City Solicitor Releases TV3 Report
– Allison Goldsberry
After more than a year of research, City Solicitor Mark Rumley has released a report on TV3, the city’s public access television station.
TV3 has recently come under public scrutiny by individuals dissatisfied with the station, whose complaining eventually attracted the attention of City Hall. The station has said they are a separate corporate entity and believe they have been “bullied” by City Hall.
In the report, Solicitor Rumley suggests the Mayor hold off on making a decision on the status of TV3, which includes removing the entire board, until the audit and a performance evaluation hearing are finished. The station is currently being audited and a performance evaluation hearing, where the public will be invited to speak about the station, has yet to be scheduled.
Mayor Michael McGlynn appointed Solicitor Rumley to the TV3 Board as his representative and asked for this report last year. The City Council also voted to receive the report when it was finished, and was scheduled to hear from the Solicitor at Tuesday’s meeting. However, the Council voted 6-1, with Council President Stephanie Muccini Burke dissenting, at their last meeting against having Rumley present the report at the meeting because they wanted the Mayor to meet with the TV3 Board and other interested parties first.
TV3 Board President Frank Pilleri said he would comment on the report once he has digested it over the weekend.
Check back with InsideMedford.com for more on the report, including comments from TV3.
Editor’s Note: Goldsberry served on the TV3 Board for several months. She left the Board in December 2006.
Excellent reporting, Allison. Since the City Council requested this report it is essential that they not start passing the buck to the Mayor.
City Solicitor Rumley is very reserved and does not critique the station, he uncovers the problems and allows other people in authority to make determinations. That is why it is mandatory for the City Council to read the report and start implementing change that will benefit the citizens and the ratepayers.
Allison,
I also read the report and I’m not sure what is proves. Back in 1995 Mark Rumley had put his nose where it didn’t belong regarding a comedy bit I produced on Zapp Tv. Mark was playing role of “Hero” as he felt the people in my comedy bit were being ganged up on. He suggested I receive a letter of reprimand at that time, that never happened. Mark blind-sided me, well literally cornered me in the Canal street studio along with the people I portrayed in the comedy bit.
The only reason I bring this up is because a few years latter when I was voted on to the Board of Directors at Tv3, Mark Rumley apologized to me and said it was the only thing he ever regretted doing at Tv3 as an appointed Board member. I took him for his word and have always had respect for him, until now.
I wonder how long it will take for him to regret his Report.
-Gary Zappelli
What I’d like to see, and what I’ve wanted to see from the beginning, is TV3 moving forward from all of this with an emphasis on what is positive at the station. I still think this is possible. Unfortunately, things have gotten out of hand with rumors, personal attacks, and too much of the negative. I think what’s sorely needed now is a plan for the future, rather than a slugfest over territory, he said, she said, who’s to blame, etc. – Allison Goldsberry
Allison,
I agree with you – had the election happened in January 2008, or the Evaluation hearing in April and early May, we could be moving forward.
The fault is not the Mayor, the City Solicitor or The City Council, who all want progress. Right now it appears that the members of the current TV 3 board are all dragging their feet in an effort to postpone the evaluation.
We must move forward. A plan for the future cannot be implemented when those in the past utilize stalling tactics to maintain control of “their” station.