Warning, it is all around you! There is nowhere to hide from it! And it is on its way to the 2023 JAG Conference.
It’s the B-word! BROADBAND!!!
Yes, It Is Everywhere, Be Prepared! or Be Left Out!
In 2021, the federal government passed the American Infrastructure Act which approved billions of dollars to improve broadband deployment throughout the country. That money will flow from the Federal Government and be distributed by each state in a major goal to build-out broadband everywhere, including in the rural areas.
On May 18th, during the JAG Conference Keynote Luncheon, we explore the ways all municipalities can access the money, and what to do with it once it arrives at the local level. Our panel of experts, Robert Boyle, CEO Planet Networks; , Marilyn Davis, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Altice Mike Wassenaar, President of the ACM; and Mike Lynch, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Director for NATOA, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, will guide you on a successful path to help you acquire a piece of this funding for your community.
For any of you who are thinking about what chance your municipality has at obtaining some of this funding, your chances are pretty good. Congress has made broadband a major priority and wants everybody in the US to have it. To make this agenda come to fruition, the House’s Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing this past April 19th, entitled “Breaking Barriers: Streamlining Permitting to Expedite Broadband Deployment.”
According to the Committee’s Majority Staff Memo, https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF16/20230419/115750/HHRG-118-IF16-20230419-SD094.pdf the hearing took up more than 30 additional bills aimed at what are described as the ‘Federal Barriers’, ’State and Local Government Obstacles’, as well as, ‘Pole Attachments (Access to Poles)’ to help streamline these regulations. This is essential in order to encourage and expedite the broadband infrastructure deployment throughout the United States.
A set of questions was posed for these hearings included:
Is attaching telecommunications equipment on municipally or cooperatively owned poles more difficult or expensive than on other poles?
What challenges exist at the federal, state, and local levels that delay or burden broadband deployment?
How can Congress help expedite or streamline the process for broadband deployment?
Permitting Reform: To ensure our infrastructure, especially broadband, is ahead of the ever-evolving technological landscape.
Interagency Coordination: The Government Accountability Office noted that 15 federal agencies collectively administer over 100 programs to expand access to broadband. Congress should focus on effectively implementing existing federal broadband programs and ensuring taxpayer dollars are utilized wisely.
Affordable Connectivity Program Funding: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act established the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to provide a monthly benefit to low-income Americans. However, the IIJA only provided a temporary amount of funding for the ACP, which is expected to run out in 2024. Congress must act and provide sufficient appropriations to provide certainty for program beneficiaries and participating internet service providers.
Prevent Overregulation: Congress must ensure that all federal broadband programs avoid ancillary and harmful public policies such as preferences for unions, costly Buy America mandates, and patchwork networks.
If this wasn’t a lot to digest, *The Community Broadband Act of 2023* was reintroduced on both sides of the Capital. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker sponsored S.1197, while Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) sponsored H.R.2552.
This legislation will empower local governments to ensure their residents have equitable broadband access by removing roadblocks for public-private partnerships and locally-owned broadband providers. It will also improve internet and broadband access across the country by removing roadblocks prohibiting local communities from building their own broadband networks.
These Acts have been endorsed by NATOA.
Confusing? Maybe a little. But, as you have read, Congress is investing heavily in order to bring broadband to all Americans. It’s just a matter of how to go about it correctly and spend the money wisely. Please join us on May 18th, at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, NJ, www.jagconference.com. Find out where you can secure the funds to 100% connect your community and prepare everyone for the future of Broadband.
By now you already know that Thursday, May 18th is the date you should put all things aside and make plans to be at the JAG’s annual conference and vendor day. If you haven’t done so already, register now at www.jagconference.com . This is a must attend event if you are a member of JAG, support the organization or utilize any of its benefits.
Did you know that as part of JAG’s conference, the organization recognizes members for their extraordinary workfor either the PEG community or the JAG organization. This year is no exception. Throughout the day, JAG will recognize some of its members, community leaders and others in their efforts to support PEG. It is important that we all gather on that day as both an organization and community to support those who helped support us. Register now to be part of this at www.jagconference.com.
Join us on Thursday, May 18th at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, NJ and be present at our keynote lunch which will take place in the exhibit hall area, at which we will award our Community Recognition Award. This goes to a member of a local Municipality/County (Elected or Employed by) that has helped JAG and its mission to support PEG access. We will recognize some of the local politicians from the Township of New Milford and their efforts to grow their local television station WM77. We ask that you be on hand as well to congratulate them. Register now at www.jagconference.com.
There are many organizational members that go above and beyond in their support of JAG and the JAG community. As part of our Keynote Lunch on Thursday, May 18th we will recognize them. I will have the honor of presenting the Vendor Appreciation Award during the luncheon. I urge you to be present at this event and show your appreciation to those who gave back to our organization. Please join me in thanking them by registering for our conference and being present during our keynote lunch at www.jagconference.com.
Be part of the evening’s activities when JAG continues to recognize the great works of its members during our banquet. There will be several opportunities for the organization to accomplish this. We will begin the evening with the JAG Member Recognition Award. Each year we present it to a member that has contributed to the success of JAG. I am pleased to announce that this year’s recipient is one of JAG’s founding members, its second president and a board member from the beginning up through 2023. I ask you to join me to honor Lee Beckerman of the Woodbridge Channels. To do so, make sure you register now at www.jagconference.com.
The fun will continue when we announce the winners of this year’s JAG Awards. The awards ceremony will take place during the JAG banquet. It is truly a great event as we watch clips of the great work our member stations have done during the year, present several stations with the JAG Excellence Award and honor all those that were nominated. Finally, before the evenings over, as the current President of JAG it will be my honor to present President’s Ovation Awards to a member and/or board member of JAG in acknowledgement of their unrelenting commitment to the members of the Jersey Access Group and the operation of public, education, and government communication facilities. The only way you can participate in the day’s activities, celebrations and learning experience is to register now for this year’s JAG Conference and Vendor Exhibition – www.jagconference.com. See you there!
And So It Began… WBMA-TV (Channel 35) in Bloomfield, NJ has been in operation for over 45 years, making it one of the oldest municipal channels on Comcast. Its purpose was and still is to inform the Bloomfield Community of events happening throughout the township, while supporting open government through the playback of meetings on the cable channel. It started out like many stations across the state have, in a small space, a bunch of VHS players and a graphics system. Over the years the space in which the station operated grew larger, but much of the equipment stayed the same. VHS players, mixed with SVHS with shows being recorded on mini-dv, were the flavor through the early 2000s. Unfortunately, due to the death of the station manager, and a couple of short-term interim managers, the station was starting to fall by the wayside. Thankfully, a new board member who was experienced professionally in the industry, kept the station on life support, convincing the Township of Bloomfield and the Cable Advisory Board that the station needed to change both the way it operated and the technology at hand.
Timing Is Everything… Just like the timing was right for the station to change, so would the timing for its current Executive Director, Bob Duthaler to step in. Brought in by the Cable Advisory Council liaison and Board President in 2007, Duthaler hit the ground running. Fortunately, he had the support of the Township Council and Cable Advisory Board behind him. The station quickly converted from analog playout to a Telvue digital broadcast server and bulletin board system. Doing away with the racks of SVHS and VHS players, the station started down a new road. New edit systems, new studio cameras and file-based recorders all became the new norm for WBMA-TV. Within the next few years more township events were being covered, in addition to council, board of ed, planning and zoning meetings. The station soon began its own series of shows including Bloomfield Buzz TV, Saturday Night at the Movies, To Your Health Bloomfield and WBMA-TV Sports Coverage. Within a few short years, the station now had an operational studio, ENG cameras for remote events and the ability to do live events. They even pulled off an 8-hour live Harvest Fest Coverage with an outside studio for interviews, live music coverage and remote live “man on the street” interviews using microwave transmission. Duthaler will be quick to tell you that coverage of this event was possible due to all the Cable Advisory Board members pitching in as volunteers, along with several JAG members who also volunteered to help him as well.
Leap Forward… Skip ahead ten plus years and WBMA-TV remained strong in its operation, covering more township events than ever. There is a regular programming schedule, and the station continues to be a community fixture. WBMA-TV now includes an online presence with live streaming of the station on the township website, its own video on demand player with access to years of programming, along with now operating two channels on Comcast and three on Verizon. Operationally, WBMA-TV adapted to the changes over the years. “As volunteers started to become far and few between, we needed to start hiring freelancers to keep up with the coverage of events for which we were requested” said Duthaler. He continued to say, “The industry is always changing, and we learned to keep up with and adapt as necessary to that change. This is what has helped us remain a successful station. JAG has also played an important role in that as well, giving us access to vendors, equipment and conference workshops that teach us and help us grow.”
