality-rules
Posted: December 1, 2023 by Doug Seidel
ENCO Systems- Continuous Access Realtime Translation
by Bill Bennett, Media Solutions & Accounts Manager
Your municipality’s broadcasts are key to informing your residents about what matters in their community, and ENCO has products that make your content more accessible to a broader audience with economical, automated Closed Captions and in-room CART displays. We can also help make your productions and playout more reliable via our acquisition of RUSHWORKS, a world-class computer-based video production and playout maker. All this is available via a single, consolidated package with unified US-based support.
You probably know Closed Captions bring meeting accessibility for people with hearing loss, helping them to access and understand video content. This includes people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have auditory processing challenges. They also improve comprehension for everyone, as many people like to watch captions even though they can clearly hear the words as captions help confirm what they think they heard. And with as many technical and legal matters as your meetings often have, viewers may learn better how to spell the words too.
These days captions are for more than just inserting into a broadcast signal, they can also be viewed on large video screens inside your meeting room (often called CART: Continuous Access Realtime Translation), and can be viewed live on websites too. Plus, ENCO’s enCaption platform also saves everything it captions to plain-text transcripts and sidecar files (used for video editing or subsequent playout).
Transcripts are essential in any meeting environment, they are helpful to back up whatever minutes your secretary may be drafting, and can help them review and confirm what was said later on, to help ensure their own accuracy. Further, since the transcripts are time-coded, you can easily find exactly where in a captioned, recorded video certain words were mentioned, which helps everyone find what they need more quickly.
ENCO’s enCaption system is entirely on-prem, meaning no Internet is needed for operation. And it supports customizable word libraries where you can add presenter names, jargon, and other uniquely spelled words. Plus, once you use ENCO enCaption, you have the base for ENCO enTranslate – it’s live, real-time translation system. Just imagine – your viewers can see English captions on one CC channel, and another language on another. Talk about access for all!
We also have our new RUSHWORKS computer-based video production and playout software applications, designed to enable simple, live multi-camera meetings with an intuitive user interface (capable of both automatic and manual camera switching), as well as software made for multi-channel cable and stream channel programming, where you can build automated and live playlists for weeks in advance, with fail-safes to always make sure something is on the air. Media technology keeps evolving, so when you can find a single vendor to support all your meeting production, broadcast and accessibility needs, the sooner you’ll be on your way to a reliable, accessible broadcast network.
ENCO will do a presentation at the next JAG General (ZOOM) Meeting, Dec. 13, 2023 at 12 Noon.
Posted: November 8, 2023 by Doug Seidel
JAG at the League of Municipalities Next Week
Special Sessions on:
*Broadband* – Available Federal Funding,
Using Your Existing Infrastructure,
and *H.R. 3557*
The American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023
&
New Ways You Can Communicate With Your Citizens Beyond the Traditional Cable Television Channels!
The New Jersey League of Municipalities will be holding their 2023 Annual Conference in Atlantic City, November 14th through the 16th.
JAG will be joining forces with the League to present two timely sessions on broadband that will not only be of interest but a must for you to know about to help you steer you through its deployment.
*Follow the Money – The Sequel*, will guide you through the federal funding that is available to ensure broadband access. Billions of dollars have begun to flow to the states for distribution. This panel will explore the status of NJ’s broadband deployment program, how municipalities can access the money, and what to do with it once it arrives at the local level.
Our panelist will be:
Robert Boyle – CEO, Planet Networks
Valarry Bullard – Transparency Officer & Broadband Advisor,
Governor’s Office of Disaster Recovery
Bob Duthaler – President, JAG & Station Manager, Bloomfield Township
Joseph Rivera – Manager, Broadband Access, NJ Board of Public Utilities
Brian C. Wahler – Mayor, Piscataway Township – Past President, NJLM
Nancy Werner, Esq., Partner, Bradley Werner, LLC
This session will occur on Wednesday, November 15th at the Atlantic City Convention Center-Room 413 at 10:45AM.
