TV3: Let Process, not Temper, Guide Outcome
Allison Goldsberry, Editor of InsideMedford.com, is a former TV3 Board member and advisory group member for TV3 who resigned her seat in December 2006.
On Saturday morning retired Judge Marie Jackson presided over the second performance evaluation hearing for TV3 and issued a stern warning to those in the community who are passionately involved, to say the least, in the TV3 drama: Leave each other alone.
The Judge’s warning came as Phyllis Bucco-Notaro, the mayor’s appointed representative to the TV3 board, revealed that her car had been covered in written expletives this week. While the vandalism has not been directly traced to the board or Bucco-Notaro’s involvement with TV3, it’s an outrageous incident that should remind all people in Medford to treat each other with common decency and respect, no matter what people say publicly or what they do for specific causes in the community.
Most of what has gone on surrounding TV3 over the past few years has been nasty, childish, and outright insane on both sides. Both sides, those who support the current TV3 board and those who support a change in leadership, deserve blame in bringing the battle to new lows. The only hope the community has now in resolving the issue is putting its faith in the process of the performance evaluation hearing and financial audit, not in letters to the editor, vandalism, personal attacks, anonymous emails and blogs, and misleading, mean-spirited shows produced for TV3 by the current board.
The TV3 board has been attacking the process all along and is not willing to submit itself to a fair and impartial hearing and financial audit. Instead, they attack the mayor, City Solicitor Mark Rumley, City Councilors, and anyone else that publicly criticizes them. Any time the board personally attacks these people, it’s a slap in the face to the ratepayers in Medford whose cable bills financially support the station. The city is not involved, as TV3 would like people to believe, to take over the station or to curtail free speech. Several board members and TV3 attorney Dave Skerry have repeatedly said this publicly, and it’s wrong, misleading, and an outright lie.
The only reason the city is involved is because the contract TV3 has with the city allows the city to call for a performance evaluation hearing and financial audit if there is reason to believe the station is not living up to the terms of its contract. The contract is a legal document between the city and TV3, and just like any other contract, TV3 must carry out its terms or face the legal consequences.
The performance evaluation hearing and audit only came about after more than a year of former TV3 members and board members complaining to public officials such as the Mayor, City Solicitor, and City Council. Those officials are there to serve the citizens of Medford and were the only real place people with concerns about TV3 could go. They have been attacked by the TV3 board for simply carrying out their responsibilities as public officials.
Following the hearing Saturday morning, people can submit written comments for the next thirty days to City Solicitor Mark Rumley. After the thirty day period, Judge Jackson is expected to make a recommendation to the mayor about TV3’s future. To echo the judge, everyone in Medford who cares about having a fully functional public access station that is welcoming to all should refrain from personal and physical attacks and should instead focus their energy on letting the process play out.
More TV3 Coverage…
2nd Performance Evaluation Hearing to be Held for TV3
I thought todays hearing would have had more citizens in attendance. The reality is that the station may have some issues and they should be held accountable. I do believe that the current board has done a lot for TV 3 over the years when no one else wanted anything to do with it. But in the long run an evaluation hearing and an audit are just a routine mechanism any board should expect from time to time. In closing I would like to thank Matt Haberstroh, Chrissy Barthelette, Bill Wood, Carolyn Rosen, and Jim Morse for making this evaluation hearing finally happen. It was there persistence and tenacity that got the Mayor to call for this hearing. I am eager to see the outcome.
From day one TV 3 blamed the one individual who had the courage to go to City Hall in early 2003 after other complaints had been lodged. One person drew the line in the sand. He was attacked and smeared – and now people want to take the credit away from the man who did the hard work.
Allison, without letters to the editor newspapers like yours would be out of business. A publisher’s job is to foster discussion. Putting our faith in the process is a little scary right now because it is easier to build a bridge in Minnesota than it is to get things done in a City like Medford. The Historical Society is a perfect example. TV 3 isn’t the first non-profit to come under the scrutiny of the public and it won’t be the last. But you can’t compare a letter to the editor with vandalism and threats. Indeed, that’s what the vandals want!
I would assume the one man you are talking about is Matt Habestroh. I agree with you.
What I meant about letters to the editor, etc., was that the community has had more than enough back and forth and he said, she said, and the judge is right in saying at this point, let the process play out. – Allison
Yes, Allison, we are fortunate in that we finally have oversight, and the Judge is very smart. It will all be up to McGlynn at the end of the day as he is the “Issuing Authority”.
Note to “Gerry”, I appreciate Mr. Haberstroh’s efforts, but most people are aware of the initial contact made with Diane McLeod and Mark Rumley in early 2003 on behalf of an employee who was too intimidated to file a complaint. He was married and couldn’t risk the loss of a paycheck.
Most people in the City are aware of the people that made this issue finally come to a head. And that is Matt, Chrissy, Bill, Carolyn, and Jimmy Morse. The interesting part of this whole issue is that it will not probably be resolved for years. I heard someone say that Steve Marra is the acting GM and that the job will be posted in afew weeks. the current board will be appointing the new GM. I hope one ex board member gets the job. I will leave him nameless for now but I hear it is going to happen in the near future. It will be good for TV 3. This person has been producing shows for years and he is very artistic and creative.
City Solicitor Rumley is quoted in the Medford Mercury on Friday saying:
“The one sentiment that I have heard that I take great exception to is that the city is trying to limit speech,” said Rumley. “The notion the city would censor or squelch free speech is baseless and as city solicitor I would find any such effort repugnant.”
The individual you are referencing who wants to be the new GM is one of the people who is stating the very thing Mr. Rumley says is not true. A continuation of the bad policies of the past is exactly why we are awaiting the judge’s response. The self-promoter who calls himself “artistic” and “creative” speaks on his own behalf. Please point us to a Boston Globe or Medford Transcript article that backs up your position, Gerry.
Does anyone know when the audit and Judge Jacksons findings will be made public. I do hope that Joe Fortuanto gets the GM job if he is interested. He has been around Medford a longtime and he is a great photographer, producer, and writer.
I agree with Gerry! Joe “photo” would be a great GM for Tv3. I used to host on his very popular Medford Square Tv program with Mellisa Herley.
Great people they are indeed.
I agree with both of the above posters. Joe Fortunato and Joe Fortunato alone of all the people I have heard from “gets it” about public access TV. He knows that members are free to make (or to not make) anything they want. They can cover a City event if they want, or they can choose to NOT cover it. They can be nice to the community with their show or they can be self serving. They can even be an @#$% &*%^ if they choose to be. And no one in the Community, be it ratepayer, politician, political activist etc has the right to stop them from doing so or to attempt to “persuade” them to make their show in any manner other than that in which they choose to make it (like editing the Mayor out of their shoots if they wish to do so). Sadly, I do not think the City Government funds Public Access sufficiently for them to be able to pay enough to hire Joe Fortunato. I’m afraid that JF as station manager must remain just a dream for us to aspire to.
I used to think that Inside Medford was some kind of credible news source for the city of Medford. It appears that even as these posts are moderated miss-information is allowed to be posted. Bottom feeders of the internet with traits of paranoia have been repeatedly allowed to post opinions as if they are truth.Just as sure as I know this post will not see the day of light because it is filled with truth, its no biggie, I will talk on about Inside Medford’s practices and its sponsors on Zapp Tv. It is very interesting how a handful of paranoid people have leveled charges from profanities to anonymous email attacks. My reputation of speaking for myself speaks for its self. I have and will always sign my name to any post.
Gary Zappelli