Dear Editor:
This is in response to the article “Dead air, why aren’t Hudson towns televising public meetings?” published August 27, 2000. The reporter failed to mention that Jersey City used to have a democratic airwave when the cable company was owned by Cable TV of Jersey City. Citizens had access to the airways and their programs were produced by the cable company.
Two things changed, first Cable TV of Jersey City sold its interest to Comcast and Comcast’s franchise agreement with Jersey City came up for renewal. The franchise gave the city the right to control public airways (Channel 1). The public was given Channel 51 but without the benefit of studio production. Democracy came crashing down. The reporter Earl Morgan coined the term “Bret TV” because only he and his administration had control of Channel 1.
I thoroughly enjoyed the quote, “It’s a far more controlled atmosphere,” by Council President Tom DeGise when he said he preferred the taping of the caucus meetings instead of council meetings.
This is not the first time this council has interfered with public rights. In 1993, the Schundler council reduced public speaking from 10 to five minutes.
The real reason this administration fears public taping of council meeting is due to the fact they fear that the public would catch them lying. As an illustration, I questioned Council President DeGise on his change of heart in giving out tax abatements. I reminded him that before he was elected to office he said he was against tax abatements.
He said that statement was untrue and continued to say that he never attended a council meeting until he was elected. (I heard his statement at a neighborhood meeting, not a council meeting.)
Then former Mayor Cucci told Council President DeGise that my statement was correct because DeGise yelled at him about tax abatements.
The public deserves to see their elected officials taped at council meetings.
Yvonne Balcer