DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 115 303 IR 002 854

TITLE Cabletter; Numbers 1, 2, 4, and 6. INSTITUTION Connecticut Cable Coalition, Hartford.; Connecticut Univ., Storrs. Inst. of Public Service. PUB DATE 75 NOTE 28p.

EDRS PRICE MF-$0.76 HC-$1.95 Plus Postage DESCRIPTORS *Cable Television; Closed Circuit Television; *Educational Television; Higher Education; Media Technology; *Programing (Broadcast); Social Services; *Telecommunication; *Television; Video Tape Recordings IDENTIFIERS CATV

ABSTRACT Cabletter is an educational service designed to acquaint public service personnel in Connecticut with local telecommunications issues and answers. These four pamphlets include information on how cable television works and its use in the social services. Detailed information is given on how to develop your own 'television programing using portable video equipment. Specifications for the selection of video hardware are included. (DS)

****************************************************#**************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. ERIC makes every effort * * to, obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of marginal * * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. *********************************************************************** 1U CABLETTER: Numbers 1, 2, 4 & 6.

CABLETTER is a creation of the Institute of Public Service and the Connecticut Cable Coalition. Its distribution to Connecti cut public service personnel is an educational service intended to acquaint readers with local telecommunications issues and answers.

kW, S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEENREPRO- DUCED EX"-, Y AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERS( R ORGANIZATION ORIGIN- cd ATING IT PL:,NTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILYREPRE- SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTEOF () OEDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY

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INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC SERVICE e THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

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2 HOW CABLE TELEVISION WORKS By Natasha Hertz summarized from Pilnick's and Baer's Cable TV: A Guide to the Technology.

Cable Televisionisa communication system that distributes television signals and other information by wire rather than through the air. The signals are transmitted through a coaxial cable which can be laid in the ground or strung onto telephone poles.-

T(ie cableitselfisjust one kind of information transmitter no different in principle from a telephone wireor a wireless communicationlinksuch -as broadcast radio or television. In each case, informa- tionis sent as a varying electrical signal generally superimposed on a high-frequency carrier. The higher the frequency of the signal, the more information the system can transmit. The advantages of using a coaxial cable are suchthat it allows for a much greater transmission of informa- tion flow which is why cable offers so many more television channels for entertainment, plus a large number of data services for health, education, and recreation. This also explains the difference between the terms "broadcasting" (which iSI.Ltilization of the air waves for information to reach a large, general audience) and "narrowcasting" (information directed at specialized audiences through awire). Aluminun1 (Ater Conduct og COPPER Clain -fhfrtihi Aluminuirn Wire- Cen-i-or C.OncitAt.+09... .. eta5tiicFoam

Elements of a Conventional Cable System 1. Towers and Antennas 2. "Headend" 3. Cable distribution networks 4. TV Receivers (Home Cable Terminal)

Natasha Hertz isa senior at The University of Connecticut majoring in Communication. After completing her undergradu- ate program, Ms. Flew plans to continue studies inurban planning and telecommunications. .05a-re Li. rrE. 3

Antennas CATV started in Pennsylvania as aresult of the poor reception people had because of theHills and moun- iins surrounding them.This is why the antennas which receive the TV broadcastsignals are usually located on one or more high towers.TV signals (which flow in a straight line) areblocked by the curvature of the earth orother obstacles such as mountains. Therefore, a sufficiently strongsignal will be received only where thereisan unrestricted line of-sight between a TVstation's transmitter and the cable system's antenna. Todaysatellites are used toreflectsignals back to earthfor transmitting (Telestar is an example), but their useis not wholly widespread.

Headend From the cable antenna,each broadcast signalis connected by the cable tothe headend facility, usually located in a small building nearthe tower. In a city, thismight be the office building uponwhich the receiving tower ismounted. The headend contains all the equipment necessary to processthe signals for distribution on the cable network.The headend may also have other types ofequipment such as a small computer or automatedswitching system that will add the use of the computerinthe home for education, shopping, or homemanagement purposes. Itcouldalsointerconnect withother cable or computer systems anywhereinthe country and provide other special servicessuch as Pay TV. The Cable Distribution Network Dual-cable system if one cable can deliver twelve a.,4441,14,4:41. q4, forTheinare diameter, longercalled mainlarger cablestrunkdistances didmeter but cables. may that cablessince becarry They as they signalslargeare are attenuateused usually as from 1 to to carry1/2 the114 (let orheadend inches.signals 'A inch twopositioncables.solutiondirectly cables selectable to"A-B" toexpanding the switch television channels whichcapacity set to can theat is anyconnect toTV use givenset, two anone time. orobvious ofmore This the The subscriber is furnished with a two- trunkfeederlosehightrunk some cable of their passesis used strength) a to residential distribute signals streetmuch signals orless. other from When area the a of subscriber density, area. Feeder cable are a smaller distribution or similar in converters,multiplesinglesystemsdoubles cable thecableare which viewingsystems.about system are 50 capacity. The problempercentis its principle simplicity. Dual morecomponents, advantageor expensive multiple making tocable than the It eliminates constructionclosestthere,diameter, a feeder small being to dropthe usually trunk cable a cable littlebrings less but the than'/are signal smaller inch. from From inthe to that line into the subscribers home. A the system more reliable. CABLE. A 9 systemnecessaryAncoupler, added sinceor expensetapinstallation nearly connects toall ofmost the amplifiers drop cable to thesystems throughout feeder cable. the signals attenuate somewhat is the .BLF_, 12. charm!* CR or 6) describedreferredusuallyandBuilding there locatedto aboveas trunk at typically amplifiers.the trunk costs cables about and 60-70 therefore dollars the is a needconventional to reamplify them. They are one-way cable system subscriber.ofconstructionper initialthe home households construction passed Manyis aboveground. in CATVby ancosts a area trunk systems are subscribe, Assuming cable,about which S120if themostfifty distribute system's -S150percent of the per thatnon-standardSystems can be with tuned convertersfrequency directly channel to the subscriber's to a VHF channel TV set. a converter changes a toAtconsiderablyonly Homeathe smalltelevision subscriber's Cable transformer less. Terminalsbroadcast home that thesystems matches drop cablehave the beenmay characteris- connectbuilt for betuner,andIn selected effect provides a slide the with converter lever,more a orchannel push replaces buttons. positions. the old Channels TV set tuner may dial like the conventional TV withmayprovideticsnew ofaalso rooftopthecable more want cable systemsthanantenna, to tohave twelve the usea shouldimput switch channels. the ofthe set-top to the cableconnect The TV converters systemset.subscriber their Many fail.set to cABLE, 25- 35 charme,L5 3.2.twelveThere 1.SwitchedSystems Dual-cable basicare three with systemschannels system converters other possible systems above the 6 Switched systems switched systems providea completely different approach to expanded channel capacity by placing channel selection outside the subscriber's home. The two principle switch systems under development are the AMECO DISCADE and the Rediffusion systems. Both bring signals from a headend to a switching center that serves from twenty to several hundred subscribers:Two separate wires are cables which run from the-switching center to each subscriber receiver. One wire carries sub- scriber requests to the switching center, while the other returns the selected TV signal.

