By Duren Cheek
Staff Writer
February 29, 2004- C-SPAN, the network for political junkies, policy wonks and just plain folks interested in what the federal government is doing, may get a little brother: T-SPAN.
A bill pending in the legislature would start the ball rolling to create a statewide TV network to carry live legislative sessions, news conferences by state officials, legislative committee meetings and other state government-oriented news. And, supporters say, the network could be used to immediately inform the public in times of civil emergencies.
The cable industry is opposed to the legislation, which would require each cable company with at least 13 channels to give up one of its channels to have a T-SPAN station.
The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Joe Haynes of Goodlettsville, chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and House Majority Leader Kim McMillan of Clarksville, at the request of Karlen Evins, co-host of Teddy Bart's Roundtable, a political and government-oriented radio show that is also televised on government access channels in 39 of the state's 95 counties.
"We believe the public has the right to see what we are doing here in Nashville," McMillan said.
The Clarksville Democrat acknowledged that the legislation lacks many specifics, including how much such a network would cost and how it would be financed. Haynes said it would be very difficult to accomplish the desired result without cable companies contributing channel space.
"I had a brief meeting with some folks who represent the cable folks, and I don't think they are particularly warm to the idea unless we are willing to pay for it," Haynes said.
Although Evins has lobbied for the bill heavily, she maintained last week that she has no interest in administering the network if it ever comes to fruition.
"That's not my goal," Evins said Friday. "I pretty much like my day job."
She said she is pushing the bill simply because she thinks it should be done.
Stacey Briggs, president and chief executive officer of the Tennessee Cable Association, said the proposal would violate the Federal Cable Act. "The bill would mandate programming content, and that is strictly prohibited."
Networks in other states are put together on a volunteer basis and that is legal, she said.
John Farris, lobbyist for the association, said the association will continue to work with the legislative leadership on the issue.
"We think working with the leadership of the House and Senate on a voluntary basis to broadcast what they want to have broadcast and how they want to have it broadcast is the best way to do it," Farris said.
The bill is pending in the Senate State and Local Government Committee. The chairman, Memphis Sen. Steve Cohen, said he opposes the bill because it would lead to more political posturing in the legislature, make the sessions run longer and increase cable rates.
"There are certain legislators, senators in particular, once they know they are on television will not shut up," Cohen said. "It will extend the session time considerably. It will make the tedium quotient go up tremendously. It will just be show business, people playing to the cameras and acting."
But McMillan said Tennesseans should have an unedited look at what is going on in state government.
The House has already started live-streaming its sessions and committee meetings on the Internet, but that provides access only to people with computers and Internet service.
Television by far is the better way to do it, McMillan said.
The Senate is lagging far behind the House in technology. The House has closed-circuit TV monitors outside its chamber, where the public can watch without climbing up to the public gallery. The Senate doesn't even have cameras in its chamber.
The legislation states that all residents "would benefit immensely from expanded, unedited broadcast of the public proceedings and deliberations of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of state government in Tennessee."
It also said the public, in this era of increasing threats to national security, needs reliable and immediate access to emergency announcements issued by the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security and other emergency agencies.
Duren Cheek covers state government. Reach him at 615-726-4889 or via e-mail at dcheek@tennessean.com.
Copyright (c) The Tennessean. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