Who Knew It Was Coming… Then in 2018, WBMA-TV had developed a strong relationship with the Township’s IT Director along with continued support from the Mayor and Council and would begin to start its next phase of growth and expansion. The station took over the operation of the educational channel as well on both Comcast and Verizon. Soon, both Comcast and Verizon would run new fiber to the WBMA-TV studios in addition to placing digital encoders to receive the stations broadcast signal. WBMA-TV finally removed the last remaining analog component to its operation and became all digital in its broadcast. It would also be through the local franchise negotiations with Comcast, that Bloomfield had put in place for its future the running of fiber between the municipal building and the civic center, in which WBMA-TV was located. The plan was now to setup PTZ cameras and Dante Audio systems at the municipalities’ Council Chambers to send them back to the station control room via a network connection to produce meetings from the WBMA-TV studios. In addition to that project getting underway, the station also purchased a used video production truck from the negotiated franchise funds and was starting to create its own mobile production vehicle. Things were about to get underway with both projects, then the calendar read March 2020!
Lockdown, reinvention, LIVE… It all changed that second week in March, when we all got the word that everything was shutting down because of COVID-19. Fortunately for WBMA-TV, we had everything in place for operating the station remotely. Thankfully because of vendors associated with JAG like Telvue and Varto Technologies, we could already operate the station remotely, handling station programming, bulletin board updates, program insertion and more from remote locations. What WBMA-TV was now being challenged to do, how do we cover all meetings from remote locations, some in a hybrid situation and broadcast them live and on-air and social media. Thankfully, through the support of LiveU and their PEG bundling equipment and pricing we found that solution. So, with lots of COVID testing, masks, social distancing, a large monitor with Zoom, and our camera equipped with a LiveU 300 unit, we started out in uncharted waters of live, remote tv coverage from Conference Rooms at town hall, Media Centers at the HS Library or in large rooms with everyone spread out, we embarked on a new adventure that has changed our operations even today. We were now the Live Channel! We also ran daily live press conferences from the governor, health updates from township officials and regular updates from the mayor as well.
It Took Longer, but it’s here… COVID brought about changes in both the truck project and remote meeting coverage system. A new Tricaster TC-2 Elite was purchased during covid to replace the TC-1 in which we were about to install in the studio control room. The new unit allowed us to incorporate Zoom meeting directly into the switcher allowing for individuals to brought up on air as single shot. The TC-1 which was slated for the studio, now was put in to the truck, which started a yearlong build out of the vehicle (COVID and Supply Chain- not a winning combination). In addition, we continued the long road of battling COVID, lockdowns and mask wearing to build out the council chambers with PTZ cameras, incorporating Dante for audio and sending it across a fiber network from town hall to the studio control room about a mile away (as the fiber goes). It wasn’t long before we started doing all Zoom meetings in our control room, which allowed us better broadcasting quality, individual shot selections, presentation pull-ups and more, while broadcasting live on-air, streaming on the website and social media. We eventually came back in person for council and a zoom portion for public input. Hybrid meeting coverage was well underway. We also were rolling out OTT capabilities during this period. We launched our own Apple TV, ROKU, and Amazon Fire Channels. This now allowed cord cutters to be kept in the loop as well during the pandemic. Change was coming hard and fast (as fast as you can go during a pandemic) and the station was once again evolving. The Mayor, Council and Community all put their trust in the station to keep the community informed and involved during the pandemic, and WBMA-TV came through with flying colors.
New Era Underway… July 4th, 2022, WBMA-TV began its first remote production with its new vehicle. Coverage of Bloomfield’s annual July 4th Concert and Fireworks kicked off a new chapter for WBMA-TV. The new production truck would continue to cover summer concerts, parades and more, both live and live to tape (or hard drive). The Studio control room is fully operational for remote, live meeting coverage – in which live is the new norm now. The video production truck now has a replay system installed for future sports coverage and is working on getting its own power source for locations where two 30amp circuits are not setup to accommodate the vehicle. WBMA-TV also added its first high-definition channel on cable, with the new Verizon 2137 Channel. WBMA-TV is also working on creating an iOS and Android app, to make the station available on phones, computers, and tablets. The next phase in the evolution of the once Channel 35 is underway, again! Feel free to reach out to Bob Duthaler at WBMA-TV and have a look at the station’s operations, studio and production truck. Fun Fact: Channel 35 as it was known for years, as being on channel location 35 on Comcast, is called WBMA-TV. What does WBMA-TV mean? Watch Bloomfield Municipal Access TV. You can see the station’s website at www.wbmatv.com
From the first conference to our 19th edition, the JAG Conference is the best place to get the latest hardware updates the freshest gear, and collaborate with your fellow colleagues from other stations around New Jersey. This year’s conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Edison on May 18th from 9am-11pm.
We are only a month away from the JAG Conference!
Have you made your checklist for new equipment you would like to get more information on?
Have you purchased your tickets?
Have you reserved your hotel room?
Conference Updates
TelVue Users Group: Ultra-affordable All-in-One Playout, Integrated Streaming, Editing, and CBB, Live Caption Translation, New Viewer Analytics, and more!
Showcasing the latest and greatest from TelVue including a peek into our broadcast products roadmap…all with the purpose of streamlining your workflow, saving you time, expanding your audience, increasing accessibility, and unlocking new sources of revenue. Demos & topics will include: New, ultra-affordable & scalable HyperCaster AIO+ All-in-One playout models; HyperCaster integrated CBB, editing, and streaming; HyperCaster automatic social media multistreaming, no expensive restreaming services required; Redesigned, mobile-friendly scheduling pages to streamline scheduling from anywhere; Enhanced user access control & roles to more easily and securely distribute workloads; Affordable, accurate live captioning with live translation to a second language; Making your government meeting videos fully searchable with Caption Transcript Search; New, built-in viewer analytics to gain more insights into your streaming, mobile & OTT audiences; CloudCast player integrated full-view agenda/documents and channel schedules. Bring questions, feedback, feature requests. Great for existing users looking to get the most out of their TelVue systems, and prospects looking to upgrade from unsupported and cumbersome platforms, or insecure windows playout systems.
A huge thanks to TelVue for being our Diamond Sponsor.
TriCaster & NDI User Group: NAB Highlights & Interactive Forum
Discover the latest TriCaster and NDI advancements at our JAG Conference User Group session, where we’ll kick off with an overview of the groundbreaking updates from the NAB Show in Las Vegas. Learn about innovative features such as HTML 5 Cloud Graphics and how they can revolutionize your live productions. Following this brief presentation, the session will transition into an interactive forum for both new and experienced TriCaster users. Participants can ask questions, discuss workflows, and learn from each other’s experiences, with our presenter offering demonstrations and insights into real-life workflow scenarios. This engaging session provides an opportunity to connect with industry peers, share best practices, and stay ahead of the curve in live video production. Moderator: Yervant Keshishian, Sales Engineer, Authorized Trainer & Technical Director, Varto Technologies. Varto Technologies is a Titanium Sponsor and will sponsor the JAG Banquet.
There will be a number of workshops throughout the day and details can be found at www.jagconference.com . Planet Networks is a Titanium Sponsor and will be sponsoring the Keynote Lunch.
Banquet Entertainment
Returning to JAG’s conference is Simon Mandel, sponsored by Cologna Productions. Simon Mandal started out as a kid reading books at the library, and watching beginner magic VHS tapes. He knew by the time he was ten that he wanted to be either a magician or a comedy writer. After high school, he studied Acting/Drama at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, and at The William Esper Studio. Those years weren’t dedicated to magic head on, but he studied comedy in depth, and it helped his show a lot. Simon went full time in the early 2,000’s, and has been developing his own magic ever since. Simon Mandal is one of the most in demand illusionists in the world today. Mandal combines incredible feats of skill with hilarious interactive routines that bring the house down, and be prepared to become part of the show. Simon will be looking for help from the audience to join him on stage.
Separate banquet tickets are on sale. Order now. This event will sell out.
The conference wraps up with the JAG Banquet and the JAG Awards. Please stay and cheer on colleagues from local access stations across the state! There are many new categories this year to win, and many stations will go home with some nice trophies. This year the cost of the Conference, including the JAG Banquet is $160 per person for JAG members. Your admission includes the User Group Breakfast, vendor exhibits, a number of workshops, keynote lunch, admission to the cocktail party, the banquet and the JAG Awards. Details can be found at www.jagconference.com
Last month I joined the ACM as we visited our esteemed Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill in an effort to garner co-sponsorship for the” Protecting Community Television Act”.