*Using Existing Infrastructure to Enhance Broadband Deployment*. Here you will learn how utilities and municipalities can work together to accelerate broadband deployment for their communities. Discover strategies, options, and real-world success stories, and learn about the legislative efforts that could assist or hinder these goals. (HR 3557)
Our panelists for this session will be:
Robert Boyle – CEO, Planet Networks
Edward Purcell, Esq., Attorney, Price Meese Shulman and D’Arminio
Brian C. Wahler – Mayor, Piscataway Township – Past President, NJLM
Nancy Werner, Esq., Partner, Bradley Werner, LLC
This session will take place on Thursday, November 16th in Room 315 at 9AM
*Municipal Television: It’s Not Just Cable Anymore* In addition to these broadband sessions, JAG will also be hosting a special discussion for those interested in Local Access Television. In this lively forum you will explore the various ways a municipality can communicate with their citizens beyond the traditional cable television channels.
Our panelists for this informative session will be:
Geoff Belinfante – TV Commissioner, WM-77 West Milford Township
Bob Duthaler – President, JAG & Station Manager, Bloomfield Township
Gina Forbes – Station Manager, Woodbridge Television
Joe Fernandes – Assistant Manager, Woodbridge Television
This session will take place on Thursday, November 16th in Room 409 at 10:45AM
JAG is proud to present these forums to you because as the league has stated, strong municipalities are built on a foundation of cooperation, creativity, and community outreach.
JAG is that an organization that believes in these simple concepts. JAG constantly advocates, analyzes and addresses emerging issues in areas such as: Local Government Communications and Internet Policy, New Technology Initiatives and Advancements, Cable Franchising and, the Operation of Public, Education and Government Media Facilities.
Please join us and see how we can prepare you for the broadband transformation and also help you to communicate better with your specific audience.
Posted: October 18, 2023 by Doug Seidel
JAG Schedules Three Sessions at the New Jersey League of Municipalities Annual Conference
November 15, 2023
Follow the Money: The Sequel
(Joint Session with the NJ League)
10:45 AM-12:00 PM
Room 413
Federal funding is available to ensure broadband access. Billions of dollars have begun to flow to the states for distribution. This panel will explore the status of NJ’s broadband deployment program, how municipalities can access the money, and what to do with it once it arrives at the local level.
Panelists: Robert Boyle, CEO, Planet Networks, Valarry Bullard, Transparency Officer & Broadband Advisor, Governor’s Office of Disaster Recovery, Bob Duthaler, President, JAG Station Manager, Bloomfield Township, Joseph Rivera, Manager, Broadband Access, NJ Board of Public Utilities, Kenneth Fellman, Esq., Of Counsel, Helmer, Conley and Kasselman, P.A.
November 16, 2023
Using Existing Infrastructure to Enhance Broadband Deployment
(Joint Session with the NJ League)
9:00 AM-10:15 AM
Learn how utilities and municipalities can work together to accelerate broadband deployment for their communities. Discover strategies, options, and real-world success stories, and learn about the legislative efforts that could assist or hinder these goals.
Panelists: Edward Purcell, Esq., Attorney, Price Meese Shulman and D’Arminio, Robert Boyle, CEO, Planet Networks, Kenneth Fellman, Esq., Of Counsel, Helmer, Conley and Kasselman, P.A.
November 16, 2023
Municipal Television: It’s Not Just Cable Anymore
10:45 AM-12:00 PM
Room 409
This panel will explore the various ways a municipality can communicate with their citizens beyond traditional cable television channels. Panelists: Geoff Belinfante, TV Commissioner, WM-77, West Milford Township, Bob Duthaler, President, JAG, Station Manager, Bloomfield Township, Gina Forbes, Station Manager, Woodbridge Television, Joe Fernandes, Assistant Manager, Woodbridge Television.
Posted: October 18, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Spotlight: Newark – Understanding Your Town: Identifying the Opportunities
By Ed Cologna, Newark TV, Station Manager
New York City has a step-brother, and it’s called Newark. The locals call it “Nork.” Newark is New Jersey’s largest city by population, known for its vibrant arts scene and one of America’s oldest. It was founded in 1666 by Connecticut Puritans and led by Robert Treat.
Newark was known for being the theater capital of the USA long before Broadway, NYC. It was the home to Thomas Edison’s Invention Factory (now a parking lot, which speaks volumes about American culture or its lack thereof). It boasts a park similar to Central Park by the same designer, gave us the first pressed record factory, and served as the former home and sometimes birthplace to celebrities like Sarah Vaughan, the Ballantine’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael B. Jordan, Queen Latifah, Whitney Houston, Joe Pesci, Jerry Lewis, Amiri Baraka, Paul Simon, and the birthplace of yours truly.
