Public Comments 04-11-2017 High 5 Access MediaFrom: Political2 <Political2@businessbriefs.net>
Date: April 10, 2017 at 9:29:29 AM MDT
To: Jennie Fancher <JFancher a,avon.org_>
Subject: 170410 - Michael Cacioppo to Mayor Jennie Fancher - public access television
request
Dear Mayor Fancher,
As the father of Public Access Television in Eagle County, and possibly the world, I write to
express my concerns about the current sad state of affairs with Channel 5's local public access
television station, High 5 Access Media.
First and foremost is their disrespect of the truth about how local public access television began
in Eagle County. Last year, High 5 Access Media held an event at Agave to incorrectly tell the
viewers that local public access began in 1983. It did not. It began in 1977, only after I asked
nicely 3 times over 3 months, that the Vail Town Council obtain the camera equipment and 4
cable television channels that was then allowed, and only after I threatened the Vail Town
Council with a lawsuit in the 4th month, if they did not enforce their cable television contract
allowing for public access television to begin. The Vail Council finally capitulated after one
councilman stated, "We don't want those cameras in these chamber!" I replied, "Of course you
don't ..., you want to continue running government in a vacuum. Those days are over!"
After I successfully got the Vail Council to enforce the contract, the Town of Avon later was
involved with local public access television station.
After being invited to attend the Agave event and pay for my own lunch at the event, I informed
High 5 Access Media producer Holly Trickel of her error, after she went live on television
stating incorrectly that local public access began in 1983. During the television break, off the air,
instead of agreeing to correct the error, she arrogantly asked me to leave Agave, as if she had
some control over me being in a public place and ordering my lunch and paying for it.
Trickel and subsequently Executive Director J. K. Perry have steadfastly refused to correct the
broadcast error at Agave about the founding of local public access in Eagle County. This is
insulting to myself, the original 1977 founder of local public access television, and to the original
1977 board which consisted of myself, Jim Lamont, the late Cal Thomas, the late Flo Sternberg
and Darwin Rehder, the then local cable company manager.
This board consisted of liberals, moderates and conservatives. It worked for many hours to come
up with a fair format for the airing of LOCAL public access television programming.
The Town of Avon, which works on behalf of taxpayers, allows the cable company to basically
run a cable monopoly, in exchange for a right to lay cable on taxpayer owned land. The town
has an obligation to see to it that our local public access television station continues with ONLY
LOCALLY produced television programming, and not international programming, biased or
otherwise.
The prime -time morning and prime -time evening programming of the liberally biased
Democracy Now! program violates the original mission of the local public access board. The
airing of the liberal national talk show called the Tom Hartman Show should also not be allowed.
I would be saying the same thing if a conservative show such as the Rush Limbaugh talk show
was allowed. WE DID NOT SET UP LOCAL PUBLIC ACCESS FOR NATIONAL OR
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING, PERIOD!
Mr. Perry refuses to remove this programming. The Avon Town Council should not allow
this to continue.
The question for Mr. Perry should be, "Does High 5 Access Media have copies of the original
1977 programming of NewsVail, produced by Jim Lamont and Cal Thomas? If so, why are these
programs of history not being played.
Another question for Mr. Perry is, "Does High 5 Access Media have copies of the original 1977
and 1978 programming of Speakout!, produced by me? If so, why are these programs of history
not being played?
Another question for Mr. Perry is, "Why does he refuse to allow the viewing public the ability
to contact the local public access television board to be contacted individually by email? Mr.
Perry appears to be a control freak who only addressed my desire to be able to contact the board
by taking a month to respond by setting up only one email address for the entire board,
presumably that he monitors. Taxpayers can contact the Avon Town Council individually by
email, but not the High 5 Media Access board. The Avon Town Council must demand that
this practice changes immediately, to allow for the public to contact individual board members
directly.
Mayor Fancher, please see to it that only local public access programming returns to Channel 5.
Please see to it that the public is able to contact individual High 5 Media Access board members
individually. Please see to it that the questions of whether our local television station has the
original 1977-1978 programming, and whether they will ever air those programs again.
Mayor Fancher, please reply that you have received this email that you requested I submit by
today, Monday, April 10th. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael
Michael Cacioppo, Publisher
The Business Briefs Newspaper
A Division of Business Briefs, Inc.
A Colorado Corporation
Box 3560
Avon, CO 81620
Phone: 1-970-280-5555
Email: PoliticaMi( BusinessBriefs.net
Website: www.BusinessBriefs.net