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City takes business to airwaves
Published 06:00 a.m., March 22, 2008
Photo by Susan Larson
As they are filmed by Jim Francis, PEG Access executive director, Community Development Director Gordon Hydukovich and Assistant to the City Administrator Lynne Olson tell residents about a tabletop planning session planned for April 10. They will be featured on a “City of Fergus Falls Update” episode.
As a cameraman films, Community Development Director Gordon Hydukovich tells Lynne Olson, assistant to the city administrator, about an exciting new project happening in the city. Later in the day, the whole community will know about it when they watch, “City of Fergus Falls Update” on PEG Access channel 18.
Call it Regis and Kelly with a local twist. Implemented in February, the program is an effort by the city to keep residents informed about what’s happening around them in an entertaining way.
“We’ve heard from council that a concern they hear among the people is they want improved communications,” Olson said.
What better way to do so than through television?
“We highlight different departments, a project or special event,” Olson said. “We try to pick a timely topic.”
In this most recent case, the subject was a tabletop planning session set for April 10 regarding the west river area of the city. Hydukovich, who will lead the meeting, finds the show to be a means of making such meetings more effective.
“I can explain (a project) to people in a room while they’re sitting there,” he said. “But this gets it out and gets people thinking about it before, so they can come prepared and ask questions.”
Each episode airs the same day it is filmed, Jim Francis PEG Access executive director, said. It is played about 14 times until the next segment is filmed. Go to PEG access website — www.pegaccess.com — and look under “schedule” for the schedule.
While not likely to show up on the Nielsen Ratings radar, the show is gaining a following, reaching about 5,000 households. To keep the show more conversational and relaxed, the format consists of Olson and the guest visiting, rather than one person speaking directly to the camera.
“We’ve had good feedback from people,” Olson said. “We have nowhere to go but up, because we have so many topics.”
Previous episodes have included fire prevention; an interview with Anne Martens, new public works director; and a discussion of utility rate increases led by the Finance Department.
Convincing department heads to appear on the show is challenging at times, but necessary, Olson said.
“They all do a good job,” she said. “But they want to stay behind the scenes. It’s important for the public to see our department heads at work and what a good job they do.”
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