(Santa Ana) – Beginning next week, cable television viewers in Orange County will be able to watch gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Board of Supervisors’ meetings from the comfort of their homes. The November 14 Board meeting will kick off the weekly videotaping and next-day distribution of tapes to all the county’s cable companies. Each cable franchise will air the meeting in its entirety.
“This is an important step for County government in offering yet another way for the public to observe and understand the deliberations of the Board of Supervisors,” said Charles V. Smith, Chairman of the Board. “Government is always better with public understanding and involvement.
“On our web site, we already have the means for receiving comments on agenda items from the public. To receive feedback on the broadcast meetings, we asked staff to add a specific e-mail address and telephone voiceline to make it easy for the community to let us know what they think,” said Smith.
To comment on the televised Board meetings, call 714.834.7266 or e-mail the County at boardtv@ocgov.com.
In August, the Board approved a contract with Network Television Time to videotape the meetings and make copies for distribution to cable companies. Since then, robotic cameras have been installed in the Board room; lighting has been modified; and a control room has been developed from which the cameras will be operated and the master tape will be duplicated for distribution.
Following is a schedule, by cable company, of the air days, times and channels for broadcasting Board meetings:
(Anaheim, Villa Park, Yorba Linda) Friday: 8 a.m. / Channel 3
AT&T Broadband - (Cypress) Check program schedule on Channels 58 & 78
(La Palma) Check program schedule on Channel 35
(Costa Mesa, Tustin) Friday: 6 p.m./Channel 61
Comcast - (Buena Park, Fullerton, Newport Beach, Placentia, Santa Ana Heights) Saturday: 4 p.m./ Channel 3
(Santa Ana) Saturday: 8 a.m./Channel 3
Cox Communications (Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Tustin) Monday: 7 p.m./Channel 30
RETV - (Laguna Woods) Friday: 10 a.m./Channel 31
Time Warner - (Orange) Thursday: 8 p.m./Channel 6
(Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Stanton, Westminster) Saturday: 11 a.m./Channel 6
