Minutes of the Communication Committee
Ocean Avenue Campus, Room ArtsX 170 – December 4, 2007
Members Present: Tom Blair, Denise Dunne, Mamie How, Joe Jah, Martha Lucey, Andrea Niosi, Francine
Podenski
Members Absent: Atilla Gabor Donald Lind, Athena Steff, Beverlyn Jackson
Resource Persons Present: Beth Cataldo, Tom Hetherington
Resources Persons Absent: Bill Beaver
Guests: Maureen Barend, A. Smiley Curtis, Stephanie Rosenberg, Earthbound Media Group (EMG)
AGENDA
1.
2.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
APPOVAL OF MINUTES
3.
OLD BUSINESS
A. EATV - CHANNEL 27 & 75 UPGRADE AND PROGRAMMING
Maureen Barend reported that EATV is on the air with the new system entirely. The transition to the new
digital system was a huge challenge and the staff worked extremely hard identifying and fixing all of the
glitches. Most of the bugs are worked out. Staff will continue to transfer the old media into digital format.
SCOLA has been added to channel 75 and airs on the weekend. SCOLA has a large community draw
because of its foreign language programming. It would be in the college’s best interest to build a new
relationship with SCOLA by becoming an affiliate school. Currently City College receives SCOLA
through its relationship with San Francisco State University. If City College was an affiliate, all
instructors would gain access to SCOLA’s entire archive.
A question was asked about blackout times on the access channels. Barend informed the committee that
blackouts happen when the station is unmanned and a glitch occurs. A glitch can be a simple typo. The
station is unmanned on the weekend when an automated system runs. During the transition time when the
station was switching to the new system, more glitches were occurring but now that the station is
completely switched over, blackouts should be less frequent.
It was also suggested that an article be written for City Currents and an advertisement be placed in the
middle of the next time schedule promoting and informing the community of the addition of channel 75
and all of the new programming that is happening.
B. CITY CURRENTS EMAIL DISTRIBUTION
Martha Lucey commended Smiley Curtis on the fine job he and his staff are doing with City Currents. It
is an attractive newsletter and has wonderful photographs. The committee briefly revisited the discussion
on electronic distribution of City Currents. The option to receive City Currents in online format only via a
weekly email was discussed. Alternatively, Mamie How suggested that a link be placed on the CCSF
homepage and bypassing the weekly email. Once the college’s website is redesigned, a link on the front
page may be a good idea. However, for the time being, a weekly email will be sent out from the Marketing
Office with a link to the current issue. This process will begin next semester. It was also suggested that
we conduct a test next semester by reducing number of paper copies produced and distributed for a
number of weeks, and see whether it impacts the college.
4.
NEW BUSINESS
A. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE CHAIR
Martha Lucey nominated Francine Podenski as committee chair. Both Tom Blair and Joe Jah seconded
the motion. Podenski was unanimously elected chair of the committee.
B. WEB SITE FOCUS GROUP – EARTH BOUND MEDIA GROUP (EMG)
The committee participated in an hour-long focus group with EMG. Members where asked how they use
the website on a daily basis.