SANTA CLARITA : Decision Due on Type of Public TV

The Santa Clarita City Council is set to decide today what type of public cable television to allow--a system that gives access to virtually any type of local programming or one that allows the cable companies to exercise editorial control.

Opponents of public access television said it would allow sexually explicit, overtly violent or politically inflammatory programming.

“People see this as an opportunity to control what their children might see,” said Mayor Jan Heidt, who opposes public access. “They haven’t had that control with the rest of television.”

Under the public access system, only programs that are legally obscene or are representative of illegal acts could be censored.

Public access does, however, ensure immediate coverage for public meetings of city councils and school boards, a feature for which some have voiced strong support.

The other option being discussed is local-origination programming, which gives the two cable companies in the area editorial control over content. It could also delay having live coverage of public meetings for several years since the city and the cable companies would have to renegotiate their franchise agreement.

Giving editorial control to the cable companies irks Councilwoman Jill Klajic, who favors a public access system where a citizens committee would wield operational but not editorial control.

“I don’t think that private businesses should be regulating programming for anything of public interest,” Klajic said. “That could be very dangerous.”