Plainsboro Township Committee recently approved programming rules for a new Government and Education Channel, and created a new Cable TV Advisory Committee to oversee the management of the channel. ##M:[more]##
Now the township is looking for two residents to serve on this new cable committee.
“We’re looking for residents who can volunteer their time and expertise to support setting up and running our channel,” says Michael Weaver, the township committee member responsible for negotiating the channel with Comcast. “We know we have residents with experience and ideas who could help us.”
The idea for the new Government and Education Channel was proposed while Plainsboro was renegotiating its franchise agreement with Comcast Cable two years ago. Weaver worked with Comcast to have Channel 3 set aside as a permanent, full-time channel assigned to the township and dedicated to governmental and educational programming. He negotiated with the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District and West Windsor officials creating an Interlocal Agreement that would offer the use of channel time during the day to the school in exchange for the use of television facilities at the WWP High Schools.
Plainsboro received a $100,”000 technology grant from Comcast as part of the franchise agreement, of which $75,”000 was given to the District to upgrade its current facilities. The Township will also contribute half the salary for a new station manager, to be paid for by the franchise fees received each year from Comcast. Plainsboro’s new Governmental/Educational Channel is being set up and will be managed by the school district.
Residents interested in volunteering for the committee should fill out a volunteer application form (available from the Clerk’s office or on the Township website at www.plainsboronj.com), and include a resume or other information relevant to experience in media or production. Members will officially be appointed in January.