This brief explanation on ho'w cable works is just the beginning of understanding the many issues and potentials of cable. At present, there is a pressing need in two areas:1) To provide for the future of two-way cable systems, segrnentingneighborhoods for varying programming, and the selection ofspecial services... 2) Learning and obtaining advice pertaining to cost implications so as to be able todiscuss and control the cable company which has the franchise.

Cab letteris a creation of the institute of Public Service and the Connecticut Cable Coalition. Its distribution to Connecti cut public service personnel is an educational service intended to acquaint readers with local telecommunications issues and answers.

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CONNECTICUT INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC SERVICE a THE UNIVERSITY OF DEVELOPING YOUR OWN TELEVISION PROGRAMS Part IHardware Equipment By Charles Kaiko

With the emergence of cable communi- cation systems and an increasing responsi- bility of local government for their devel- opment, it makes sense that municipal professionals should learn how to create their own television programs. To this end then, we suggest the following guide toa knowledge of the hardware and medium, its basic functions, some eqi.lip- ment modifications, how to obtainit, how to network withit, some applica- tions examples and finally, a price list of some equipment. Video tape recording used to be limit- ed exclusively to the studio because of the equipment's mass and weight.In 1968,however,the Sony Corporation introduced to the United States a crude but nevertheless radical piece of technolo- gythe portable black and white Video tape recorder, also known as the porta- pack. (Both camera and recorder have carrying straps.) Through four years of manufacturing, the portapack has been improved to a point where it is now the most durable and useful model of the different 1/2" standard VTRs (video tape recorder) on the market. The VTR has controls similar to those on an audio tape machine-play, record, fast forward and rewind. TECH TALK (please refer to the back page for all equipment prices.) Videotape (especially 1/2" wide video- tape)is profoundly different from film and 'itis helpful if we first comprehend these differences. To begin with, video- tape is photo-electronically sensitive, not photochemically sensitive like film. That is to say, the image is stored on a layer of magnetic particles as electronic analogue impulses on the tape by means of record- ing heads in a way roughly approximate to the audio taping process. This means that one can change reels of tape on the portapack in daylight; more important, one does not have to send the tape away Microphone to be professionElly processed. You can shoot a few minutes of videotape, then rewind the machine and playback the Lens 3 scene just recorded immediately. Further- as well as the approximate zoom lens more, if after playback, you don't espe- setting, a convenient item which lets you cially like what was just taped, you can bring distant events up close. When you rewind the tape and videotape the scene are ready to tape, a push button on the over and overagain.Additionally, a camera sets the feed and take-up reels monophonic audio track is layed down rolling on the portapack (halfhour maxi- on the tape which is synchronized to the mum time).Powerissupplied by a video portion from a quality(electret rechargeableD.C. 45 minute battery condenser, omni-directional) microphone pack which loads in the back of the built into the portapack's special hand- machine, or by regular A. C. household held camera (6lbs.). Playback can be current with the use of an A. C. to D. C. achieved on location back through the power pack which at the same time can portapack camera there is built into the be recharging another battery. (Approx. viewfinder a miniature 1 "x1" T.V. screen recharge time for an exhausted battery is that functions as a record and playback 6 hours.) When we go to shoot remote monitor.Theaudioportioncanbe video, we bring along one or two extra monitored continuously during record charged batteries for added freedom. and playback with a set of earphones. After a remote taping session, play- Itiseasier to capture motion and back through any regular household type sound with a video "rig" than with film television can be achieved with an RF equipment. You put the Portapack in a adaptor which also loads into the back of standby mode which allows you to scan the portapack and converts the video and yourfieldwith the camera, and by audio -signals from the machine to that of monitoring the tiny television screen in a regular broadcast signal like the ones the viewfinder, you can adjust the lens that are picked up with a roof antenna. opening on the camera which controls the Connection is made by removing the two amount of light input in much the same antenna leads attached to your television way as you wouldadjustcontrast/ set, attaching two leads from the R. F. brightness on your television screen until adaptor in the portapack instead, and thedesiredimage contrastappears. switching the television channel to the Focusing is monitored in the same way, proper frequency (R. F.). Battery Pack

good battery condition

RF Unit (RFU53W or RFU.54W)

