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Town Hopes To Build A Better Brick Cable Channel
By Catherine Galioto
Eight VHS tape decks are among the technology the entire programming of Brick's public access channel, B-20, hinges upon.
Now, township Public Information Officer Ed Moroney is investigating an upgrade.
"We're looking not just at the latest formats but more options with how to use the system," he said.
Moroney presented some options during the township council meeting August 21.
Members of the township council joked that there will be a new format to replace DVDs before the township channel upgrades.
Moroney discussed equipment, but also changes that could happen in programming and access.
Right now, an emergency message must be punched in on a computer in Brick Township High School, which houses the TV station's equipment. Should there be an emergency, cancellation of a SummerFest event, for instance, officials would have to trek out to the school to type up the message. The new system would allow a message to be added from any location, Moroney said.
"Emergency messages can get out quicker," he said, a change that Councilwoman Kathy Russell added, was the one that most encouraged her.
In one recent event cancellation, a Summer- Fest concert was rescheduled the day of the event. The message screens broadcast on the public access channel are only seen when there is no programming, and because the channel was playing the hours-long high school graduation tapes, the message didn't get out.
But Moroney said a new system would allow for residents to read important messages such as large event cancellations in a scrolling text bar at the bottom of the screen.
Township council and administrators said they were impressed with the options. Township Administrator Scott Pezarras said this could open up the possibility of more government meetings, such as the planning and zoning boards, to be taped and viewed on television. Special events, such as fire officials' installation ceremonies and press conferences, would also be possible television for programming, thanks to a portable camera system that the upgrade package could include.
In addition, Moroney looked into how to broaden the content of the channel's programming. Now, the public access channel broadcasts township council and board of education meetings, school events and programming. Moroney said that Comcast could share its content, as could the county.
The public access channel often comes up as a topic of complaint among some residents attending the township council meetings. A committee of residents even sprung up to help improve it. The big frustration with the public access channel is the outdated processes. A change in programming means ejecting a videocassette and loading another in the queue.
"Our ability to put it on the air, that's what's holding us back," Moroney said.
The upgrade would also move the channels' servers from the school to the municipal building.
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