The Identical bills, S 340, Authored by Senator Edward Markey (MA) and Tammy Baldwin (WI), & HR 907, Authored by Representative Anna Eshoo (CA), were reintroduced in Congress on February 9th of this year. It was our intention to make sure to inform as many members of Congress as possible about these bills.
Being the sole spokesperson for New Jersey, by representing the Jersey Access Group, and never having experienced what I was about to encounter, I had a steep learning curve to navigate.
Fortunately for me, ACM President Mike Wassenaar had already planned two very interesting meetings for me with the Legislative Assistants to Senator Cory Booker and Representative Mikie Sherrill. Both seemed very interested in what was told to them regarding the effect of the 2019 FCC ruling upon community television, why these Acts came to be, and why we need their support by co-sponsoring them. I even had the pleasure of having Mike join me for the meeting at Senator Booker’s office.
As for the rest of the members from New Jersey, their offices were easy to find and they had open door policies, so I was able to talk to their office staff and to leave information for their Legislative Director/Assistants. And yes, I managed to visit all of our Federal Legislators.
The main message communicated to each office or staff member was quite simple, and it is the crux of why the Protecting Community Television Act is needed. PEG/Access Television is in jeopardy!
From The ACM:
In 2019, The FCC Franchise Fee Order redefined the federal Cable Act’s 5% franchise fee cap to include the value of most non-monetary franchise obligations as franchise fees. This change allows cable companies to reduce what they pay for the use of public property and rights-of-way. The Protecting Community Television Act (S 340/HR 907) corrects this error by clarifying franchise fees are only monetary.
The Cable Act protects the rights of a local community to charge cable companies a five (5%) percent franchise fee and to meet community needs and interests, such as providing public, educational and governmental channel capacity. Contrary to industry practices that date to the 1980s, the FCC’s actions could result in reducing cable operators’ monetary compensation to towns and municipalities that wish to communicate with residents through community television. The FCC Order could force communities to choose between franchise fees or communicating with residents through community media that provide Americans with local (transparent) civic, public safety and public health content.
The Protecting Community Television Act (S 340/HR 907) clarifies that only monetary payments, not non-monetary franchise obligations, qualify as Cable Act franchise fees and are subject to a fee cap. Without it, a cable operator could create fees to drain away municipal revenues and pressure municipalities to give up or de-staff channels.
When the Protecting Community Television Act, was introduced during the 2021-2022 Congressional Session, Representatives Donald Payne (10th District) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (12th District), led the charge by co-sponsoring it at that time. The hope this time is that we can get all of our members of Congress to support them and the local content that our communities need and deserve.
With all this fresh in your minds, this also happens to be one of our main topics at this year’s legislative workshop at the JAG Conference.
News from Capitol Hill and Around the Country,
and What it Means to the New Jersey PEG/Access Stations
The Jersey Access Group will present a workshop at 10AM on May 18th at the Crown Plaza in Edison, NJ as part of its annual conference.
Our featured panelists will be Mike Wassenaar, President of the ACM, and Mike Lynch, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Director for NATOA, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
Do you know what is going on in the Halls of Congress or even in the individual States, including right here in New Jersey, that could affect how you are able to do business as usual at your local municipality and PEG stations?
There are many issues that will be talked about during this very informative conversation.
Hear how the Protecting Community Television Acts, which are circulating around both chambers of Congress, could drastically change the direction of the FCC’s 621 Order that currently is hurting all access communities and municipalities.
Is the FCC going to get a 5th Commissioner and what would that mean to you and the citizens of New Jersey?
What is the status of the Broadband Funds and how could this effect your community both monetarily and regarding your community fully connected.
An Act To Ensure Nondiscriminatory Treatment of Public, Educational and Governmental Access Channels by Cable System Operators has been enacted in the State of Maine. Known as the “PEG Non-Discrimination” or “PEG Equal Rights” law, Nondiscriminatory Treatment of PEG Access Channels, it carries out five major actions:
Cable Services Providers must carry local PEG stations on all basic subscriber tiers and packages
Cable Service Providers cannot downgrade signal quality if PEG stations are sending an HD signal.
No ‘slamming.’ Local PEG stations must be placed in the same numerical range with other local network affiliate stations.
Local PEG content/data must receive equal treatment in all electronic program guides and digital menus
PEG organizations must be provided with a direct point of contact to resolve issues related to PEG signal quality.
Could this law be considered in other States? Find out the answers to these issues and more, along with having your own questions answered by our panel of national experts on all matters that could greatly impact the future of access television. Please register for not only this informative session, but all the events planned to keep you and your communities in the know. https://jagconference.com/
Here are some ideas on how you can grow, strengthen, and improve you station operations and overall appearance. They are in no order, so use these as a guide for your station. Do all or do some, but the key to change and growth is to do something.
Use What You Have, and Use It To The Fullest… We are all guilty of this, I know that I am. So, what am I referring to? Just about any product or software you have in your place. You would be surprised at how much they have to offer and how we don’t use this technology to its full potential. What are some examples of this? How can I find solutions? I will give you a couple examples, but take inventory on all your hardware and software, research all they have to offer, then train yourself to use it to its fullest potential. For our purpose I am going to talk about broadcast systems and multi-camera productions. Both of these are important to station productions, operations, and overall appearance.
Broadcast Servers:
Do you know how to schedule series programs?
Do you know how to use squeezbacks?
Do you know how to add “now playing” and “up next” snipe graphics?
Do you run a station logo or bug?
Are you running text crawl messages and incorporating emergency notifications?
Multi-camera Productions:
Do you understand the idea concept of two hand switching?
Do you know how to use M/E?
Are you doing live graphics?
Do you know how to create virtual sets and chromakey?
Do you know how to roll in video clips?
Do you know how to bring in sources over the network, across the web and other sources?
Learn all the above and more. But how you ask? Come to the JAG conference on Thursday, May 18th and attend special user group sessions by TelVue and Newtek. Learn to get the most out of the equipment you already own or are looking to get. Register now for this year’s event at www.jagconference.com
Cable, live streaming on social media, and cord cutters…serve them all. The time has come to serve everyone in your community, whether they have cable or not. Gone are the days in which cable was the only way to see your station. As the viewing habits of the residents in your community change, so must you change in order to reach them. But how do you reach them? What are the benefits of live streaming? Is there a way to reach the cord cutters? Apple TV, ROKU and Amazon Fire… they are not just for Netflix. Learn how you can get your channel on these platforms and more. Attend special workshops geared for this very topic. Meet with vendors with the knowledge and ability to show you an affordable way to get your station broadcasting on platforms you never thought were possible. Where? Come to the JAG conference on Thursday, May 18th at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, NJ. Learn how to get access to affordable streaming equipment, have your channel on OTT platforms and a lot more. Register now for this year’s event at www.jagconference.com
Know what the future of PEG could hold, and know what you are entitled to now… One of the biggest ways to be successful in our industry is to understand the laws the govern our industry and what you should be advocating for. Over the years JAG has fought hard to get your station access to training and equipment. JAG also made it possible for you to have a high-definition channel. But do you know how to go about getting these? Wouldn’t you like to learn what stations around New Jersey and the country are getting in their local franchise negotiations? Knowledge is power, which becomes an advantageous ally when dealing with cable companies during your franchise renewal. I am sure you don’t have time to sit and track state and federal legislation the pertains to PEG-TV, broadband and more on a regular basis. If you are looking for an easy explanation of all the above, in a clear, concise way for you to understand and bring back to your cable board or local government, then you need to attend the annual JAG Conference on Thursday, May 18th. Learn current legislation, FCC rules and proposed legislation in special topics and a Keynote Lunch during the JAG Conference in Edison, NJ. Register now for this year’s event at www.jagconference.com
VHS Tapes, File Based Broadcast Servers, Closed Captioning and AI… We have watched our industry change over the years, but what is in store next? Are you contemplating the addition of closed captioning to your station? What is the best approach? Should you have an on-site unit or a cloud-based subscription? What about remote video transmission, is there an affordable solution out there? Can you harness the power of the internet and cellular data to transmit live video? How about AI technology? More and more we are hearing about the use of AI and what it means to our industry. There is so much new technology out there and the announcement of more coming off the heels of the NAB Tradeshow, how can you keep up with it all? You can get caught up with some of the latest and greatest right here in New Jersey at JAG’s annual conference. Mark your calendar now and click the registration link: www.jagconference.com and set yourself up to be in the know. Join us on Thursday, May 18th for a one-day event that will surely enhance your knowledge and ability to successfully operate your station.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much going on throughout the day at the JAG Conference. Plus, there will be ample time for networking with others in our industry and vendors from around the country. This event is designed specifically for those in the PEG community. It is our chance to get together, discuss topics that pertain to our industry, learn the latest and interact with each other. There is no doubt this is the one event each year you do not want to miss. The time is now to register for JAG’s Conference 2023 on Thursday, May 18th in Edison, NJ. Don’t wait, register now!!!