MODIFICATION OF THE HARDWARE When one thinks of television produc- tion, an indoors,fullblownstudio ensemble is What mostprominently comes tomind, and sometimesitis indeed necessary to do videotaping of a session, meeting, or event that is indoors, perhaps even in the evening. We mentioned that videotapeis photo- electronically sensitive. There is adevice inthe video camera calledthe vidicon which transduces (changes)the available light of your event/fieldthat enters the camera lens openinginto electronic pulse sequences which thenmake an electronic pattern on the tape. Thevidicon in the portapack camera is sufficientlypowerful to render a clean,sharp picture (resolu- tion of 300 lines) in evenminimal day- light,butin abuilding, especially at night, we found that aninsensitive vidi- con yielded a fuzzy,washed out version of the scene with poor depthof field (this Subsequently, OBTAINING iscalledgrayingout). THE HARDWARE when one needed to dotaping inside, it Now that you knowwhat hardware the 1/2" required 1.) a movement from you want to use,hOW do you go about tape equipment series tobulky 1" and 2" getting your hands onit? Well you can equipment costing thousandsof dollars either buy it or borrowit. If you plan on more and/or anelaborate lighting system, (please refer to had to buying some equipment and 2.) the people and/or events thepricelist,suggested systems, and go inside to theequipment setting, an manufacturer's addresses onthe two back takes the inconvenience that sometimes pages), you shouldknow how to deal power out of an event orinteraction. with the dealers. Firstof all, see if you can buy throughsome sort of state university (state), as this Texas Histruments Inc.,in the summer system like a of 1972 introduced a newtechnology, the way you canusually obtain a discount at Tivicona vidicon with asensitivity to selected equipmentdealers. Choose a the the light spectrumthat equals that of dealer who repairsexpensive equipment, human eye. Byreplacing the Sony vidi- who sells video tape,and who is reason- con with T. l.'sTivicon, you can translate ably close to your baseof operations, as 40 watt bulb lightedroom you willeventually have to drivethe a scene in a with for some re- into imagery onthe T. V. screen equipment back and forth Essentially, any pairs. Video dealers will ttyto outfit you bright daylight tones. particular brand room can becomean instantstudio, as extravagantly with their a secondaryconsideration! (A of equipment. outlets makes a very nice Tivicon also eliminatescamera burnsa For instance, Sony results also too precise and scar on thepicture frame that tripod whichis toabrightlight expensive for your purposesyoucould fromoverexposure tripod at a camera source, like adirect shot of thesun.) purchase a different store for 50% less.You will also be told that you will need amonitor to view your The portapack. cameraissmall and television set to tapesthis is just a regular maneuverable; by utilizing a...tripod with pairs of audioand video input and for room pans and stabilize the camera output jacks thatinflate the T.V.'s price extension cable for T.V. sweeps, or a camera you are betteroff buying a regular specialfree-framing and camera move- set in a department store(if you don't ments/angles, the necessityfor complex one) and an R. F. switching systems to already have access to multiple camera adaptor. shoot excitinginthe-room video becomes equipment, the attach- If you plan to borrow somewhat obsolete. Finally, there are two basic sources:1.) High ment of a device(Scan Rate Inc.) that student video accept hour schools, Universities, and enables the portapack to groups, and 2.) acable television system the portapack the reels of tape makes operator (if your areahas cable network- functional equivalent of moreexpensive ing). decks in terms of utilityfeatures. 5

11 Grammar and High schools usually SELECTED ADDRESSES have some kind of basic video outfit and Sony Corporation of America eager students who can be sources offree 47-47 Van-Dam Street assistance, but the schools often lack the Long Island City, New York 11101 coordinationand/orgoal orientation (ask for 1/2" video catalog and dealer list) necessary to integrate the two purpose- fully. Another possible equipment source Connecticut Cable Coalition are the so-called "videofreak" groupsthat 48 Howe Street have developed from an enthusiasm over New Haven, Connecticut 16511 television technology and social change (an example is the UConn Experimental Consolidated Video Systems, inc. College Video Group). Some of these 3300 Edward Avenue groups manage to get grant fundingand Santa Clara, California 95050 are anxious to help people useportable video. For example, a group in Rochester, Scan Rate Inc. New Yorkcalled"Portable Channel" 27 Palm Court operates an equipment pool funded by Paramus, New Jersey 07652 The New York State Council on the Arts, which involves free instruction on equip- Frank Skaggs ment use and free equipment loans to Texas Instruments, Inc. individuals, institutions, and community Mail Station 945 groups. Members of PortableChannel are Post Office Box 5012 also hired outright for production work. Dallas, Texas 75222 The Connecticut Cable Coalition is pre- sently assembling a list of Video people Portable Channel and available equipment in Connecticut. 308 Park Avenue Rochester, New York 14607

