CITY CALLS FOR RESPONSES TO ON-LINE VIEWER SURVEY FOR LOCAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY CABLE TV

SOMERVILLE – The City of
Somerville, with the participation of Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT), has issued a request for residents to participate in a brief on-line survey about their viewing habits and preferences for the City’s public access cable television channels and SCAT’s Channel 3.  The City of
Somerville provides an Education Channel (Channel 15 on local cable service) that offers schools-related programming and a City Cable public affairs channel (Channel 16 on Comcast; Channel 13 on RCN).

The survey, which takes only a few minutes to complete, may be accessed online at http://www.somervillema.gov/cablesurvey.

“We’ve expanded our presence on the City’s website and we’re continuing to develop new programs for City Cable,” said Steve DeCarlo, Senior Cable Manager.  “Online streaming video and new-generation digital video equipment give us the opportunity to reach into the community more easily.  We can use these tools to make public access and governmental video even more accessible and relevant, but we want to start by getting public input.

DeCarlo expressed the hope that residents would take the time to participate in the survey.  “It’s fast and convenient, and it will help both SCAT and the City do a better job of meeting the needs and interests of their viewers.”

The survey will remain available for several weeks, but DeCarlo said residents should complete it as soon as possible.  “This is a chance for residents to tell us directly about what kinds of local cable programming they value – and would like to see more of,” he said.

City cable channel content may be viewed online at: http://www.somervillema.gov/departments/communications/cable-operations