RECEIVED TO: Dockets JUN 25 1997 FROM: William H
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----------MEMORANDUM DATE: June 23, 1997 EX PAFlTE OR LATE FILED RECEIVED TO: Dockets JUN 25 1997 FROM: William H. Johnson Deputy Chief, Cable Services Bureau SUBJECT: Ex parte notice filing Please include the attached in Docket 9~ (j 6---) 1~ v PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE peN SUMMER 1996 At a recent meeting of the PCN Board of Directors, the commitment to educational Full-Time Operational Control of programming as a part of the PCN mission was confirmed. PCN Moving to Camp Hill il Included will be continued availability of channel time to higher education for college n September, the PennsylvaniaCable Net when the network engages in Ii ve event cover credit courses, but with emphasis on support I work facility in Camp Hill will assume age-andevery weekday evening-PCNstaff ing andadvancing participationby institutions 24-hourcontrol ofthe PCNchannel, marking members assume manual control of network of higher learning that demonstrate interest the completion of a profound change in the operations. and commitment for the aggressive use of management and organization of program Fiber-optic lines, satellite transmissions, PCN for statewide distribution of relevant ming for distribution on the network. microwave feeds, and videotape machine sig formal educational courses. In the next several PCN programming was originally man nals converge at PCN Master Control, where months, appropriate lines ofcommunication aged in University Park, where The Pennsyl an operator selects the appropriate source and will be developed directly between PCN and vania State University scheduled educational then adds on-screen graphics about the h~ participating institutions of higher learning telecourses for Commonwealth citizens. In programming, location, topic, speaker, and with guidelines and procedures for use of 1993, the network responded to a growing schedule information-all while the event is channel time. need for public affairs programming by being televised. PCN's commitment to live In addition, PCN will be looking into building an uplink facility in Camp Hill (five and same-day state government coverage n September 1, 1996, the responsibility participation by a broader range of educa miles from the State Capitol Building) which often requires playback operators to reference O of The Pennsylvania State University tional and training entities, including public allowed for timely coverage ofstate govern names and add contextual information while for educational programming on the Penn systems, with emphasis on identifying and ment activities. witnessing the event for the very first time. sylvania Cable Network will come to an end. establishingexisting learning resources which By January 1995, arranged educational Manual playback also allows for last We take pride in the unique partnership are suitable for utilization by way of PCN in programming and PCN public affairs pro minute programming changes in an effort to between PCN for the cable industry and Penn the home and workplace. Literacy training gramming were being processed through the bring viewers the most current and relevant State for higher education that has worked and basic skills are expected to be included in uplink facility. A direct fiber-optic link eventsoftheday. The MasterControl operator effectively since September 1979 to provide this programming. between the Capitol and PCN complexes was keeps the network going unti Imidnight, when college credit courses, literacy training, and In the area of innovation, explorations established later that year, allowing for live playback duties are again placed upon the other educational programs to cable subscrib will include the adaptation of the "events carriage of Pennsylvania Senate and House automated facility. ers in their homes. We especially commend coverage" concept ofPCN public affairs pro floor proceedings. While technically challenging, estab Penn State for its leadership and commitment gramming to educational programming; the Currently, PCN staff members at Camp lishing 24-hour operational control ofPCN in to the utilization for education of the distri utilization of existing statewide support and Hill are responsible for assembling 86 pro Camp Hill will enable the network to respond bution system of PCN, the first educational coordinating educational systems; and the gramming hours weekly-a total which will more readily to programming, production, cablenetwork in the United States and perhaps use ofothertechnologies with PCN'sdelivery nearly double in September with the assump and promotional opportunities in the months anywhere. system to enhance effectiveness. tion oHull-time operational control. and years to come. As of September I, 1996, PCN will be in The integration