Newark TV is located in the same building as historic Symphony Hall.
Newark and its Broadcasting History
One detail to mention is that this building is important to the history of American Television. At some point in the early 1960s, WNJU-TV signed on from Newark as the New York City market’s first commercial UHF station, channel 47. It carried a format of ethnic programming. Pete Seeger hosted an early folk music program called “Rainbow Quest,” and a live teenage dance show aired from WNJU called “Disc-O-Teen.” The station also created some controversy early on by airing bullfights.
My First Visit to Newark TV
My first brush with this location came before I was born when my mother, Nella Zadra, a talented painter and muralist, was pregnant with me. She designed the set for an opera, “Francesca Di Rimini,” which premiered on the main stage of Symphony Hall in 1966.
Fate would have it that many years later, I would find myself working there. On a stormy winter blizzard morning in 2014, due to personnel issues, Newark’s PEG TV Station was unable to post emergency announcements about the snowstorm. I had no political connections to Newark, only a reputation for helping JAG stations such as Edison and Roselle TV. I drove through the snow to Symphony Hall in Newark, where the station exists, and did what I could to get announcements running. Upon examining the broadcast schedule, I noticed that the programming was minimal: a weekly news magazine about the city with excerpts of events, a few street dedications, and council meetings. It was unimpressive for a city of this stature. If you can imagine, Newark TV was still recording and broadcasting programming in a 4×3 aspect ratio.
In 2007, the city of Newark invested a lot of funds in building a beautiful TV Studio. Light grid with DeSisti components, two acoustically treated edit rooms, a large conference room, green room and a large office for the station manager that would impress visitors. At a first glance, this looked like PEG heaven: until you realized there was not a staging area for equipment, lights and only two tall storage cabinets in a machine room. Newark TV was designed by someone who didn’t know anything about the day-to-day operation of a PEG Station. It looked pretty, but it wasn’t practical. There was no makeup room, the kitchen had no stove, the green room was tiny, etc. And last but not least, the city spent $850,000 that year on video equipment for the studio. All of it Standard Definition, without a plan for upgrades. For those who do not know, HD had already been in ubiquitous use by that year. I compare that to buying a horse and buggy when you can get a car.
Seven years later, although it was a temporary solution, I embraced the challenge to improve the operation almost overnight. To me, it was a canvas, and my cameras were my brushes. I didn’t ask for permission regarding what I could or couldn’t do. I brought my own cameras and editing computers, plus invested in more of them out of pocket. I started asking around what events were taking place throughout the city and if I could show up and record them; I did. At the time, Mayor Quintana was the first Latino Mayor of Newark, and he was too preoccupied with running this behemoth of a city with thousands of employees to worry about what was happening at the TV station. But the administration soon took notice.
Most field events prior to me were recorded and edited with a single camera and were not posted on social media. Soon, I increased to three-camera productions in 16×9 HD, posting the HD files on social media and then broadcasting the 16×9 content squeezed to a 4×3 form factor for Cablevisión (now Altice) and FiOs.
In a matter of days, I reduced bulletin board time from 20 hours a day to almost zero. Instead of bulletin board static slides, I created video PSA’s. I went from 4 hours of programming a day to 24/7 original content. At first, I repeated programming in blocks, similar to how the Discovery Channel did in the 1990s. As I increased the original programming with events, so did the requests to cover more and more events from all city departments. I could no longer be a one-man band if I wanted the operation to be sustainable. At the time, I raced between Edison TV as a full-time job with flexible hours (always to my monetary detriment) and this new project. This stint at Newark TV was temporary. After six months, the personnel issues were resolved, and the person in charge prior to me got their job back. I thought my time with Newark TV was done. It wasn’t.
