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One of the last things Zane had me do prior to my termination (2006 January 10) was give him some lists of other shows slated for cancellation. There were 15 shows earmarked due to repeats, late tapes, or no-shows. 30 shows were earmarked due to missing photocopies of photo IDs or proof of residency provided with their latest playback application. 6 sets of shows (totaling 14 shows) appeared to belong to the same actual producer or appeared to be the same shows submitted under multiple series names. Any cancellation would need to be done as per the published policies and procedures. These are available at http://www.Accessf.org/policies.htm, or you may request a hardcopy at the front desk.
I am not able to tell you which shows have been identified, since each producer has a right to privacy and I'm not in a position to verify your identity via email or over the phone. Since I've been terminated, it's no longer my job to deal with this. My intent is to open your eyes in hopes you will take responsibly for your own show and make you realize that you do have a personal stake in how the station is managed.
If you have any questions about your own show's status, contact Sam Long, the new Program Coordinator. Be nice to Sam. Sam did not identify these shows. Zane had me do it. If you have any concerns about the enforcement of the published policies and procedures, you should express your concerns to Zane Blaney, and the Board Program Committee (next meeting January 31 at 6:00 p.m.). I encourage you to know and understand the policies and procedures and keep track of your tape submissions. State any concerns in writing to Zane and the Board, and request a timely response in writing. They write the rules, the staff merely enforces them as directed.
At the last Board of Directors meeting on Monday (2006 January 09), which I attended, Zane reported on these lists and stated that he would take action.
When Zane told me to cancel all shows eligible for cancellation back in November 2005, I asked him to send a note announcing that we were now enforcing these policies. He refused to notify producers and he refused to allow me to send any warnings. He forced me to enforce these policies to the letter, even though they were never enforced to this degree in the past, and told me he would terminate me for insubordination, just has he got rid of Tom Barkett, if I did not cancel those (36) shows.
Producers were caught unaware and began to accuse me to racism, gender discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, being arbitrary, and cancelling shows based on content. I was even getting these accusations from other staff members, because Zane failed to communicate his intent with them. These problems escalated to the degree I documented in Reform Access SF - Notice of Termination from Access SF, and I ended up losing my job, starting this Reform Access SF effort, and getting banned from the facilities just for speaking out in an attempt to clear my name.
I could forgive Zane for making up and new acronym (TSSM), if he had sent this notice two months earlier. Zane should have sent this notice before he forced me to cancel those (36) shows. If he had, I'd still have my job. On the other hand, I would still be obligated to withhold information from the public that I've disclosed on this Reform Access SF web site. If anything, these notes from Zane validates what I've been writing and should vindicate me with those handful of producers who may have thought I was talking out of my rear-end.
Thank you to the producers who sent me these notices after I found out that Zane removed me from all Access SF mail lists.
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 15:31:40 -0800
Subject: Cancellations for Repeats/TSSM
From: "AccessSF Executive Director"
Producers -
Because we have had number of changes in the Programming Department in recent months I wanted to clarify our policies concerning playback of tapes. It has always been our policy that any combination of four repeats, late drop offs or no shows resulted in the cancellation of the series time slots. This does not mean a producers access to time slots is cancelled permanently. The producers of cancelled time slots can always come to the next Time Slot Selection Meeting (TSSM) and pick a new time slot. It has never been our policy to be lax about this issue. In the past some staff have been very lenient about this mainly to avoid arguments and confrontations with producers, but this has resulted in unfair and inconsistent enforcement of the policy and allowed some shows to grossly violate the policy. All producers have signed a Statement of Compliance and agreed to abide by all policies and procedures of the station including the repeat policy.
It wasn't because of changes in the Programming Department that Zane is clarifying policy, it's because of the uproar and damage caused by his failure to clarify the policy prior to forcing me to cancel those (36) shows on December 01, 2005. Although it is true that this was always the published policy, it was never enforced to this degree because Tom Barkett had too much sense to be so callous to do a mass cancellation. When Zane had the nerve to terminate Tom, I knew that I had no choice but to follow his directive.
There are several reasons time slots are cancelled after four repeats or other violations. First, all series producers are expected to produce new programming for the channel and not let the time slots be filled with the same programming. If new programming is not provided it keeps other producers that are able to produce fresh programming from having a chance to use the time slots. Also, constantly repeating programming is not good for the viewers or the channel. Viewer expect to see a variety of programs. It keeps their interest up and the channel fresh. Although some producers start off thinking they can provide new programming each week this can be a very difficult task. If they fail to provide programming on a weekly basis we suggest they should consider every other week or once a month.
I've suggested to some producers that they forgo the series approach altogether and submit specials until they find their production comfort zone.
