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Council Rock District looks for more time on television

Monday, Feb. 21, 2000
Bucks County Courier Times

Bensalem School District Superintendent James D. Watson Jr. is about as close to a TV power broker as you can get.

Watson stars in the superintendent's Cable TV program promoting positive news from the schools. Last year alone, he also oversaw local cable TV programs on choosing a college, Science fairs and a, building dedication.

"It takes up an awful lot of time, and it's a lot of work for one of my secretaries," Watson said:

"It's all a part of being able to communicate with your public, for those who have the cable capability. Cable access gives schools a forum for " programming, a process Council Rock hopes to tap.

Council Rock officials look longingly at undertakings like Watson's.

Right now, they're confined to four-hour blocks a few times a week on Suburban Cable channels that mostly carry municipal announcements.

The slot is barely enough time to televise school board meetings, which have been known to run more than five hours. The district also runs a few other programs during the year, such as a live telecast of the high school graduation.

Unlike Bensalem and Pennsbury, when students in communications classes get course credit for producing the shows, Council Rock hires a local firm - Video Gold of Richboro -to put its meetings on TV.

Last year, Council Rock paid $39,500 to Video Gold, said Jim Catozzi of the district business office. He said the television expenses are likely to be higher this year because a few more programs have been added.

It's all part of Council Rock's plan to get a bigger wedge of the media pie.

The district is negotiating with Suburban Cable for an around-the-clock, free-access channel that would broadcast full board meetings plus sports, school productions and more informational programs.

Terri Higgins Brown, a district public relations counsel, said that once the cable time is secured, the board might form a programming committee to decide what gets on the air: The idea of having students work on the productions has been discussed, she said.

Council Rock produces one program in addition to the board meetings, a short segment featuring board president Jim DiDio and vice president Cathy Triverio. The official title is "The Roving Rock Report," or to the less reverent, "The Jim and Cathy Show:" New segments are produced every few months.

Many times, the show is devoted to quick summaries of board business or events such as a bus tour of the district.

Typically, Brown scripts a short segment and squeezes the taping into the hour before one of the board meetings. Getting the program done on such a tight schedule puts pressure on the stars not only to get through their lines, but to speak extemporaneously on board matters.

Last month's taping was a mixture of education, politics and show biz as DiDio and Triverio took up their positions at a desk in the Northampton municipal building. They faced a tangle of cameras and cables deployed by the Video Gold crew.

DiDio and Triverio decide what they'll talk about, give the technicians a sound level and zip into their introduction. They talk fast and at first, it's not smooth. Director Jeff Jim stops the tape.

"Is it possible for you not to step on each other's lines?" he asks. It's decided Triverio is interrupting DiDio, and Jim tells him to nudge her under the counter to stop her from talking out of turn.

The taping starts again.

The board members smile big and welcome their viewers to the show:

They mention what the school board will be working on in coming months, plug board decisions and put the school board spin on unpopular subjects such as redistricting, on which they'll vote in a few hours. They mention that the board plans to open a new, $70 million high school in a few years.

DiDio: "That's a lot of money for a high school."
Triverio: "It's a lot of money but it's a facility we need for the school district." DiDio signs off with a promo for the district Web page. Then it's into the meeting room for several more hours in front of the cameras while transacting boa};d business.

Many Council Rock residents tune in to the meetings instead of prime-time network fare on Thursday nights. The program routinely prompts viewers to turn off the TV and head for the meeting if a subject comes up that interests them.

"They have to do [the broadcasts]," said Nancy Poekert of Northampton, who's interested in special education programs. "Not everybody can come out to the meetings, and we have to have an informed public."

Poekert said she found the service useful several weeks ago on a snowy night when she wasn't feeling well enough to come to the meeting in person.

The immediacy of the TV meetings sometimes adds a little drama to the broadcasts.

Board critic Bob Graham of Northampton said he left. Last week's session, then returned after board member Robert Mellon allegedly called some critics of spending "fanatics."

Graham and other residents got into a loud argument with Mellon, and a district administrator called Northampton police. No one was arrested.