CTV Recognized for Its Bulletin Board

The city-run Calabasas Channel has been recognized for excellence in governmental programming for the best community bulletin board in Southern California and Nevada by the National Assn. of Television Officers and Advisors.

Last year, the city’s cable channel, CTV, spiced up its service--which lists city information and events--with graphics, trivia, quotes and unusual facts. The idea was the brainchild of City Channel Manager Deborah Steller, who fashioned the service after trivia slides commonplace at movie theaters.

“It’s kind of like MTV, but different,” Steller said. “The information we show is important. But it must be presented in a manner to keep people watching.”

Viewers can read upcoming City Council and city planning agendas along with such factoids as polar bears are left-handed or the almond is a member of the peach family.

Researching the trivia is done mostly on the Internet, but some City Council members and staff have submitted their own brain-teasers to stump the public, such as what is the city’s current population or its annual operating budget.

Since the bulletin board debuted in September, Steller said, community response has been positive and more people are attending city events.

Calabasas, a relative newcomer to the cable television programming arena and the competition, beat out Los Angeles and San Diego, which came in second and third, respectively.

CTV, which also broadcasts Calabasas City Council and commission meetings live, is carried locally by TCI (Channel 10), and on Channel 3 on CalaVision and Falcon Cable.