By Ed Salvas, Secretary. Asbury Park Cable TV Advisory Committee
January 2023 marked the start of the eleventh year of operation for Asbury Park TV, known as APTV. Seen on Optimum channels 77 and 116 and on Verizon FiOS on channels 28 and 30, APTV is programmed around the clock with the usual Public Access programs: City Council, and Board of Education meetings, as well as the Planning and Zoning Boards. APTV can also be seen on streaming services Roku and Apple TV, YouTube and online at www.AsburyParkTV.com.
This year, we’re looking forward to two important milestones – opening our new studio and turning on our APTV “Beach Cam” on the famous Asbury Park Boardwalk. In March of 2020, Nate McCallister was hired as APTV’s Station Manager. He calls the studio an “alternative work space” that for years had been a storage room next to the Council Chambers and will be convenient for interviews following the twice monthly Council meetings and numerous other meetings and city events that take place in the Chambers.
We anticipate the Beach Cam to be on before summer. Positioned on a light pole near the south end of the boardwalk, it will also be helpful to the city beach management to keep an eye on the beach and boardwalk crowds and surf conditions. The Beach cam will be added to the second channels, Optimum 116 and FiOS 30 along with the latest weather information and Public Service announcements. The major programming schedule on APTV is available on the main channels.
APTV operates as part of the City of Asbury Park’s Department of Communications with a seven-member Advisory Committee which reviews and selects programs, follows news and trends in the PEG world, and stays up to date as a member of JAG from Day One. In addition, we’re responsible for several “Electronic Billboards” located around the city with the “Welcome to Asbury Park” greeting and a rundown of announcements of coming events and other public service messages.
At APTV we believe we have a good mix of programs that meet the criteria for the true meaning of a PEG channel – “Public, Educational and Government.” Since the beginning in 2012 we have aired meetings of the Asbury Park City Council, Planning and Zoning Boards, and the Board of Education. The Board of Ed. meetings are taped by them and delivered to us. Since Asbury Park is experiencing significant redevelopment, the Planning Board meetings often have an overflow attendance as well as strong viewership on-demand.
Thanks to Verizon FiOS and the internet, we can be seen beyond Asbury Park and have been carrying meetings of the Deal Lake Commission, the group that oversees the lake, a large body of water that flows from the Ocean through seven towns in Monmouth County. Deal Lake was named the “Third Most Beautiful Lake in New Jersey” by a national travel magazine in 2022.
Also on the APTV schedule is “Monmouth in Focus,” a production of the County Commissioners and “Aging Insights” from the N.J. Advocates for Aging Well. Among our own original productions is a quarterly interview with Mayor John Moor talking about current city issues and a weekend weather forecast and Podcast produced by Muata Greene, which earned him one of the five JAG Awards won by APTV last year. APTV also carries two national programs each evening, “Sidewalks Entertainment,” a celebrity interview and music program from San Francisco, and “Democracy Now,” an independent News program.
The APTV Advisory Committee meets at the Historic Stephen Crane House, built in the late 1800’S and the home of the famed writer during his teenage years. With the Asbury Park Historical Society, APTV has produced a documentary about the life of Stephen Carne which debuted on the station In December, 2022.
Take a moment to think about what you were doing in 2000. Think about where your channel was, from technology to creative to your relationships with your cable provider.
So much has changed in the local access space since JAG held their first conference back in 2000. In just 21 years we went from shooting videos on VHS or S-VHS, or if you were lucky Mini DV, to now when everything is digital on SD Cards and hard drives. And you know who kept you up to date on the latest tech? JAG! From their first conference to our 19th edition, the JAG Conference is the best place to get the latest hardware updates, the freshest gear, and collaborating on ideas with your fellow colleagues from other stations around New Jersey. This year’s conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Edison on May 18th from 8am-11pm. Conference workshops are being held one at a time so no need to decide which one to attend. Attend them all! And if you get hungry, we have you covered from breakfast to our Keynote Lunch and the JAG Banquet.
SPONSORS
TelVue Corporation is an Organizational Member of Jag and once again our Diamond Sponsor! I am sure everyone knows Jesse, Denise, and Mark from the great staff of TelVue. And if not, then this is the perfect place to come and meet them! From your bulletin board to playout solutions, they have something for everyone! Come join us at 8am for breakfast with President and C.E.O. Jesse Lerman at the TelVue User Group Breakfast for a great meet and greet opportunity! TelVue will also sponsor a workshop on Social Media that will be moderated by Jesse.
Varto Technologies is also a very valued member of the JAG Community, organizational member of JAG, and a Platinum Sponsor! Varto and Yervant Keshishian are huge supporters of JAG and the mission local access stations have in the State of New Jersey! Join Varto Technologies at 9am for a User Group Breakfast, and that afternoon Varto will be sponsoring a workshop on New Technology Tools that you do not want to miss! LiveU will be one of the panelists talking about product updates that will be released at NAB.
Cologna Productions joins this year’s list of sponsors as a Sapphire sponsor making it possible for the entertainment at the banquet. Cologna Production operates a number of stations all of which are members of JAG.
DeSisti Lighting is a long time organizational member and conference supporter. DeSisti is a Silver sponsor and will be sponsoring the Networking Break and a workshop demonstrating ways to light a remote interview using a bag of tricks. DeSisti sale manager Paul DiStefano has been at every one of JAG’s Conferences since they began in 2000.
JAG is grateful for the generous support of our sponsors in making it possible to provide this conference and continue its work in New Jersey. They will all be exhibiting and we hope you will take the time to visit and thank them.
Last but certainly not least the conference wraps up with the JAG Awards. Please stay and cheer on colleagues from local access stations across the state! There are many new categories this year to win, and many stations will go home with some nice trophies!
So, to get in on all this fun you need to go to our new website www.jagconference.com. There you will be able to see our schedule, list of exhibitors and hotel directions and accommodations. Thinking of spending the night then make sure you use our special discount code JAA when you are booking your room.
This year the cost of the Conference and the JAG Banquet is $160 per person for JAG members. Your admission includes breakfast, keynote lunch, networking beverage breaks, the Cocktail Party, the Buffet Dinner and the JAG Awards. JAG is a vital resource for your local access station, has been since 2000, and will continue to be for many years to come!
Sad news came out recently, when Gigi Sohn, a longtime public interest advocate and former Democratic FCC official, withdrew her nomination to the FCC. She said her decision to pull out follows “unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks” made by cable and media industry lobbyists. This announcement is seen as a huge defeat for consumer advocates, who had rallied behind her.
The Biden administration has a very ambitious broadband agenda that has been up in the air for more than two years, amid a 2-2 stalemate at the FCC. Sohn was first nominated by the White House in October 2021, and had the support of many consumer advocate groups.
Sohn’s withdrawal statement was direct and to the point:
“Last night after discussions with my family and careful consideration, I made the decision to ask President Biden to withdraw my nomination to the Federal Communications Commission. When I accepted his nomination over sixteen months ago, I could not have imagined that legions of cable and media industry lobbyists, their bought-and-paid-for surrogates, and dark money political groups with bottomless pockets would distort my over 30-year history as a consumer advocate into an absurd caricature of blatant lies. The unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks on my character and my career as an advocate for the public interest have taken an enormous toll on me and my family.
Unfortunately, the American people are the real losers here. The FCC deadlock, now over two years long, will remain so for a long time. As someone who has advocated for my entire career for affordable, accessible broadband for every American, it is ironic that the 2-2 FCC will remain sidelined at the most consequential opportunity for broadband in our lifetimes. This means that your broadband will be more expensive for lack of competition, minority and underrepresented voices will be marginalized, and your private information will continue to be used and sold at the whim of your broadband provider. It means that the FCC will not have a majority to adopt strong rules which ensure that everyone has nondiscriminatory access to broadband, regardless of who they are or where they live, and that low income students will continue to be forced to do their school work sitting outside of Taco Bell because universal service funds can’t be used for broadband in their homes. And it means that many rural Americans will continue the long wait for broadband because the FCC can’t fix its Universal Service programs.