Newark TV, a Second Chance
Soon after Mayor Ras Baraka was elected, his press office called me in to take the helm once again. To my disappointment, all the changes I implemented the year before were undone. Little to no programming was on the air, everything went back to 4×3, and the bulletin board returned. This was in March of 2015. Now, more secure in this position, I hit the ground running and hired an editor, Armin, to help keep up with the pace of post-production. For a while, this seemed to work. Then I added a still photographer turned videographer who could also help coordinate. As he learned the craft, Gary Campbell became my right-hand man. At Newark TV, we work to provide all kinds of productions and support to every department of the city. From the Administration that produces the State of the City at NJPAC, to interesting events such as parades and music festivals and even special coverage for events like the 24 Hours of Peace. Newark keeps us busy.
Newark in the National Headlines and the Lead Crisis
In 2014 Flint, Michigan was in the eyes of the media because of a horrendous water crisis caused by mismanagement of their water supply. This caused illness and retardation in many people, with the depths still unfolding. In 2017, the National Media focused on Newark because the EPA had detected high levels of lead in a few of its schools. Mayor Baraka took this challenge head-on. While the media, even liberal outlets like Democracy Now, were reporting this bad situation and pointing fingers at Mayor Baraka, it was Newark TV that was there showing what the city was doing to address the problem: how to get home water tested for lead, where residents could pick up lead-removing water filters and free bottled water, and reported on the constant progress of replacing the lead service line to all the homes in the city. A monumental task that was done effectively and economically by a Mayor that was told it was impossible to do. The goal of some entities was to take over and privatize Newark’s water. Not under this Mayor’s watch.
Newark TV and the Covid-19 Pandemic
No sooner was this situation almost fully solved that the Covid-19 pandemic began. Mayor Baraka began broadcasting on Newark TV daily updates during the lockdown. My team and I were there to report about rapid and PCR testing, how residents without addresses were being cared for, and all the reporting of daily contagions and deaths from what was an unknown situation that evolved daily.
When the pandemic was over, in addition to the ongoing bi-weekly COVID updates we resumed coverage of the fun events such as the MTV VMA’s Red Carpet at the Prudential Center, public forums, consent decrees, art events at the Newark Museum and Library, ribbon cuttings and press conferences.
Newark has had a separate vendor to cover their Council Meetings, but that doesn’t mean we don’t help each other whenever needed. The Tidwell’s, as I know them or ITM Gospel, which is their company, have been serving Newark’s City Council long before I even knew of Newark TV’s existence, and they are an institution more than a production company. Working together, we have more strength. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Mayor Baraka proved his mettle during the pandemic. My team and I decided to think of ways to provide more services to other towns. So we came up with the GovTV platform, and in New Jersey, it is called NJGOVTV. At this year’s NJLM trade show, my team and I will have a booth and talk about this.
My Team at Newark TV and Other TV Stations
At Newark TV, we have four full-timers, and we pull from Cologna Productions, many part-timers that help in every capacity because we serve Newark and other TV stations throughout New Jersey. We aim to grow bigger. An author and artist in his own right, Gary Campbell now keeps the madness in check, and we work together to make sure every request within reason is fulfilled. (Check out “The Artist Recreates the World” if you can. That’s his pet project.) Directing Editor Charles Baraff is beyond an editor. He has a vision for when productions take place and has wise advice to allow for creative turnarounds. Amira Richardson is a field producer who can host like the best in a pinch and helps in every aspect of the operation. On the part-time side, I have some superstars from the corporate and broadcast world, such as Thomas Terreri, former President of Prudential Productions, who substitutes in my place occasionally; Ting Yin, who graduated with a Master’s degree in Digital Media from Northeastern University in Boston, has been helping the operation since 2016; Lauren Downs comes from SVA and has been with me for over 10 years; Julia D. is an Art Director and an artist who graduated from FIT; Zhenzhen Luo is a Rutgers Master’s Graduate and fills in the gaps at various productions, and I could go on. For a while, we had other talents helping, such as field producer Chris Rog, Armin, Juwaan, and last but not least, Doug Seidel, who now works at PCTC. I leave other station managers reading this article with this thought. There is a saying that goes, “Your business is only as strong as your weakest link.” True, but to that, I add we are human, and we all have weak moments. What matters is that in those times of weakness, the person next to you pulls you up and keeps the operation going. Pick passionate people, not people who are only in this as a job or are going through the motions. They have to love what they do. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Eddy Edward Cologna is a very early member of the JAG family, and a strong advocate for community media.