Moving forward the policy on repeats, no shows and late drop offs will be strictly enforced. It is the producer's responsibility to keep track of the number of times their shows are repeated. We will not send out warnings about these situations. If you lose track you can always contact the Programming Coordinator, Sam Long at 575-4946. If for any reason our records are in error we will work with individual producers on a case-by-case basis to correct the situation. We will continue to send a reminder to producers that their series time slots are about to expire and that they need to attend the next Time Slot Selection Meeting.
I heart goes out to Sam Long. He witnessed the abuse I was subjected to after Zane forced me to cancel those (36) shows. He's got to feel incredibly insecure, knowing that if he doesn't follow Zane's directives, Zane will terminate him, and even if he follows Zane's directives, producers will terrorize him and Zane may still terminate him.
Lastly, in order to keep the Time Slot Selection Meetings a forum for selecting time slots and not a place to confront staff and each other about time slot or other policy issues we are instituting a Code of Conduct for the meetings. Effective immediately the following will apply:
Time Slot Selection Meetings Code of Conduct:
The Time Slot Selection Meeting are intended as a forum for the selection of time slots. They are not a forum to debate or discuss Access SF policies concerning the Time Slot Selection process or other issues.
Producers who have policy complaints or concerns about the Time Slot Selection process should attend the regular meetings of the Board of Directors.
You may also attend the Board of Directors Program Committee meeting, which after all is the forum identified in the written Access SF Policies and Procedures and the SFCTC Bylaws for expressing grievances. Then again, to attend any of these meetings, SFCTC would need to publicly disclose the meeting dates, times, and location.
The Time Slot Selection Meetings are not a public meeting. Video camera or other recording devices are prohibited. Only producers or their proxies whose time slots have expired, new producers or their proxies who are selecting time slots and producers or their proxies who want to select a new time slot are permitted to attend the meetings.
Actually, according to the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance, these meetings are public and anyone should be able to attend. These meetings should be cablecast by Access SF.
Anyone disrupting these meeting or otherwise not following the instruction of staff will be asked to leave the building and will not be given a time slot. This includes creating confrontations with staff or other producers.
If you do disrupt a meetings, you should not falsely accuse the moderator of Sexual Harassment just because he or she tells you to sit down and be quiet.
As in previous Time Slot Meetings chairs will be arranged in a circle. As you come into the studio sit in the next available seat in the circle as this will determine the order that people select a number for the drawing.
This circle arrangement is useless and meaningless. The timeslots are assigned in order of the lottery number, not the order that you obtain the lottery number. People should be allowed to sit whereever they feel comfortable.
Zane neglected to mention the rule requiring a photocopy of photo ID and a proof of residency. This is not a new rule, but Zane stepped up the enforcement of this rule for the timeslot selection meetings held in December 2005. Zane insisted that producers were required to bring the photocopies with them, and that we would no longer photocopy the IDs for them. He also insisted that the proof of residency be a separate document, even if the photo ID proved residency. Zane had me reject 7 (out of 33) playback applications form the December 19th timeslot selection meeting for failing to abide by this rule in a timely manner.
Zane Blaney, Executive Director
San Francisco Community Television Corporation (CTC)
Access San Francisco, Cable Channel 29
415-575-4943 - Direct
415-575-4945 - FAX
zane@accessf.org
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 15:32:11 -0800
Subject: Clarification on Cancellation for Repeats
From: "AccessSF Executive Director"
Producers -
One clarification on my earlier email concerning repeats, its important to remember that the reminder card we send concerning expiring time slots is only a courtesy. It is ultimately the producers responsibility to keep track of when their series are due to expire. Although we have sent postcards in the past some producers have said they didn't receive them.
We are not responsible for the postal service or the fact that some producers may have changed their mailing addresses without notifying us.
Let me clarify this once again for Zane's benefit. There are two contact databases at Access SF. The Facil reservation database is the primary data store for names and addresses. This is the one that Arnel keeps up-to-date. Programming uses their own custom database, that's used for generating program schedules, tape pull lists, and cancellation/renewal notices for shows. The programming database is based solely on Playback Applications. There is no procedure in-place for updating the programming database when Arnel updates the Facil database. I offered to correct this problem by redesigning the programming database to link to Facil for all information kept in Facil, but Zane didn't want me working on that.
So, the bottom line is we will continue to send the cards, but it is still each producers responsibility to track their expiration dates and come to the appropriate meetings. Thanks. ZB
Zane Blaney, Executive Director
San Francisco Community Television Corporation (CTC)
Access San Francisco, Cable Channel 29
415-575-4943 - Direct
415-575-4945 - FAX
zane@accessf.org
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