News-Record.com

Every year about this time, city departments submit their wish lists, equipment or programs they'd like to have but can't afford without more money in the next year's budget.

One of those items is $185,000 for a T.V. studio for Channel 13, the city's cable outlet where you can see council meetings, community events and such. Right now, Channel 13 produces documentaries but doesn't have a studio where they can do live shows like call-ins and other programs. Here's how the proposal is explained in a request to the city manager:

"Having a studio would allow, for instance, the Chief of Police to be on the air, answering questions from the public or explaining a difficult to explain issue. It would also allow for regularly scheduled program for departments of City Government which don't currently have a good communications vehicle to reach the public directly."

Then the description explains why having this direct outlet is important for the city; "Avoiding the filter of the news media, television or radio, is important to getting the correct message to the public."

If the term "filter" sounds familiar in describing journalists, it might be because President Bush said in October 2003, "I'm mindful of the filter through which some news travels, and somehow you just got to go over the heads of the filter and speak directly to the people."

Channel 13's proposal expands on how the studio will "change outcomes."

"We will able to control the message, totally ignoring the 'spin' theory. We can lay out the facts, professionally and quickly, and repeat it as often as we need. Having a live studio gives the City of Greensboro direct access to citizens with a message we totally control. No interpretation, no mistakes!"

It will be up to City Manager Ed Kitchen to decide whether to find money for the studio, and ultimately the City Council's to give final approval in June.