Other Cable Systems

Five other cable systems serve the Westside and San Fernando Valley. All but one have a public-access channel.

American Cablesystems covers an area that includes Venice, Marina del Rey, Culver City, Palms, Rancho Park, Hancock Park and parts of Hollywood. Its nightly access service, on from 7 until about 11:30 p.m., generally begins with two hours of programming from one of the primary producers of public-access programming, Jewish Television Network.

Other widely distributed public-access shows on American’s schedule include “Econews,” a program on environmental concerns, and “Connie Martinson Talks Books,” both of which are taped at American’s production facilities. Organizations that produce shows there include the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, Jewish War Veterans, AIDS Project/L.A. and Nosotros.

Also programmed on American, as well as other cable systems, is “Lifestyle Update,” a slick magazine format show of gay-oriented news and features. Its segments are taped on location throughout Los Angeles.

West Valley Cablevision serves Encino, Woodland Hills, Reseda, Northridge, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Granada Hills and the city of San Fernando. Public access, which on weekdays includes a 2-hour block of religious programming, is generally on from 3:30 to 11 p.m. weekdays and 7 to 11 p.m. weekends.

The city of Los Angeles recently sponsored a series of training sessions at the Cablevision public-access studio in Chatsworth for community groups in the West Valley. These groups are taping shows for the access channel.

United Cable is wiring the East Valley--including North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Pacoima, Studio City, Sepulveda, Mission Hills, Panorama City, Toluca Lake, Sherman Oaks and parts of Sylmar--for cable. The service generally programs two hours of the Jewish Television Network and then two additional hours of public access, from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays.

There is not yet any public-access programming on weekends.

Because United’s studio facilities are not as heavily booked as similar facilities in other areas, several veterans of public access--including Skip E. Lowe, the producer-host of a celebrity interview show, and Martinson, who also uses the American facilities--use United’s studios for taping.

Sammons Communications serves the Burbank area. Several shows are taped at its facilities, which are staffed by union crews. This is unusual in this area--the crews at most public-access facilities are made up of volunteers seeking to learn about TV production.

The show on the system that gets the most response, according to access coordinator Tawana La Mont, is “The Leader News Show,” which includes interviews with local figures and a community bulletin board.

Public-access programs are shown on Sammons from 5 to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday.

Falcon Cablevision, which has the franchise for some areas in Malibu and far western portions of the Valley, has no public-access service.