Visigraf.com We see what you mean.

Responding to the San Rafael Patch story and some CMCM board member comments:

The MTA is the entity that might sue Comcast if the DIVCA funds are not sent to the MTA. The MTA has the lead in collecting the money.  CMCM has the Designated Access Provider contract with the MTA to operate the channels and the media center, and will need the MTA to allocate the funds to the DAP contract ( possibly with added operational funding) in order for CMCM to continue.

I believe that the MTA is committed to making the PEG system work, and that CMCM is a partner in this community effort with the MTA. The community has a huge investment in the system, and is receiving benefits from the three channels and the media center.  If the PEG system is shut down, Comcast would have three more channels to sell, with an obvious positive impact on their bottom line as well as the negative impact on the Marin community. 

The MTA sent a letter to Comcast pointing out that the previous contract is no longer in force, and while Comcast is not precluded from recovering that money, that is a separate and distinct issue from the DIVCA money.  The DIVCA money is public money, according to the state law that set up DIVCA, and Comcast must first provide that money (5% franchise fee + !% Public Access funding) to the MTA, and only after they do that, can they then recover the DIVCA money by putting the 1% on the bill. 

This is not what has occurred , as Comcast has not sent the 1% to the MTA  yet, and has started to charge the 1% on the bill (plus on my bill at least, they put a disclaimer that tries to blame the MTA instead of the state law that Comcast helped to write) for the DIVCA charge.  This appears to be illegal, and the MTA has the right and the duty to collect the public funds.  The MTA is taking action to collect the money due.

We recently posted the Marinations program about the 2010 Planetary Dance and Earth Run that was held at Santos Meadow, Mt. Tamalpias State Park. This video includes footage from Walt Ferris, Sharon Skolnick-Bagnoli and Bruce Bagnoli and was made possible by use of the facilities and equipment of the Community Media Center of Marin.

Marinations

Visiting with designer-writer Sharon Skolnick-Bagnoli in this episode of Marinations, visual artist Bert Arenson describes the mysterious ways in which he manifests a painting. Then Julie Motz, explorer in the twin arenas of human psychology and wellness, shares glimpses of her journey and her penetrating work in healing.

Marinations is a 30 minute program that appears on the web as a live stream at http://WWW.CMCM.TV/26live and on Marin Comcast Channel 26 and ATT Bay area Uverse Channel 99 every other Thursday at 7:30PM.

Marinations is a stew of nature, culture and ideas. We interview and visit artists, journalists, writers and producers, healers and photographers, gardeners and visionaries.

If you have comments on a show or would like more information, you can email us at brb@visigraf.com