Cable television operators are required byF.C.C.regulationstoprovide one channel's worth of time for the exclusive airing of community originated program- ming, but itis unclear as to what their responsibilities are in the way of equip- ment loans,besides providing abasic heavy deck and camera set-up in a small room somewhere in theirbuilding. Addi- tionally, even if you can make tape with your own equipment,Andjust bring in a tapethat you want played over the- community channel, you might run into some snags. The operator willcomplain that the portapack tapes are incompatible (too instable) with his network, but there are flaws in his defense;it is in the public interest to lobby and twist his arm by complaining to the F.C.C. until he pur- chases a Consolidated Video Systems CVS 500 digital signal time base error corrector. The CVS 500 cleans upthe signal on your video tape and makes it Mr. Kaiko, is an undergraduate in The compatible with his network's electrical Communication Division Behavioral Re- system. Also, if the work area thatthe search program of The Speech Depart- cable operator offersis inadequate, see what kind of room you can get to use at ment at The University of Connecticut, libraries, muse- and a former co-ordinator of The UConn your public places like Experimental College Video Group. ums, and schools. 6

12 THE HARDWARE specs: both machines are black and white 1/2" tape, exclusively Sony manufactured unless otherwise statedtapes/machinesare _ compatible; allprices are less, than absolute retail without tax (The University of Connecticut prices)

AV-3400 PORTAPACK AV-3600 DECK

dimensions/ 11"x 6" x 11" 16" x 9" x 13" weight 19 lbs. 33 lbs. price $1500 (with special camera $700 (camera $750 extra) and 1 battery pack battery operation? yes no portable? very minimally built-in microphone? yes no versatile input/output jacks?no (can be modified) yes one hour tape capacity? no (can be modified) yes operations playback: output good playback: output excellent (not for dubbing) (for dubbing) record: excellent record: excellent

Systems suggestions Recommended Support Equipment

System A (1 camera and 1 machine) Tivicon (low light vidicon tube). AV-3400 $1500.00 G.B.C. CCTV Corp $680.00 Tivicon 680 00 Portapack hour reel converter Tripod 20 00 Scan Rate Inc. $190.00 Battery Charger 70 00 Adapter for using AV-3400 camera Camera Extension Cable . 50.00 with AV-3600 deck (CMA-2) . .110.00 Extra Battery Pack . 30.00 Modified cable for AV-3600 to

RF Adapter 50 00 AV-3400 dubbing (VCM-3P) . . 15.00 Tripod $2400.00 20 00 Option: hour reel AV-3400 camera extension cable . . 50.00 converter 190.00- Battery charger/AC adapter 70 00 Battery pack (45 min.) 30 00 $2590.00 RF adapter/converter (RFU 53 FW) 50.00

Videotape reels 20 min. $10.00 30 min. $15.00 System B (1 camera and 2 machines) 60 min. $27.50 AV-3400 $1500.00 Tivicon 680 00 What System B offers over System A primarily AV-3600 700 00 is the ability to duplicate and reassemble (rough Camera Adapter 110 00 edit) tapes, add more elaborate audio tracks, as Modified Dubbing Cable . 15.00 wellasrecord one hour programs without Tripod 20 00 interruption without the reel converter. Dupli- Camera Extension Cable . 50.00 cating tapes is achieved by feeding the audio/ Battery Charger 70 00 video signal from the AV-3600 to the AV-3400 Extra Battery Pack . 30.00 via the dubbing cable. The AV-3600 would be RF Adapter 50.00 in playback mode while the AV-3400 would be $3225.00 in record mode.

Graphics from Sony Videocorder AV-3400 Manual, Video Camera AVC-3400 Instruction Manual, and Guerrilla Television by Michael Shamberg. 7

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DEVELOPING YOUR OWN TV PROGRAMS PART TWO By Charles Kaiko

This bulletinisa follow-up of Ca- bletter#2,"Part 1Hardware Equip- ment," which described themechanics of the Sony portable videotaperecorder (Porta pak). PART IIUSING THE HARDWARE Most people within an hour canbe- come familiar enoughwith the machine to go out and makevideo tape, but then have trouble deciding what tovideo tape and how to go aboutit. Therefore, we would like to suggest thefollowing con- siderations. It is always good to spend sometime thinking about your subjectbefore you go out to captureiton tape. Tradi- tionally, with film this meantspending many hours gettingthe seconds, minutes, and sequences of all theshots arranged before the actual takes. Thisis definately not the case with videotape, asthere is no such thing as a "wasted take"(videotape ofcourse,iserasable and reuseable).

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. 15 Find Ily,keep inmind, while video- damage, and then quickly forward the taping that if you have another machine, claims settlements to the needy hurricane you can always "rough edit" out those victims. taped portions that are unnecessary or A tape made withportable video redundant by 'making aduplicate tape equipment can "bring" a person to a with just the desired portions, and then place that he might not have the timeor showing the rough edited tape to your the initial desire to see, or a desire to see audience. This required the use of tWo but a hesitation to go, or an inability to video machinesone for ptaybaatqcone: go, asisoften the case with aged or r- record, and a special connecting cable. Handicapped people.For example, an elderlylady was hospitalized from a street robbery/mugging. A videotape was NETWORKING WITH THE PORTAPACK made of those gathered for the line-up, and later equipment was brought into this Itis important torealize that alai lady's .hospital room for playback of the information networkisa system that videotape. From this, positive identifica- permits communication betweenmany tion of her attacker was obtained. points, causing an integration of people, and not necessarily justa highway of wires. With a portapack, a person in Los Portable video can also be a helpful Angeles and a person in Boston becomea instructionalaid.The volunteer Mon- basictelevision network, as videotapes mouth Fire Department of Monmouth, can be exchanged through the mail. Oregon uses the portapack in two ways: Upon arrival at the scene of the fire,one ofthevolunteersuses the portapack immediately to diagnose the situation and determine what procedure is needed to best extinguish the fire. This as achieved byusing the camera's zoom lens for probing, then examining close-ups with- out getting physically close to the danger zone. Then, the operations involved in putting out the fire are videotaped for lateranalysis and critique by thefire captainforithe volunteer's education. Normally, the captains don't get much of an overview of the fire extinction pro- cedures, as they are usually concerned with their own part in fighting it.