It is a sad day for our country and our democracy when dominant industries, with assistance from unlimited dark money, get to choose their regulators. And with the help of their friends in the Senate, the powerful cable and media companies have done just that.
I want to thank President Biden for his faith in me and for my champions in the Senate who defended me at every turn. I especially want to thank the dozens of people who volunteered their time and energy to help me through this process, as well as the over 400 organizations, companies and trade associations, and hundreds of thousands of individuals who registered their support with the Senate. I will forever be grateful for their efforts on my behalf.
I hope the President swiftly nominates an individual who puts the American people first over all other interests. The country deserves nothing less.”
So, after a 16-month ordeal and 3 intense Senate confirmation hearings, what happens next? A new nominee will have to be found with another lengthy and grueling confirmation period to follow. And any policy changes at the FCC will continue to be delayed.
Protecting Community Television ActReintroduced in Both Sides of Congress
The Identical “Protecting Community Television Act” bills, S.340, sponsored by Senator Edward Markey, & H.R.907, sponsored by Representative Anna Eshoo, have been reintroduced in Congress.
These bills would reverse the regulations made by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and ensure that public, educational, and government (PEG) channels have the assets they need to keep producing content for their viewers.
There are already many members of Congress who have already co-sponsored both bills. We ask that all of you to reach out and ask our Federal Legislators to support the Protecting Community Television Acts. It falls on all of us in New Jersey to do our part to see that our Senators and Representatives are ready to re-support them, and lead the way in making sure that every municipality’s voices can continue to be heard by their specific audiences.
By Jesse Lerman, President and CEO, TelVue Corporation
It’s about time: one of the most precious commodities you as station managers and volunteers offer to your organizations. We know how difficult it can be to achieve efficiency in your operations: the performance of work in the right way and getting to the desired result, but with minimal effort, time, and cost.
TelVue Corporation has always been focused on the latest innovations to help you, the valued JAG member stations, save not only time and money, but to develop and improve system features that will help expand your viewership and increase accessibility. Cost savings can be achieved by integrating and doing more “all-in-one”. Time savings through enhanced, modern automation. Time to work smarter, not harder; time for ready, set, integrated & automate!
TelVue is excited to share with JAG our latest HyperCaster integrations and automation including:
HyperCaster integrated multistreaming to social media, saving cost on expensive restreaming services.
HyperCaster integrated trim & cut editing, saving time cutting out executive sessions from a meeting, and other quick edits.
New ultra-affordable entry level HyperCaster AIO-B100-2+ all-in-one supporting these integrations, saving cost for single channel operations.
New ultra-scalable top-of-the-line HyperCaster AIO-B2000-12X+ all-in-one supporting these integrations, saving cost for multiple channels with up to 20 total playout & encodes!
Integrated live captioning with translation for dual language live captioning such as English and Spanish simultaneously, for affordably making your programming more accessible.
HyperCaster automatic social media streaming rules, saving time delivering specific programming to multiple live social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.
The new streaming rules feature expands on the existing time-saving, rules-based automation in HyperCaster that also includes:
Scheduling Rules – fully automate scheduling episodic programs, live events, records, and replays to save a ton of time scheduling.
Overlay Rules – fully automate graphic overlays for channel branding, program announcements, clocks, info tickers, sponsorship, and more.
Content Workflow Rules – fully automate publishing for VOD to your website and your very own mobile and OTT apps (iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV), sharing to the JAG server & Media Exchange, and archiving to networked storage and Archive.org. Reaching more viewers on new platforms opens up opportunities for revenue generation, including sponsorship, membership, pay-per-view, pay-per-download, and subscription models.
Captioning Rules – fully automate which live events and pre-recorded programs are automatically captioned withTelVue SmartCaption™, with no additional hardware required, and now with optional translation to a second language. Captioning your programming delivers even more value to your diverse communities, and also makes your government meetings fully searchable.
Our upcoming HyperCaster & CloudCast releases will additionally include:
Integrated Community Bulletin Board option to easily fill program gaps with images, videos, program guides, and background audio right from the HyperCaster.
Redesigned, mobile-friendly scheduling pages to save time scheduling from mobile devices.
Enhanced user access control and roles to distribute workloads more easily and securely.
Full-view agenda/documents and channel schedules in the CloudCast video player alongside the playing video.
Integrated, enhanced CloudCast viewer analytics dashboards & reports so you can measure your viewership and gain more insight into your audience.
The broadcast future is already here, so ready, set, integrate & automate! We hope to see you at the March JAG meeting. We’ll review all the newest and upcoming features across our products and share our roadmap. We look forward to hearing from you how we can continue to make modern broadcasting even easier, and help you save time, expand your audience, increase accessibility, and generate new sources of revenue.
Posted: May 9, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Increasing Broadband Service in Your Community
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Warning, it is all around you! There is nowhere to hide from it! And it is on its way to the 2023 JAG Conference.
It’s the B-word! BROADBAND!!!
Yes, It Is Everywhere, Be Prepared! or Be Left Out!
In 2021, the federal government passed the American Infrastructure Act which approved billions of dollars to improve broadband deployment throughout the country. That money will flow from the Federal Government and be distributed by each state in a major goal to build-out broadband everywhere, including in the rural areas.
On May 18th, during the JAG Conference Keynote Luncheon, we explore the ways all municipalities can access the money, and what to do with it once it arrives at the local level. Our panel of experts, Robert Boyle, CEO Planet Networks; , Marilyn Davis, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Altice Mike Wassenaar, President of the ACM; and Mike Lynch, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Director for NATOA, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, will guide you on a successful path to help you acquire a piece of this funding for your community.
For any of you who are thinking about what chance your municipality has at obtaining some of this funding, your chances are pretty good. Congress has made broadband a major priority and wants everybody in the US to have it. To make this agenda come to fruition, the House’s Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing this past April 19th, entitled “Breaking Barriers: Streamlining Permitting to Expedite Broadband Deployment.”
According to the Committee’s Majority Staff Memo, https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF16/20230419/115750/HHRG-118-IF16-20230419-SD094.pdf the hearing took up more than 30 additional bills aimed at what are described as the ‘Federal Barriers’, ’State and Local Government Obstacles’, as well as, ‘Pole Attachments (Access to Poles)’ to help streamline these regulations. This is essential in order to encourage and expedite the broadband infrastructure deployment throughout the United States.
A set of questions was posed for these hearings included:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce even wrote an article highlighting what Congress must do to take action in order to accelerate the process for ensuring all Americas have access to the latest innovations in connectivity. https://www.uschamber.com/technology/broadband/4-actions-congress-must-take-to-accelerate-access-and-adoption-of-smart-broadband-programs.
These 4 Actions are:
If this wasn’t a lot to digest, *The Community Broadband Act of 2023* was reintroduced on both sides of the Capital. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker sponsored S.1197, while Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) sponsored H.R.2552.
This legislation will empower local governments to ensure their residents have equitable broadband access by removing roadblocks for public-private partnerships and locally-owned broadband providers. It will also improve internet and broadband access across the country by removing roadblocks prohibiting local communities from building their own broadband networks.
These Acts have been endorsed by NATOA.
Confusing? Maybe a little. But, as you have read, Congress is investing heavily in order to bring broadband to all Americans. It’s just
amatter of how to go about it correctly and spend the money wisely. Please join us on May 18th, at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, NJ, www.jagconference.com. Find out where you can secure the funds to 100% connect your community and prepare everyone for the future of Broadband.Posted: April 26, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Spotlight Bloomfield:Rebuilding For Now and The Future But Recognizing The Past
By Bob Duthaler, Station Manager, Bloomfield
And So It Began… WBMA-TV (Channel 35) in Bloomfield, NJ has been in operation for over 45 years, making it one of the oldest municipal channels on Comcast. Its purpose was and still is to inform the Bloomfield Community of events happening throughout the township, while supporting open government through the playback of meetings on the cable channel. It started out like many stations across the state have, in a small space, a bunch of VHS players and a graphics system. Over the years the space in which the station operated grew larger, but much of the equipment stayed the same. VHS players, mixed with SVHS with shows being recorded on mini-dv, were the flavor through the early 2000s. Unfortunately, due to the death of the station manager, and a couple of short-term interim managers, the station was starting to fall by the wayside. Thankfully, a new board member who was experienced professionally in the industry, kept the station on life support, convincing the Township of Bloomfield and the Cable Advisory Board that the station needed to change both the way it operated and the technology at hand.