ofthePennsylvania Cable In advance ofthis development, network control of, and have responsibility for, the Network channel, which now is possible engineers have constructed a new automated channel overall. The lead article of this issue with PCN overall management, will be of tape playback facility consisting ofvideotape of PCNvision describes the elements and substantial benefit to the look ofthe channel; recorders and monitors directed by acomputer workings of the master control and related to on-air promotional support for all of the and atape playbackcontroller. Once program systems that will manage the programming programming; and for PCN identification med, the playback unit can roll videotapes distribution. and effectiveness as a cable network respon and address receive sources without direct On the educational programming itself, sive to the interests andneeds ofPennsyIvania supervision. the next year will be a time of rededication, as a community, and featuring educational At midnight, the unit will televise a transition, innovation, and comprehensive and public affairs programming. satellite feed from Deutsche Welle, featuring channel integration. international news and information. Six hours later, the automation system is scheduled to air the first videotape in a series of PCN COVERPHOTO: COUDERSPORT MoVIE THEATRE, Coudersport, PA. Watercolorby Maxine Shear. Coudersport is home to Adelphia Cable Communications, which proudly carries PCN on local cable channel 28. PCNvision educational offerings ranging from literacy (ISSN 1071-2046) ispublishedseasonallyfour times a yearbythe Pennsylvania Cable Network, 401Fallowfield training programs to college-level instruction Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011. Founding Editor: Bradford N. Hammer. Issue #4. For information, or to request from state institutions ofhigher learning. additionalcopiesofthispublication,contactPCNbyphone: (717)730-6000,orelectronic mail: [email protected]. Although the automated facility can also re-air scheduled public affairs programming, 1000~]lli:~ "li1~1 [Jf1i :!. J~I $,'.'II];J:IQ :{IIH ;!;1~'( [[,1[!~••••••••••••••••••• ' m Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 12A European Journal: The News Magazine (in Spanish) 12:30 Deutsche Welle Programming (in Spanish) 1 European Journal: The News Magazine 1:30 Deutsche Welle Programming 2 Ethics in America Public Presidency World of Chemistry The Earth Revealed Rural Communities Destinos French in Action 2:30 3 3:30 4 4:30 5 5:30 6A Art of the Western Ethics in America World of Chemistry Western Tradition Race to Save Planet Rural Communities Out of the Past 6:30 World 7 Rural Communities Public Presidency To the Contrary The Earth Revealed Rural Communities The Earth Revealed World in Review 7:30 Open Mind European Journal 8 Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish On Your Own European Journal SP 8:30 French in Action Asia Now 9 Out of the Past Computer Chronicles World of Chemistry Western Tradition Race to Save Planet Public Presidency Alles Oute 9:30 Technopolitics 10 Art of the Western Public Presidency To the Contrary The Earth Revealed Rural Communities World of Chemistry Schauplatz 10:30 World Open Mind Deutschland 11 On Your Own Art of the Western French Hexagone, or 11 :30 World France TV Magazine Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 12P PA Political Caucus Live Coverage of Events in the State Legislature, or Unique Continent Out of the Past 12:30 Report Pennsylvania Public Affairs Programming from the Previous Evening 1 Pennsylvania Race to Save Planet World in Review 1:30 Factory Tours European Journal 2 Pennsylvania Specific program information is available on-screen at 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m., Rural Communities European Journal SP 2:30 Public Affairs as well as on the lower portion of the screen during public affairs coverage. Asia Now 3 Firing Line Schauplatz 3:30 Inside Washington Deutschland 4 PCN also distributes detailed schedule listings each weekday evening by electronic mail. Market to Market Pennsylvania 4:30 For information on this free service, contact the network at [email protected]. Computer Chronicles Parade 5 PA Political Caucus Pennsylvania Libri 5:30 Report Parade 6P Monday's State Tuesday's State Wednesday's State Pennsylvania PA Political Caucus Select Events from This Week in 6:30 Legislature Coverage Legislature Coverage Legislature Coverage Public Affairs Report (1 st Friday) the State Legislature 7 Pennsylvania 7:30 Factory Tours 8 Pennsylvania 8:30 Public Affairs 9 9:30 10 10:30 11 PA Political Caucus 11 :30 Report (1st Friday) ~ Literacy Training ~ College Telecourse ~ Pennsylvania Public Affairs Effective 22 July 1996 peN SUMMER 1996 More Cable Compani Add PCN ew carriage agreements and continuing "Knowing the tremendous impact of the [;)s[J(]~@vL1W&U(JD&~