For instance, when Hurricane Camille -7-,virfe2,7,,sta.,:, jirt7.714.757-'I.",,..13;,,' struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1969, I.".--- - in the aftermath the portapackwas used 4;::;: , to help minimize the red tape between ...,-:.7,j.5:4!. making the insurance claim and receiving the claim settlement for emergencyre- building. Fireman's Fund Insurance Com- ...,.: pany of San Francisco sent their claims adjusters down to Mississippi withports' A packs to document the damage doneto the claimssites. The tapes were then flownback immediatelytoFireman's )1. FundheadquartersinSanFrancisco whereclaimsofthis 2 \ magnitudeare handled. Home office adjusters were then 4415We" abletoview thetapes, evaluate the .4:2"37r<

1G Withinreason, a videotaper'sruleof perhapsaudiotape,orphotographs, thumb canbe"Shootfirstand ask which are both cheaper and easier to questionslater".However,itusually work with. helps to get a general theme down ahead Usnally though, the event does lend of time. itself t s videotaping, with a little imagina- tion.For instance, two eighth graders ASK YOURSELVES: wanted to make a documentary on pollu- 1. What do we want to say? tion with video tape, so they prepareda a. What are the aims of our group? littlenarration, and thentooktheir h. What are our needs? school's battery-operated portapack toa 2. Who do we want to say it to? local river. They set up the equipment a. Who are those concerned with our and then taped a reading of their report needs? while standing next to a pipe thatwas Make your videotape interesting,spe- spewing chemicals into the river. cific, and useful to your target audience. When taping, try to make your per- Present broadcast televisiOn is what it is ceptual reality that which entersyour becauseit has to appeal to the most head through your ears and your oneeye general audience (the common denomina- trained on the camera viewfinder ex- tor factor). Additionally, the factor of clusively, because this will be the only time sets narrow parameters for the devel- reality for your playback audien'e later. opment of the program's predominant For instance, if it is a windy day and this theme. This is why when a newsprogram is related to your subject matter, include isreporting about a meeting, they have some shots of trees swaying or peoples' just enough timefor the reporter to jackets being blown open.If alot of narrate a summary along with a filmed people are there watching the same event background showing celebrities going to that you are videotaping, provide your and coming from the meeting waving playback audience with a frame of refer- hellos. ence for the event by gettjng some shots of the crowd. With portable video, it would pay to If the event you want to tape is not tape the entire meeting if it was particu- short-lived larly relevant to a specific audience sub- (i.e., can be rehearsed), then experiment by taping, then playing back group, as they would be the audience you the tape immediately, then retaping, until determine for your "message distribution network." you have exactly what you want. We once made a 'tape of a person reading a For example, a video group in New preparedspeech, becausethisperson York City set out to make a series of could not attend a certain meeting and programs just for the deaf, to be played over the city's cable television system. we planned then to play this tape at the meeting instead. We brought a television Their production focused exclusively on along with our video equipment and did the visual video portion, making sure that the tape, playback, retape procedure until nothing was placed on the audio portion, we were all satisfied with the tape. As a asit was of no value to the particular target consequence of speaking and then seeing audience they were concerned himself on television, the person we were with. Th.-3 subject matter of the series taping got abasic lesson on television dealt with problems of the deaf, a cook- demeanor! ing class, special medical information for Remember thatall . the deaf, and even a tape on how to use Sonyhalf-inch series videocorders have a stop-frame half-inch portable video equipment! ca- 3. How can we express ourselves so that pability, so that if your event is astill the audience will understand? subject, don't spend a lot of time crank- a. How shall we reach them? ing out videotape as the tape can later be Right off, ask yourself, "Do we need stop-framed and replayed by the play- back audience for intensive examination. videotocommunicate the message?" Video means motion, action, background, Rather, try and get as many different closeups, etc., and if your subject matter perspectives aspossible by walking a- and related context do not lend them- round the subject matter and video tape selves to those dimensions, then consider recording quick distant and close-up shots using the zoom lens.

1i Photos taken from Sony Videocorder Applications bulletins, vol. 1, p. 29, vol. 2, p. 29., network model from Guerrilla Television.