Timing Is Everything… Just like the timing was right for the station to change, so would the timing for its current Executive Director, Bob Duthaler to step in. Brought in by the Cable Advisory Council liaison and Board President in 2007, Duthaler hit the ground running. Fortunately, he had the support of the Township Council and Cable Advisory Board behind him. The station quickly converted from analog playout to a Telvue digital broadcast server and bulletin board system. Doing away with the racks of SVHS and VHS players, the station started down a new road. New edit systems, new studio cameras and file-based recorders all became the new norm for WBMA-TV. Within the next few years more township events were being covered, in addition to council, board of ed, planning and zoning meetings. The station soon began its own series of shows including Bloomfield Buzz TV, Saturday Night at the Movies, To Your Health Bloomfield and WBMA-TV Sports Coverage. Within a few short years, the station now had an operational studio, ENG cameras for remote events and the ability to do live events. They even pulled off an 8-hour live Harvest Fest Coverage with an outside studio for interviews, live music coverage and remote live “man on the street” interviews using microwave transmission. Duthaler will be quick to tell you that coverage of this event was possible due to all the Cable Advisory Board members pitching in as volunteers, along with several JAG members who also volunteered to help him as well.
Leap Forward… Skip ahead ten plus years and WBMA-TV remained strong in its operation, covering more township events than ever. There is a regular programming schedule, and the station continues to be a community fixture. WBMA-TV now includes an online presence with live streaming of the station on the township website, its own video on demand player with access to years of programming, along with now operating two channels on Comcast and three on Verizon. Operationally, WBMA-TV adapted to the changes over the years. “As volunteers started to become far and few between, we needed to start hiring freelancers to keep up with the coverage of events for which we were requested” said Duthaler. He continued to say, “The industry is always changing, and we learned to keep up with and adapt as necessary to that change. This is what has helped us remain a successful station. JAG has also played an important role in that as well, giving us access to vendors, equipment and conference workshops that teach us and help us grow.”
Who Knew It Was Coming… Then in 2018, WBMA-TV had developed a strong relationship with the Township’s IT Director along with continued support from the Mayor and Council and would begin to start its next phase of growth and expansion. The station took over the operation of the educational channel as well on both Comcast and Verizon. Soon, both Comcast and Verizon would run new fiber to the WBMA-TV studios in addition to placing digital encoders to receive the stations broadcast signal. WBMA-TV finally removed the last remaining analog component to its operation and became all digital in its broadcast. It would also be through the local franchise negotiations with Comcast, that Bloomfield had put in place for its future the running of fiber between the municipal building and the civic center, in which WBMA-TV was located. The plan was now to setup PTZ cameras and Dante Audio systems at the municipalities’ Council Chambers to send them back to the station control room via a network connection to produce meetings from the WBMA-TV studios. In addition to that project getting underway, the station also purchased a used video production truck from the negotiated franchise funds and was starting to create its own mobile production vehicle. Things were about to get underway with both projects, then the calendar read March 2020!
Lockdown, reinvention, LIVE… It all changed that second week in March, when we all got the word that everything was shutting down because of COVID-19. Fortunately for WBMA-TV, we had everything in place for operating the station remotely. Thankfully because of vendors associated with JAG like Telvue and Varto Technologies, we could already operate the station remotely, handling station programming, bulletin board updates, program insertion and more from remote locations. What WBMA-TV was now being challenged to do, how do we cover all meetings from remote locations, some in a hybrid situation and broadcast them live and on-air and social media. Thankfully, through the support of LiveU and their PEG bundling equipment and pricing we found that solution. So, with lots of COVID testing, masks, social distancing, a large monitor with Zoom, and our camera equipped with a LiveU 300 unit, we started out in uncharted waters of live, remote tv coverage from Conference Rooms at town hall, Media Centers at the HS Library or in large rooms with everyone spread out, we embarked on a new adventure that has changed our operations even today. We were now the Live Channel! We also ran daily live press conferences from the governor, health updates from township officials and regular updates from the mayor as well.
It Took Longer, but it’s here… COVID brought about changes in both the truck project and remote meeting coverage system. A new Tricaster TC-2 Elite was purchased during covid to replace the TC-1 in which we were about to install in the studio control room. The new unit allowed us to incorporate Zoom meeting directly into the switcher allowing for individuals to brought up on air as single shot. The TC-1 which was slated for the studio, now was put in to the truck, which started a yearlong build out of the vehicle (COVID and Supply Chain- not a winning combination). In addition, we continued the long road of battling COVID, lockdowns and mask wearing to build out the council chambers with PTZ cameras, incorporating Dante for audio and sending it across a fiber network from town hall to the studio control room about a mile away (as the fiber goes). It wasn’t long before we started doing all Zoom meetings in our control room, which allowed us better broadcasting quality, individual shot selections, presentation pull-ups and more, while broadcasting live on-air, streaming on the website and social media. We eventually came back in person for council and a zoom portion for public input. Hybrid meeting coverage was well underway. We also were rolling out OTT capabilities during this period. We launched our own Apple TV, ROKU, and Amazon Fire Channels. This now allowed cord cutters to be kept in the loop as well during the pandemic. Change was coming hard and fast (as fast as you can go during a pandemic) and the station was once again evolving. The Mayor, Council and Community all put their trust in the station to keep the community informed and involved during the pandemic, and WBMA-TV came through with flying colors.
New Era Underway… July 4th, 2022, WBMA-TV began its first remote production with its new vehicle. Coverage of Bloomfield’s annual July 4th Concert and Fireworks kicked off a new chapter for WBMA-TV. The new production truck would continue to cover summer concerts, parades and more, both live and live to tape (or hard drive). The Studio control room is fully operational for remote, live meeting coverage – in which live is the new norm now. The video production truck now has a replay system installed for future sports coverage and is working on getting its own power source for locations where two 30amp circuits are not setup to accommodate the vehicle. WBMA-TV also added its first high-definition channel on cable, with the new Verizon 2137 Channel. WBMA-TV is also working on creating an iOS and Android app, to make the station available on phones, computers, and tablets. The next phase in the evolution of the once Channel 35 is underway, again! Feel free to reach out to Bob Duthaler at WBMA-TV and have a look at the station’s operations, studio and production truck. Fun Fact: Channel 35 as it was known for years, as being on channel location 35 on Comcast, is called WBMA-TV. What does WBMA-TV mean? Watch Bloomfield Municipal Access TV. You can see the station’s website at www.wbmatv.com
Posted: April 26, 2023 by Doug Seidel
More Components Added to The Conference
By Don Smith, Vice Chair, Conference Committee
From the first conference to our 19th edition, the JAG Conference is the best place to get the latest hardware updates the freshest gear, and collaborate with your fellow colleagues from other stations around New Jersey. This year’s conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Edison on May 18th from 9am-11pm.
We are only a month away from the JAG Conference!
Conference Updates
TelVue Users Group: Ultra-affordable All-in-One Playout, Integrated Streaming, Editing, and CBB, Live Caption Translation, New Viewer Analytics, and more!
Showcasing the latest and greatest from TelVue including a peek into our broadcast products roadmap…all with the purpose of streamlining your workflow, saving you time, expanding your audience, increasing accessibility, and unlocking new sources of revenue. Demos & topics will include: New, ultra-affordable & scalable HyperCaster AIO+ All-in-One playout models; HyperCaster integrated CBB, editing, and streaming; HyperCaster automatic social media multistreaming, no expensive restreaming services required; Redesigned, mobile-friendly scheduling pages to streamline scheduling from anywhere; Enhanced user access control & roles to more easily and securely distribute workloads; Affordable, accurate live captioning with live translation to a second language; Making your government meeting videos fully searchable with Caption Transcript Search; New, built-in viewer analytics to gain more insights into your streaming, mobile & OTT audiences; CloudCast player integrated full-view agenda/documents and channel schedules. Bring questions, feedback, feature requests. Great for existing users looking to get the most out of their TelVue systems, and prospects looking to upgrade from unsupported and cumbersome platforms, or insecure windows playout systems.
A huge thanks to TelVue for being our Diamond Sponsor.
