Cable Programming

I was surprised to read the opinions of Oxnard’s Telecommunications Task Force regarding the performance of Jones Intercable and its community access programming (“Panel Says Cable Firm Broke Its Promises,” April 1).

As a board member of the Oxnard Peace Officers’ Assn., I have worked closely with Jones over the past four years on the set of “Street Beat” and have also produced a variety of public service announcements.

My last experience was putting together a public service announcement for Pride Bowl XII. With only six days notice, for five hours on the Sunday before the game, the community access coordinator and her staff put together a 30-second spot and aired it that week. Other spots that Jones has donated air time for over the last couple of years include the 1994 Dave & Bob Talent Show, benefiting Special Olympics (aired 599 times); the 1993 talent show (1,751 times); the OPOA’s Christmas tree lot, benefiting the memorial funds for those killed at the EDD office (177 times), and the Cops and Jocks anti-drunk-driving campaign (317 times). At $25 per 30-second spot, just these four examples equate to $71,000.

Ask Silvia Gallardo, Jones’ full-time community access coordinator. She will tell you how many times the company has been approached about airing locally produced educational programs--the answer is once, and the teacher got on the air. Ask John Hatcher of the NAACP about community access. His show, “What’s Going On,” is on every Monday night.

Community access programming is available to Oxnard, but someone has to put forth the effort to put a program on the air.

TOM CHRONISTER

Oxnard