Bybringingyour tape to a cable ADDRESSES television station for playback through its Challenge for Change Newsletter, Nation- network, thereis areal potential for al Film Board of Canada, P.O. Box 6100, reaching many more people,ifthisis Montreal 101, Quebec. (Ask for a sub- your desire.Understandthough, that scription to their free newsletter and any because of the station's subscription fees available free back issues.) andotherdemographic/socioeconomic factors, the audience connected to the Sony Corporation of America, 47-47 Van cable system may or may not include Dam Street, Long Island City, New York, your specific target audience. 11101. (Ask for their applications bul- The magic of portable video is con- letins, past and present, which are free to text; with it the whole community be- representativesofschools,businesses, comes your television studio. Go to the community organizations, etc.) event to be taped rather than wait for it to come to you, and always bring more REFERENCE BOOKS support equipment than you think you Guerrilla Television,by Michael will need so you can handle unpredictable Shamberg andRaindance Corporation, situations. When goingout withthe Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1971. portapack, we mount ours on a regular Radical Software, Suite 1304, 440 Park hiker's backframe, for greater maneuver- Avenue South, New York, N.Y., 10016. ability through crowds and other ob- Community AccessVideo,H.Allan stacles. Fredericksen, 695 30th Avenue, Apt. E, Uttimateh%,, remember when using Santa Cruz, California 95060. videotape thatit isa valuable tool for establishingcommunicationlinks be- tween formerly discontinuous individuals, groups, and. events. Don't use it however, to make Qbsolete existing interpersonal channels, and keepinmind that the interpersonal,face-to-facecommunica- tionsettingisstillone ofthe most powerful contexts for persuasion.

Mr. Kaiko is presently an undergradu- ate in the Communication Division pro- gram of the Speech Department at The University of Connecticut, and a former co-ordinator of the UConn Experimental College Video Group. He will enter the Annenberg School of Communications Ph.D. program at the.University of South- ern California in September, 1974.

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INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC SERVICE THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Cabletter is a creation of the Institute of Public Serviceand the Connecticut Cable Coalition. Its distribution toConnecti- cut public service personnel is an educationalservice intended to acquaint readers with localtelecommunications issues and answers.

1 9 CABLE & THE SOCIAL SERVICES

By Charles W. Bailey

Introduction As American society has increased in size and com- plexity, the social service agencies have attempted to meet the rapidly changing needs of her people. Unfortunately, this has too often meant an inevitable growth of these agencies' bureaucracies which become deadlocked in mountains of paperwork and, so, move further arA further away from providing personalized service to their clients. Within a single region there are often a number of agencies operating-who have little interaction or coordination of services and, thus, perform needlessly overlapping functions and fail to utilize effectively the available resources. Now, however, with the advent of cable television, social service agencies are given an opportunity to dramatical- ly improve their abilities to perform services.Vital new channels are opened to the general public which provide informative programming about the services and require- ments of agencies. Direct service delivery becomes possible over two-way cable television. A blending of telecommunica- tions services enables intensified communication within and between agencies leading to a streamlining of the service deliveries performed by these agencies and a better applica- tion of the resources at their disposal to client problems. Naturally, such a transformation will not come easily. There are difficult decisions to make about the practicality of telecommunication technologies, for they become increasing- ly expensive in terms of the amplitude of services we expect them to perform. There are problems inherent in any revision of the operations of stable organizations accustomed to certain procedures which must be faced. It is not within the scope of this paper to resolve these difficulties; rather, it is my intention to present a case for the potentialities of CATV used in conjunction with other telecommunications technolo- gies which should be. weighed against the alternative of operating in the absence of dynamic and reliable communica- tions mediums.

Charles W. Bailey is a graduate student at The University of Connecticut studying Instructional Media and Technology.

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2 0 CATV has a surplus ofavailable channels and the potential tobe an informative, as well as, anentertaining medium.

Internal Agency Use ofCATV The intelligent useof CATV by the socialservice familiarity agencies requires theownership of and a working magnetically with a videotape system.Briefly, videotape is tape that can storeboth visual and auditory sensitive be information. Videotape isinstantly replayable and can recorded on a numberof times. A rudimentaryvideotape television camera, a VTR(Video. Tape system includes a should refer to Recorder), and amonitor. The reader discussion of Cable letters 2 and 4for a more complete videotaping. fund Training and re-trainingof staff is a time and which can be accomplishedwith greater consuming process a economy byusing videotapes.Rather than requiring multiplicity of trainingsessions and incurringthe expense of togetherateach of these gatheringtrainingpersonnel be made of the instructor(or team) meetings, a videotape can from conducting sessions andanswering typical questions monitor, cablecast trainees which can beeither replayed on a the agency, or cablecast on on a closedcircuit cable system in channel in the communitycable system. If the an available applicable to a nature of thetrainingis generalized and (performing basically the sameservices), number of agencies tapes appropriate arrangements canbe made to make these from having available to their staffs.Trainers, who are freed kind of training, canbetter use their talents to to repeat this staff in their videotape and critiquethe performance of new first encounters withservice recipients. of rehabili- Disability determinationis a major concern agencies which can beaided by use of tation and service disability, cap- videotape. The graphicportrayals of client enables agencies (inconsultation with tured on videotape, determine expertise,ifnecessary) to accurately outside This videotape baseline conditions andrespond accordingly. available to otherqualified agencies actingin may be made should appeals behalf of the client, orstored as a testimonial 21 be made by the client. Videotaped records of this kind also act as valuable yardsticks to measure degree of successof the rehabilitation process or other service response. Agency managers or other highly placed staff may want to initiate a special subscription channel in thecommunity cable system for professionals in their field. This channelis paid for by staff members and can be received only by them. Subscriptionchannels offera way of coping withthe information explosion in our culture by providing a wide range of informative, specializedprogramming on the most current aspects of the field. Innovative social serviceadminis- tration methods being used in different areas of the country, novel solutions to typical agency problems being attempted, up-dates on the proceedings of professional societies, and condensations of important papers and findings in the field are only some of the types of programmingthese channels could carry. A key question in considering channels of this kind is who will originate the programming. The hiring of a team ofresearchers and production staff may be made possible by the formation of a consortium of interested local agencies, but this will require a continuing outlay of funds. Another possibility is the emergence of commercial supply agents on the localor regional level who would provide programming at a set rate. Providing proper computer facilities exist at the head- end, limited two-way cable capacity opens an "information conduit" through which high speed data storage, retrieval, manipulation, and transferral can be accomplished. Once proper safeguards are established toinsure client privacy, computerization offers a means of disentangling the agencies from reams of paperwork by making their information bases flexible and responsive to their needs, rather than static and difficulttoaccess. To make this abstraction concrete, consider the example of an agency which uses traditional methods to achieve intake and referral. Senior staff members can be found huddled over index cardfiles attempting to piece together a clear picture of the area's agencies service offerings. Aside from the long hours spent trying to keep this file current, they .must also suffer through trying to match up a client's particular problem with one or moreof these cards. All through this area similar agencies are all maintaining their own inefficient card files. Contrast this situation with the operation of a com- puterizedintake andreferralsystem. Now, the names, addresses, services offered, and eligibility plus other require- ments of all the agencies in the area arecomputerized and made available to intake and referral specialists via two-way 5

