HomeMy WebLinkAbout[05] Public Access Channel 181 urry Or,•s•r. Council Agenda Item S
MEETING DATE: August 31, 2015
AGENDA ITEM: Cable Access
SUBMITTED BY: Administration
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: N/A
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Consider the proposal of Joe Prostrollo to assist with adding
business profiles to the website and cable access channel
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: $ 2,500
ATTACHMENTS: Request for Council Action
Proposal
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Authorize the expenditure of$ 2,500 and authorize staff to work
with Joe Prostrollo enhancing the website and cable access channel with business profiles.
Public Access Channel 181 St. Joseph, MN
• Joe Prostrollo is an experienced television producer with more than 40 years of
broadcasting experience. 22 years with CBS News based out of Denver, CO. After a two
year contract as a Faculty Resident at St. John's University, he decided to move to St.
Joseph this summer. He will create 2 to 3 minute business profiles for ALL registered
businesses in St. Joseph to be aired throughout the day on Cable Channel 181. When
the profiles are not running, the PowerPoint presentation will run with public service
announcements as it does now, with static ads on the pages with businesses who
request an ad. The profiles are free and the static ad will have a cost/donaton. (Since
this, Channel 181, is a public right-a-way and given by the cable company to the City
and the people of St.Joseph, I'm not sure we can do a hard charge for this, thus a
donation.) The business cost/donation is $360 a year. ($30 a month) They will be
invoiced ONE time for the total. All payments are to be sent to the City of St. Joseph.
• The donations for doing profiles for the St.Joseph Police Department,The St.Joseph
Fire Rescue, the Mayor, Council and staff profiles will be underwritten by corporate
sponsors such as banks, communication companies and businesses that do business in
St. Joseph.
• Prostrollo narrative...I'd like to send out a letter to all the businesses stating what the
plan is and to schedule a time to come visit and do a small interview with them. I will
shoot all the video and get still pictures from businesses to create the profile. As the
profiles are done, they will be shown to both the city administrator and businesses to
get their approval. At that time, it will be launched on the channel. They will launch
one at a time so we can start it right away. We will ALSO create a YouTube account to
place the profiles there for visitors around the world to access and view what St. Joseph
has to offer.
• Prostrollo will only have a one-time charge of$2500 for this project to cover his cost of
software, brochures, mailings and equipment upgrades. The labor for this will be pro
bono by him. Each year for the next 4 years, an invoice will be sent out to businesses to
continue the PEG Channel profile/ad program. They can bow out at any time and not
have a profile aird if they so choose.
If a business wants more than one profile done, they can contact Prostrollo directly to
have this done. The cost for a second profile is $350 which is paid directly to the
producer by the business. Prostrollo in return will donate $100 to the City of St. Joseph
for each additional profile.
I mentioned to Tom Klein that with the latest technology and the equipment in the
control room at City Hall, live broadcast can take place anywhere in the city through
software and the routing to the switcher. I'd be more than willing to do that as needed
at no charge if I'm available. The yearly parade can be done live and record for playback
on TV, website and YouTube.
I'm prepared, if approved, to start this project immediately. The sooner video and
pictures are shot, the better. I don't think outside video of businesses in the winter with
snow is too appeasing when trying to recruit business to relocate in Central Minnesota.