Supervisor Ammiano moves
to televise San Francisco School Board meetings

Supervisor Ammiano sponsored a move to discuss the feasability of televising
San Francisco's School Board meetings at the Goverment and Audits Committee hearing yesterday. Supervisor Alioto-Pier (with newborn Valentina) supports the move.
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Aldrich M. Tan

May 9, 2006

Discussions at the Government Audit and Oversight committee on Monday brought the school district one step closer to televising its meetings.

Supervisor Tom Ammiano said he will be introducing legislation to the Board of Supervisors this Tuesday to make funding for televising the school district meetings part of this year's budget process.

"This is something that I want very much to happen," Ammiano said. "I have received a number of e-mails in popular support of this idea."

The school district supports the televising of its meetings, said Matthew Keleman, chief
development officer for the San Francisco Unified School District. The school board passed a resolution two years ago to support the televising of its meetings.

"The Board is very much in support," Kelemen said, "but the project has been on hold because of the significant deficits that we are facing in the school district.

Matthew Keleman

"So, the school board will have no problem accepting funds if we choose to allocate money toward televising the meetings?" Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier asked. Alioto-Pier said she would co-sign Ammiano's legislation.

"I imagine that you will have the support of the Board of Education," Keleman estimated.

The school board is negotiating with Comcast to install wiring in 555 Franklin St. through the Department of Telecommunications and Information Service in order for the cable network to meet specific public access requirements, Keleman said.

The most feasible option for Board of Education coverage is to install video cameras at 555 Franklin St., said Jack Chin, general manager of SFGTV. It would cost $23,000 annually to videotape the full Board of Education meetings and the equipment and installation would cost $150,000.

There is only one scheduling issue, reported Brian Roberts, spokesman for the Department of Telecommunications and Information Services. The Board of Education meetings takes place every other Tuesday evening starting at 7 p.m. and may conflict with live coverage of the Public Utilities Commission meetings.

Brian Roberts

However, SFGTV does not have to air the meetings live, Roberts said.

Ammiano said the school board meetings could be on the air by the end of the year if the city approves funding.

"We can make this happen with the cooperation of the school district," Ammiano said.

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