22 Once proper safeguards are established to insure client privacy, computerization offers a means of disentangling the agencies from reams of paperwork.

cable. When a client comes in with a problem, a staff member (most likely not a senior one) types in information such as client age, sex, language spoken, residential area, and fee payment ability into a remote terminal in the cable system. The computer at the headend searches the data base and matches the client with the appropriate agency. The staff. member then calls the agency with the client and makes an appointment for the individual after the agency's ability to perform the serviceis confirmed. Client tracking and ac- countability become much simpler procedures than before and it becomes possible to generate area-wide statistics and map client flow. A few days later thestaff member can follow up on the referral and evaluate its success. Two-way CATV intake and referral systems of this kind have a number of benefits. Less time is spent byboth staff and clients in the process of connecting them to theservice agencies. A built-in system of feedback enables thestaff to determine if the service has been satisfactorilyperformed. Clients are matched with greateraccuracy to the agency best suited to their needs. Caseloads are evened out across a number of agencies, rather than being concentrated among those few agencies that are most familiar to thestaff member or client. The data base thatstaff members work with is continually updated so that they have the most current information about the agencies in question. Senior personnel arefreed fromhaving toperform intake andreferral functions and can spend their time in tasks more suited to theirskills.Statisticsand management performancein- dicators are generated with less effort and can be gathered on an area-wide basis for allagencies served by the CATV system.Improvedclientaccountability and trackingis facilitated. Finally, long-term planning for the local agency system as a whole can be achieved when thesestatistics and other indicies are "modeled" by computer simulationtech- 6

23 niques to forecast probable caseloadsand client distributions. Although state-of-the-art and economicbarriers exist at thistime,a brief consideration of fulltwo-way CATV applications seems appropriate.Inafull two-way cable system, any two (or more) subscriberscan be connected to each other so that they receivemutual video images and sound. This capacity coupled withframe-grabbers that allow the freezing of a single frame ofcablecast informatiOn, facsimile printers that can convertthis information frame intoa hard-copy, and computer informationprocessing services allows a process referredto as teleconferencing to occur. Distance ceases to be a factor in teleconferencingand participants no longer have to juggle theirschedules in order to allow for travel time andexpense in order to con =fer. Membership in teleconference meetingsdoes not have to be fixed. As new member's skillsor opinions are needed they can be added to the communications network.This respon- siveness to changing group needsenhances group productivity and enables expert consultationto be solicited on difficult questions. Back-up materials suchas statistics,projective computations, charts, graphs, andvideotapes can be retrieved through the system. All of thesefactors combined facilitate increased intra- and inter-agencycommunication. Intensified communication paves theway for better cooperation and coordination of service deliveries, thus,helping to eliminate the needless duplications and case-loadinequities that have been pinpointed through computerization.

CATV: A New Tool for CommunityOutreach It would be a mistake to consider CATVas simply a supplementary form of broadcasttelevision.Due to a conjunction of economic, political, social,and technological factors that shaped its growth,broadcast TV is geared to produce mass appeal, entertainmentprogramming. Channel spaceislimited and broadcast timeslots are precious commodities. Content must be tailr:yedto popular tastes. On the other hand, CATV hasa surplus, of available channels and the potential to be an informative.as well as, an entertain- ment medium. Currently, CATVsystem operators depend on their ability to present the subscriberwith a wide selection of broadcast programming tosupport their systems. However, CAT V's growth potential is constrictedif it relies too heavily on .this service alone. CATV's uniquecapacity to present narrowcast programming aimedat specialized audiences needs full exploitation in orderto ensure cable's existenceas a prospering entity. This desire for in-depthprogramming 7

24 Effective local origination by agencies is preceded by training selected staff members in dynamic production techniques.