TriCaster & NDI User Group: NAB Highlights & Interactive Forum
Discover the latest TriCaster and NDI advancements at our JAG Conference User Group session, where we’ll kick off with an overview of the groundbreaking updates from the NAB Show in Las Vegas. Learn about innovative features such as HTML 5 Cloud Graphics and how they can revolutionize your live productions. Following this brief presentation, the session will transition into an interactive forum for both new and experienced TriCaster users. Participants can ask questions, discuss workflows, and learn from each other’s experiences, with our presenter offering demonstrations and insights into real-life workflow scenarios. This engaging session provides an opportunity to connect with industry peers, share best practices, and stay ahead of the curve in live video production. Moderator: Yervant Keshishian, Sales Engineer, Authorized Trainer & Technical Director, Varto Technologies. Varto Technologies is a Titanium Sponsor and will sponsor the JAG Banquet.
There will be a number of workshops throughout the day and details can be found at www.jagconference.com . Planet Networks is a Titanium Sponsor and will be sponsoring the Keynote Lunch.
Banquet Entertainment
Returning to JAG’s conference is Simon Mandel, sponsored by Cologna Productions. Simon Mandal started out as a kid reading books at the library, and watching beginner magic VHS tapes. He knew by the time he was ten that he wanted to be either a magician or a comedy writer. After high school, he studied Acting/Drama at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, and at The William Esper Studio. Those years weren’t dedicated to magic head on, but he studied comedy in depth, and it helped his show a lot. Simon went full time in the early 2,000’s, and has been developing his own magic ever since. Simon Mandal is one of the most in demand illusionists in the world today. Mandal combines incredible feats of skill with hilarious interactive routines that bring the house down, and be prepared to become part of the show. Simon will be looking for help from the audience to join him on stage.
Separate banquet tickets are on sale. Order now. This event will sell out.
The conference wraps up with the JAG Banquet and the JAG Awards. Please stay and cheer on colleagues from local access stations across the state! There are many new categories this year to win, and many stations will go home with some nice trophies. This year the cost of the Conference, including the JAG Banquet is $160 per person for JAG members. Your admission includes the User Group Breakfast, vendor exhibits, a number of workshops, keynote lunch, admission to the cocktail party, the banquet and the JAG Awards. Details can be found at www.jagconference.com
Posted: April 26, 2023 by Doug Seidel
A Visit to the Hill: Protecting Community Television Act
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Last month I joined the ACM as we visited our esteemed Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill in an effort to garner co-sponsorship for the” Protecting Community Television Act”.
The Identical bills, S 340, Authored by Senator Edward Markey (MA) and Tammy Baldwin (WI), & HR 907, Authored by Representative Anna Eshoo (CA), were reintroduced in Congress on February 9th of this year. It was our intention to make sure to inform as many members of Congress as possible about these bills.
Being the sole spokesperson for New Jersey, by representing the Jersey Access Group, and never having experienced what I was about to encounter, I had a steep learning curve to navigate.
Fortunately for me, ACM President Mike Wassenaar had already planned two very interesting meetings for me with the Legislative Assistants to Senator Cory Booker and Representative Mikie Sherrill. Both seemed very interested in what was told to them regarding the effect of the 2019 FCC ruling upon community television, why these Acts came to be, and why we need their support by co-sponsoring them. I even had the pleasure of having Mike join me for the meeting at Senator Booker’s office.
As for the rest of the members from New Jersey, their offices were easy to find and they had open door policies, so I was able to talk to their office staff and to leave information for their Legislative Director/Assistants. And yes, I managed to visit all of our Federal Legislators.
The main message communicated to each office or staff member was quite simple, and it is the crux of why the Protecting Community Television Act is needed. PEG/Access Television is in jeopardy!
From The ACM:
In 2019, The FCC Franchise Fee Order redefined the federal Cable Act’s 5% franchise fee cap to include the value of most non-monetary franchise obligations as franchise fees. This change allows cable companies to reduce what they pay for the use of public property and rights-of-way. The Protecting Community Television Act (S 340/HR 907) corrects this error by clarifying franchise fees are only monetary.
The Cable Act protects the rights of a local community to charge cable companies a five (5%) percent franchise fee and to meet community needs and interests, such as providing public, educational and governmental channel capacity. Contrary to industry practices that date to the 1980s, the FCC’s actions could result in reducing cable operators’ monetary compensation to towns and municipalities that wish to communicate with residents through community television. The FCC Order could force communities to choose between franchise fees or communicating with residents through community media that provide Americans with local (transparent) civic, public safety and public health content.
The Protecting Community Television Act (S 340/HR 907) clarifies that only monetary payments, not non-monetary franchise obligations, qualify as Cable Act franchise fees and are subject to a fee cap. Without it, a cable operator could create fees to drain away municipal revenues and pressure municipalities to give up or de-staff channels.
When the Protecting Community Television Act, was introduced during the 2021-2022 Congressional Session, Representatives Donald Payne (10th District) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (12th District), led the charge by co-sponsoring it at that time. The hope this time is that we can get all of our members of Congress to support them and the local content that our communities need and deserve.
With all this fresh in your minds, this also happens to be one of our main topics at this year’s legislative workshop at the JAG Conference.
News from Capitol Hill and Around the Country,
and What it Means to the New Jersey PEG/Access Stations
The Jersey Access Group will present a workshop at 10AM on May 18th at the Crown Plaza in Edison, NJ as part of its annual conference.
Our featured panelists will be Mike Wassenaar, President of the ACM, and Mike Lynch, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Director for NATOA, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
Do you know what is going on in the Halls of Congress or even in the individual States, including right here in New Jersey, that could affect how you are able to do business as usual at your local municipality and PEG stations?
There are many issues that will be talked about during this very informative conversation.
New Jersey Current Mobile Broadband Map
New Jersey Current Fixed Broadband Map
Could this law be considered in other States? Find out the answers to these issues and more, along with having your own questions answered by our panel of national experts on all matters that could greatly impact the future of access television. Please register for not only this informative session, but all the events planned to keep you and your communities in the know. https://jagconference.com/
Posted: March 15, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Spotlight Asbury Park: A Year of Two Milestones
By Ed Salvas, Secretary. Asbury Park Cable TV Advisory Committee
January 2023 marked the start of the eleventh year of operation for Asbury Park TV, known as APTV. Seen on Optimum channels 77 and 116 and on Verizon FiOS on channels 28 and 30, APTV is programmed around the clock with the usual Public Access programs: City Council, and Board of Education meetings, as well as the Planning and Zoning Boards. APTV can also be seen on streaming services Roku and Apple TV, YouTube and online at www.AsburyParkTV.com.
This year, we’re looking forward to two important milestones – opening our new studio and turning on our APTV “Beach Cam” on the famous Asbury Park Boardwalk. In March of 2020, Nate McCallister was hired as APTV’s Station Manager. He calls the studio an “alternative work space” that for years had been a storage room next to the Council Chambers and will be convenient for interviews following the twice monthly Council meetings and numerous other meetings and city events that take place in the Chambers.
We anticipate the Beach Cam to be on before summer. Positioned on a light pole near the south end of the boardwalk, it will also be helpful to the city beach management to keep an eye on the beach and boardwalk crowds and surf conditions. The Beach cam will be added to the second channels, Optimum 116 and FiOS 30 along with the latest weather information and Public Service announcements. The major programming schedule on APTV is available on the main channels.
APTV operates as part of the City of Asbury Park’s Department of Communications with a seven-member Advisory Committee which reviews and selects programs, follows news and trends in the PEG world, and stays up to date as a member of JAG from Day One. In addition, we’re responsible for several “Electronic Billboards” located around the city with the “Welcome to Asbury Park” greeting and a rundown of announcements of coming events and other public service messages.
At APTV we believe we have a good mix of programs that meet the criteria for the true meaning of a PEG channel – “Public, Educational and Government.” Since the beginning in 2012 we have aired meetings of the Asbury Park City Council, Planning and Zoning Boards, and the Board of Education. The Board of Ed. meetings are taped by them and delivered to us. Since Asbury Park is experiencing significant redevelopment, the Planning Board meetings often have an overflow attendance as well as strong viewership on-demand.
Thanks to Verizon FiOS and the internet, we can be seen beyond Asbury Park and have been carrying meetings of the Deal Lake Commission, the group that oversees the lake, a large body of water that flows from the Ocean through seven towns in Monmouth County. Deal Lake was named the “Third Most Beautiful Lake in New Jersey” by a national travel magazine in 2022.
