Cable's Channel 8: It's public access-but not always for students by Ann Sims' "I'm certain that what the university is "It is primarily public instruction and is think channelS is a public access channel. Evergreen Staff Writer doing is legal but it most certainly is run through the auspices of the AV "We do what we do for people in unethical. The intent was for people to center. We have fairly sophisticated classes. We run generally for people in (This is the second in a three-part series have access to a public channel. channel 8 equipment down here and we would need those classes, because 'of the low cost. We concerning cable television. Tomorrow's provided by the university. But it still a federal grant to offer that sort of thing," use closed Circuit, which is cheaper than concluding article will ~eal with "the FCC shuts out public access. It looks fine on he said, in reference to allowing students open circuit. Faculty members can and regulations for Cable TV.) paper" 'public access,' but if someone to utilize channel 8 for their own purposes. schedule things outside of class. We use a from off the streets went in and wanted to Channel 8 is serviced via cable, airing time slip operator also that can do more Channel 8, located in the Audio Visual use it for their own use, they wouldn't be than one thing at a time, because we Center in Holland Library is a) a public lectures for different classes. able to," he said. Jim Hardie, instructional TV coordina- transmit over more than one channel at access channel, b) is not a public access "TV is an effective and powerful one time," he said. channel, or c) no one seems to know. tor for the audio visual center, doesn't medium. With cable the public can have At this point the answer seems to be c: access to this tool. But they're being shut It seems none can agree on the status of out. Cable operates on a franchise from the station, whether it's a public access Pullman. In my View, the city didn't write channel or not. an effective agreement with standards Channel 8 is provided to the university Daily' . and guidelines that would benefit the by Pullman TV Cable Company. It should' community," he said. be a public access channel, where any Peterson said he gives the powers that citizen or student could come in and in be good marks for having channel 8, but essence "do their own thing." But appar- that they still don't provide real public ently such is not the case. access. Public access means that suppo- sedly any citizen or student could walk in Evergreen and request time to air through channel 8 any skit or speech or to advocate a public Washington State University Vol. 83 No. 39 Wednesd cause of their own choosing. "It is possible to approach it from an administrative, faculty or staff level. If a group of students wanted to air a program of their own choosing and they had facul- 'Attitudinal barriers' hinder ty or staff advisor, this might be possible. But if a group of students tried it on their own, it might now be possible. That's not effective public access. Channel 8 has the blind and disabled persons possibility of becoming something more than just an instructional station," said by Tom Ryll wanted to get a key to the elevator," said Clott, who is a graduate student and T.A. Peterson. Contributing Reporter To remedy the situation (saying- on in the Speech Department. "He told me, paper that channel 8 is a public access Put a street curb in front of Larry Clott 'We have rules and regulations and I follow them strictly,' " Clott continued. A channel, when in practice it is not>, Peter- and it will stop him dead. son has proposed a solution. A gentle slope in a sidewalk can be letter from President Terrell had no ef- "The most effective way of doing it insurmountable, and a flight of stairs will fect, and it was not until Executive Vice would be to write a good, effective con- force him to look for another way, some- President Wallis Beasley made a tele- tract for the franchise. Rather than just times in vain. phone call to Smith that Clott finally was the two words 'public access' on a piece of Add to those obstacles the caustic able to use the elevator. Even then a Doug Peterson paper, it could become an actuality. The remarks of persons who could help him, librarran told him, "I don't think you can public hasn't missed the boat yet but it is and bureaucratic hassles involved in open the elevator door," and he had to According to Doug Peterson, a graduate pulling away from the dock, and the best making small changes at a big institution, prove to her that he could. student working for radio/TV services as way to halt it is to become involved in and life for the physically impaired here Nevertheless, some buildings on cam- a media technician and who has had writing the franchise," he said. can be difficult. pus remain inaccessible, and others are experience with commercial TV at the When the question of whether Channel 8 For the last five of his 27 years he has inconvenient. network level, the picture of cable service was a public access channel was directed been confined to a wheelchair, after The hilly Pullman terrain presents a seems very rosy, but in actuality the to Jack Davis, director of the audio visual breaking his neck in an automobile acci- formidable problem. "I can handle a short "services here stink." center, his reply was "yes and no." dent. incline that is not too steep, but there are Letters rather than tickets issued to illegal perkers by Steve Ahlin A few weeks ago the Evergreen report- Evergreen Staff Writer ed that Housing and Food Service had issued 90 parking decals for 87 parking Currently Chinook Village vehicles stalls at Columbia Village. Bierbaum now parked in the Columbia Village lot are says that he will ask for some Columbia receiving warning letters which inform volunteers to switch their Columbia park- the owners not to park their vehicles in ing decals to Rogers-Orton decals. the lot. The warnings began yesterday • According to Housing and Food Service and will continue throughout the week. figures, parking decals have been issued No tickets wil! be issued during that time. for 280 Chinook residents. There are, Some Columbia residents, in coopera- theoretically, five spaces to spare. But tion with Housing and Food Service, are this does not take into account parking placing the warning letters on Chinook stalls needed for visitors. vehicles. Columbia vehicles are differen- Bierbaum said that if a few volunteers tiated by a specific number system on the can't be found, the last Columbia resi- parking decal, so identification can be dents who received Columbia decals will made.' have to switch to a Rogers-Orton parking The letters tell Chinook residents that decal. they must discontinue the illegal parking Bierbaum said the Chinook parking lot Walkways that are often thought to be sufficient present problems for the disabled. in the Columbia lot or "further action" has adequate space for vehicles most of This sidewalk is behind Morrill Hall. may be taken. the time. He said his office made a numb- The letter also said that it is now illegal er 'of spot checks in the Chinook south Clott is not' alone: there are other not many like that here," Clott said. for Columbia Village residents to park parking lot before Thanksgiving vacation. wheelchair students and employes on 'Avoiding steep hills can be a chore. Like their vehicles in the Rogers-Orton lot even He added that these checks will continue campus, numbering fewer than 10, and the series of maneuvers he goes through when their own lot is completely occu- even though the checks have shown ade- other persons who are blind. Most of them to reach the CUB from Todd Hall. "I take pied. quate space to accommodate the vehicles. run into the problem of physical barriers the elevator to the third floor of Todd, Earlier this year, it was legal for According to Bierbaum, there have at some time. cross' over to the third floor of Johnson Columbia residents to use the Rogers- been complaints that some of the lights In "The library is a pain," he said, ex- Tower, take the crosswalk along the Orton lot as an overflow lot. the south parking lot were not turned on plaining that shelves are too close building and over to the back door of William Bierbaum, director of Housing at night. He said that problem is being together to negotiate with a wheelchair, Wilson Hall, go up one floo: in the eleva- and Food Service, said that further action rectified. and that problems with library administ- tor and then out the west SIt::: door." (Of could result in ticketing or revoking park- "I hope that students who sign up for rators once made it difficult for him to use Wilson). From there he can w.ieel up the ing decals in some cases. Chinook or· Columbia village next year the building at all. slight incline to the CUB. 'If I was a "I don't think that further action will be realize that we do have some parking Like the refusal by librar- freshman or a sophomore, I wo, ldn't even taken on our part.