Channel 13, the local Public, Education and Governmental (PEG) channel for Comcast customers, came in for discussion by the Three Rivers City Commission during its meeting Tuesday evening (November 17th) – and YouTube was part of the conversation.

As noted in a memo prepared by City Manager Joe Bippus and City Clerk Lindsay Howes, the channel has been used for airing commission meetings and videos of homeless animals lodged at Animal Control.  It is also used for providing information about non-profit organization events and government functions.

Various technical problems with the system have prompted efforts toward upgrading the equipment and identification of several options for addressing the situation.

Conversation during Tuesday’s meeting yielded a consensus to move forward with the purchase of two new cameras, using funds already budgeted for system improvements, plus copying commission meetings digitally and making the recordings available via the city’s website, its new Facebook page, and YouTube.

During a post-meeting interview, Mayor Allen Balog recapped the direction set as a result of the discussion, including plans to continue using Channel 13 “until it breaks again and then, at that time, make a decision on what we want to do.”  In the meantime, however – “by the first of the year” – the city will proceed with work to make digital recordings of the city commission meetings available on YouTube and post them on the city’s website and Facebook page.

Balog said, “I think, if anything, we’re going to pick up a larger audience.  They can watch it at their convenience, instead of when it’s aired by Channel 13.  They can do it anytime of the day or night.”    Balog noted that, in less than a month, membership on the city’s Facebook page has grown to over 900.  He said, “That’s pretty neat, pretty impressive.”

To hear Mayor Balog’s comments regarding Channel 13, click here (1:13).