Also on the APTV schedule is “Monmouth in Focus,” a production of the County Commissioners and “Aging Insights” from the N.J. Advocates for Aging Well. Among our own original productions is a quarterly interview with Mayor John Moor talking about current city issues and a weekend weather forecast and Podcast produced by Muata Greene, which earned him one of the five JAG Awards won by APTV last year. APTV also carries two national programs each evening, “Sidewalks Entertainment,” a celebrity interview and music program from San Francisco, and “Democracy Now,” an independent News program.
The APTV Advisory Committee meets at the Historic Stephen Crane House, built in the late 1800’S and the home of the famed writer during his teenage years. With the Asbury Park Historical Society, APTV has produced a documentary about the life of Stephen Carne which debuted on the station In December, 2022.
Posted: March 15, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Sponsors Help Develop The Conference
By Don Smith, Vice Chair, Conference Committee
Take a moment to think about what you were doing in 2000. Think about where your channel was, from technology to creative to your relationships with your cable provider.
So much has changed in the local access space since JAG held their first conference back in 2000. In just 21 years we went from shooting videos on VHS or S-VHS, or if you were lucky Mini DV, to now when everything is digital on SD Cards and hard drives. And you know who kept you up to date on the latest tech? JAG! From their first conference to our 19th edition, the JAG Conference is the best place to get the latest hardware updates, the freshest gear, and collaborating on ideas with your fellow colleagues from other stations around New Jersey. This year’s conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Edison on May 18th from 8am-11pm. Conference workshops are being held one at a time so no need to decide which one to attend. Attend them all! And if you get hungry, we have you covered from breakfast to our Keynote Lunch and the JAG Banquet.
SPONSORS
TelVue Corporation is an Organizational Member of Jag and once again our Diamond Sponsor! I am sure everyone knows Jesse, Denise, and Mark from the great staff of TelVue. And if not, then this is the perfect place to come and meet them! From your bulletin board to playout solutions, they have something for everyone! Come join us at 8am for breakfast with President and C.E.O. Jesse Lerman at the TelVue User Group Breakfast for a great meet and greet opportunity! TelVue will also sponsor a workshop on Social Media that will be moderated by Jesse.
Varto Technologies is also a very valued member of the JAG Community, organizational member of JAG, and a Platinum Sponsor! Varto and Yervant Keshishian are huge supporters of JAG and the mission local access stations have in the State of New Jersey! Join Varto Technologies at 9am for a User Group Breakfast, and that afternoon Varto will be sponsoring a workshop on New Technology Tools that you do not want to miss! LiveU will be one of the panelists talking about product updates that will be released at NAB.
Cologna Productions joins this year’s list of sponsors as a Sapphire sponsor making it possible for the entertainment at the banquet. Cologna Production operates a number of stations all of which are members of JAG.
DeSisti Lighting is a long time organizational member and conference supporter. DeSisti is a Silver sponsor and will be sponsoring the Networking Break and a workshop demonstrating ways to light a remote interview using a bag of tricks. DeSisti sale manager Paul DiStefano has been at every one of JAG’s Conferences since they began in 2000.
JAG is grateful for the generous support of our sponsors in making it possible to provide this conference and continue its work in New Jersey. They will all be exhibiting and we hope you will take the time to visit and thank them.
Last but certainly not least the conference wraps up with the JAG Awards. Please stay and cheer on colleagues from local access stations across the state! There are many new categories this year to win, and many stations will go home with some nice trophies!
So, to get in on all this fun you need to go to our new website www.jagconference.com. There you will be able to see our schedule, list of exhibitors and hotel directions and accommodations. Thinking of spending the night then make sure you use our special discount code JAA when you are booking your room.
This year the cost of the Conference and the JAG Banquet is $160 per person for JAG members. Your admission includes breakfast, keynote lunch, networking beverage breaks, the Cocktail Party, the Buffet Dinner and the JAG Awards. JAG is a vital resource for your local access station, has been since 2000, and will continue to be for many years to come!
Posted: March 15, 2023 by Doug Seidel
FCC Nominee Withdraws from Confirmation Proceedings
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Sad news came out recently, when Gigi Sohn, a longtime public interest advocate and former Democratic FCC official, withdrew her nomination to the FCC. She said her decision to pull out follows “unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks” made by cable and media industry lobbyists. This announcement is seen as a huge defeat for consumer advocates, who had rallied behind her.
The Biden administration has a very ambitious broadband agenda that has been up in the air for more than two years, amid a 2-2 stalemate at the FCC. Sohn was first nominated by the White House in October 2021, and had the support of many consumer advocate groups.
Sohn’s withdrawal statement was direct and to the point:
“Last night after discussions with my family and careful consideration, I made the decision to ask President Biden to withdraw my nomination to the Federal Communications Commission. When I accepted his nomination over sixteen months ago, I could not have imagined that legions of cable and media industry lobbyists, their bought-and-paid-for surrogates, and dark money political groups with bottomless pockets would distort my over 30-year history as a consumer advocate into an absurd caricature of blatant lies. The unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks on my character and my career as an advocate for the public interest have taken an enormous toll on me and my family.
Unfortunately, the American people are the real losers here. The FCC deadlock, now over two years long, will remain so for a long time. As someone who has advocated for my entire career for affordable, accessible broadband for every American, it is ironic that the 2-2 FCC will remain sidelined at the most consequential opportunity for broadband in our lifetimes. This means that your broadband will be more expensive for lack of competition, minority and underrepresented voices will be marginalized, and your private information will continue to be used and sold at the whim of your broadband provider. It means that the FCC will not have a majority to adopt strong rules which ensure that everyone has nondiscriminatory access to broadband, regardless of who they are or where they live, and that low income students will continue to be forced to do their school work sitting outside of Taco Bell because universal service funds can’t be used for broadband in their homes. And it means that many rural Americans will continue the long wait for broadband because the FCC can’t fix its Universal Service programs.
It is a sad day for our country and our democracy when dominant industries, with assistance from unlimited dark money, get to choose their regulators. And with the help of their friends in the Senate, the powerful cable and media companies have done just that.
I want to thank President Biden for his faith in me and for my champions in the Senate who defended me at every turn. I especially want to thank the dozens of people who volunteered their time and energy to help me through this process, as well as the over 400 organizations, companies and trade associations, and hundreds of thousands of individuals who registered their support with the Senate. I will forever be grateful for their efforts on my behalf.
I hope the President swiftly nominates an individual who puts the American people first over all other interests. The country deserves nothing less.”
So, after a 16-month ordeal and 3 intense Senate confirmation hearings, what happens next? A new nominee will have to be found with another lengthy and grueling confirmation period to follow. And any policy changes at the FCC will continue to be delayed.
Protecting Community Television Act Reintroduced in Both Sides of Congress
The Identical “Protecting Community Television Act” bills, S.340, sponsored by Senator Edward Markey, & H.R.907, sponsored by Representative Anna Eshoo, have been reintroduced in Congress.
These bills would reverse the regulations made by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and ensure that public, educational, and government (PEG) channels have the assets they need to keep producing content for their viewers.
There are already many members of Congress who have already co-sponsored both bills. We ask that all of you to reach out and ask our Federal Legislators to support the Protecting Community Television Acts. It falls on all of us in New Jersey to do our part to see that our Senators and Representatives are ready to re-support them, and lead the way in making sure that every municipality’s voices can continue to be heard by their specific audiences.
Posted: March 15, 2023 by Doug Seidel
Cost-saving Integrations & Time-saving Automation from TelVue
By Jesse Lerman, President and CEO, TelVue Corporation
It’s about time: one of the most precious commodities you as station managers and volunteers offer to your organizations. We know how difficult it can be to achieve efficiency in your operations: the performance of work in the right way and getting to the desired result, but with minimal effort, time, and cost.
TelVue Corporation has always been focused on the latest innovations to help you, the valued JAG member stations, save not only time and money, but to develop and improve system features that will help expand your viewership and increase accessibility. Cost savings can be achieved by integrating and doing more “all-in-one”. Time savings through enhanced, modern automation. Time to work smarter, not harder; time for ready, set, integrated & automate!
TelVue is excited to share with JAG our latest HyperCaster integrations and automation including:
The new streaming rules feature expands on the existing time-saving, rules-based automation in HyperCaster that also includes:
Our upcoming HyperCaster & CloudCast releases will additionally include:
The broadcast future is already here, so ready, set, integrate & automate! We hope to see you at the March JAG meeting. We’ll review all the newest and upcoming features across our products and share our roadmap. We look forward to hearing from you how we can continue to make modern broadcasting even easier, and help you save time, expand your audience, increase accessibility, and generate new sources of revenue.