coupled with FCC regulations securing gratis access to one channel forlocal government use and additional leased channels could be a boon forinterestedsocialservice agencies. What kind of programming can the agencies originate? A quick survey of some pioneering efforts may shed some light on this question. In Pueblo, Colorado, the Public County Welfare Department cablecast a series of programs outlining the availability of and requirements for various welfare services. Hosted by pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Phyllis Har- rison-Ross, All About Parents explored the problems specific to the inner-city child to parent relationship for cable viewers in New York and Los Angeles. The Santa Maria, California Community Action Program and the March of Dimes jointly developed a series dealing with proper family nutrition called Health From a Shopping Bag which was cablecast over the localsystem.CablevisionJobLine,produced bythe Colorado State Employment Service, mixed listings of job opportunities with interviews with prospective employers and job hunting tips. The Deafness Research and Training Center of the New York Universjty School of Education created a wide range 'of programming aimed at the deaf and distributed this programming to a number of nationwide CATV systems. Finally,theCommunity ActionProgramof Colorado Springs, Colorado cablecast a series of in-depth documen- taries that explained the operation of its constituent agencies. Itis important to note that programming of this sort does not have to be relegated to early morning or late night hours as it would if time had been donated by a broadcaster. Due to channel abundance, social service agencies' cable- castingefforts can be shown on "prime time" or peak viewing periods. The powerful medium of television so suited to conveying information toilliterate,semi-literate, and disabled clients can become (for the first time) available for agency use. Service delivery by CATV is the underlying theme. of 9

2' the above examples. More successfullife-coping strategies are developed in clientsif the agencies createprograms illus- trating different methods ofupgrading both physical and mental health. A rudimentaryform of self-referralis ac- complished by providing informativeprogramming on the local agencies and their servicerequirements. On-going service performance is extended andtranslated into a vital,new medium through efforts suchas the Cablevision Job Line. Previously impossible servicedeliveries like specialprograms for the deaf await discoveryby the agencies. This is byno means an inclusive list for CATV applicationsin social service agencies; itisa virgin territory that needs carefuland thoughtful exploration. Effective local origination byagencies is preceded by trainingselectedstaff membersin dynamic production techniques. Documentaries consistingof a camera aimed ata narrator reading a prepared text,interspersed by a few photographs will put audiencesto sleep. Luckily, comprehen- sivetraining can be obtained atmost localuniversities, School systems and industrieswith in-house television facili- ties often have media expertson the payroll who might be willing to aid agencies in establishingtheir production efforts. Agencies can invest in theirown videotape equipment at varying levels of expense (1/2"tape can be converted to 1"or 2" tape suitable for cablecasting)or they can investigate rentingstudio time fromthe CATV systeMor a local broadcaster. On a long-range basis,agencies may begin to consider the potentials of two-way CATV to provide remoteservice delivery.The high transportation costs entailedinthe training of disabled clientsmay be reduced by substituting two-way CATV communicationfor transportation. Video- taped rehabilitation programmingcan be cablecast directly to the service recipient andsupplemented by CAI (Computer Assisted Instruction). Preventativehealth care can be offered to under 21welfare recipients bya process known as telemedicine. Clientscan retrieve specific informationthey desire on agency services,nutrition, housing, employment, and any other relevantinformation that lends itselfto computerization. This short,suggestive list will expand CATV systems develop as to a greater extent andcapture the imaginations of foresightfulsocial service workers.

Summary - CATV used in conjunctionwith other telecommunica- tion technologies offerssocial service agenciesa way of 10

26 1 improving both organizational efficiency andperformance. Many wasteful practices can be discontinued andreplaced by means of communicationsthat are more effective and valuable in the broad range of services they open upto the agencies. A greater degree of organization canbe attained within the agencies and more coordinatedeffort can occur betweenagencies.However, two questionsremainun- answered: 1. Can telecommunications technologiesbe cost/ effective if employed within agencies? 2. Will theagencies be able to develop funding bases to make theconversion to these technologies? The first question will beanswered by furth.er research. The second demands an active effortby the agencies in order for the benefit of teJecommunications tobe realized. One thing remains clear.If CATV continues to flourish, it will have a significant impact on thecalibre and style of life in the coming decades. In the wordsof the Sloan Commission on Cable Communications "Cable technology, in concert with other allied technologies, seems to promise a communications revolution. There have been such revolutionsbe- fore. Some 500 years ago the hand-written manu- script gave way to the printed book, andwhere earlier the store of man's knowledge and judgment and imagination had been available only to afew thousands of the wealthy or the learned itabruptly was laid bare to all whowished access to it. Some hundred years ago the first telephone wires were strung, and where earlier a man couldreadily make immediatecontact with no more than those persons he chanced to findin his own neighbor- hood, quickly he began to find the wholecity, the whole nation and ultimately the wholeworld within the sound of his voice. The revolution now in sight may be nothing less than either of those.It may conceivably be evenmore.5" GRAPHICS 0 Technology Review, January, 1973. 0 TelePrompTer Corporation 1972 Annual Report. 0 The Sciences, September, 1973. 0 The Sciences, December, 1973.

Bibliography 1. Abt Associates Inc., Telecommunications and Community Services. January, 1974. Report Number 73-142. 2.Baer, Walter S., Interactive Television: Prospects for Two-Way Services on Cable. Santa Monica: Rand Corporation. R-888-MF. 3. Mason, W. F., Urban Cable Systems. Mitre Corporation, May, 1972. Report Number-M72-57. 4. O'Nei!l, J. J. et al, Testing the Applicability of Existing Telecommunication Technology inthe Administration and Delivery of Social Service.Mitre Corporation, April, 1973. Report Number M73-52. 5. Sloan Commission on Cable Communications, On the Cable: The Television of Abundance. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971.

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