Medford's Access Station must embrace change
"Embrace change to become better than you are." Jean Luc Picard said of his nemesis, and the only way the Access Channel 3 in Medford can survive is by evolution - changing from the failed policies of the past 25 years and moving forward to better serve the Comcast subscribers who have poured millions of dollars into what is supposed to be a community media station.
As Dr. Boyce Watkins wrote about Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama:
The City of Medford's Issuing Authority can only blame itself for the TV 3 Problem
http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/05/10/bottom-line-with-dr-boyce-rush-limbaugh-is-barack-obamas-grea/
EXCELLENT ARTICLE BY ALLISON GOLDSBERRY
http://insidemedford.com/2009/05/10/tv3-financial-audit-inconclusive/
RESPONSE BY JV:
As Dr. Boyce Watkins wrote about Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama:
Rush Limbaugh (TV3 Medford) doesn't seem to care much about his party (Comcast Subscribers who fund the station). He (TV3) only seems to care about himself (itself) and the power of his (the Channel 3) platform. In a branch of Finance called "Agency Theory", we would say that Rush (TV3) has shown a tendency to put his own interests above those he claims to represent. He is similar to a point guard on a losing basketball team who only cares that he gets his 30 points every night. To further the sports analogy, Rush (TV3) used to be a playmaker, but he is now a deal breaker. The problem is that many Republicans (Office of the Mayor) are afraid to do anything about it.
The Republican party can only blame themselves for the "Limbaugh problem".The City of Medford's Issuing Authority can only blame itself for the TV 3 Problem
http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/05/10/bottom-line-with-dr-boyce-rush-limbaugh-is-barack-obamas-grea/
EXCELLENT ARTICLE BY ALLISON GOLDSBERRY
http://insidemedford.com/2009/05/10/tv3-financial-audit-inconclusive/
RESPONSE BY JV:
Allison, that is an excellent overview of the long-awaited audit of Medford Community Cablevision, Inc.
It is tough to get so much information succinctly into a cohesive story, but you did a good job.
How refreshing would it be for the current board to “Step down” as they promised they would after the release of the audit. Unfortunately, it appears they intentionally stalled the audit in an effort to retain power over the access channel, and their failure to respond to a respected group of CPAs/Management Advisors like Melanson Heath & Co, PC appears to be an indication they are not going to live up to their promise to us to step down after the release of the audit.
If the Issuing Authority (Mayor McGlynn), a respected judge and auditors at an accounting firm can’t get a straight answer out of the board of directors of this publicly funded station, how are the members supposed to create their volunteer projects without worry or fear of some omnipotent board that criticizes and censors with impunity?
It is time for a new board of directors and a new TV station.
Visual Radio
Dan, thanks for saying you will air Visual Radio. As you are aware, the previous 'policies and procedures' were designed, in part, by ZappTV, a man who was paid to do the web for TV 3 while being a member of the board of directors. It is that kind of lack of transparency that has led to the problems the station faces today.
Furthermore, Gary Zappelli appears to have utilized the TV 3 phone number and former address at Canal Street - property of the non-profit funded by the community - for his own personal web business.
So we can understand Zappelli's comment you 'will never please everyone in Medford' because we who fund the station (that includes you) don't approve of that kind of conduct.
Here's more information:
In response to Dan Sarno's April 22, 2009 update on TV 3 - the community appreciates Mr. Sarno's efforts on behalf of media in this city, however there is still the presence of the embattled 'board of directors' of Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. that concerns many residents and Comcast subscribers.
With decades of broken promises it is pretty hard to convince the people funding the channel that things will be different, and will positive changes continue if the current board of directors survives the scrutiny of a retired judge, the Mayor, the City Solicitor, the City Council and the auditors at Melanson Heath & Co, PC?
Millions of dollars in subscriber paid fees have flowed to this station with little or no accountability to those of us who pay for what is supposed to be our access channel. If an elected official doesn't do the job we hire them to do the voters have a chance to replace that individual. Why have Comcast Subscribers had less of a say in who handles our access channel and gets to dictate how these millions of dollars have been spent?
When the Audit of TV 3 was issued by the City Solicitor on May 7, 2009 this new public record makes it clear that not only does the board of Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. refuse to issue an annual report the way Malden Access TV does (a station Frank Pilleri claims he emulates), TV3 management refused to comply with the highly respected firm of
Melanson Heath & Company, PC which issued this correspondence to TV3:
'We have concluded that we are unable to express an opinion because limitations have been placed on the scope of our audit as outlined in our report and the following paragraph.
Your accounting records were incomplete during the period under audit and we were not able to apply alternative procedures to determine the completeness of the statements and related disclosures. TV3's management has not provided us evidence to support the $55,000 receivable on your financial statements. Additionally, TV3's management has declined to provide us with suffient representation on your financial statements...'
The letter goes on to say that the management, which includes two individuals who claim to be 'money managers' and offer advice to Medford viewers, cited 'numberous references to accounting standards and accounting practices which we are not familiar with and which we do not understand.'
Frankly, the Comcast Subscribers who fund the enterprise don't quite understand how individuals we never hired who admit they don't know how to count are able to play with millions of dollars and not be held accountable to the people who fund the station.
Not only has Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. failed to account to the ratepayers/subscribers fairly and honestly, they have dictated policies and procedures which censor local programming, have funded what appears to be a private film studio, they have refused to hold elections in January of 2008 - even though those elections would still have been tilted in favor of the existing board, and they have failed miserably at hiring someone who can effectively manage the station. One fellow failed to show up to work on time and closed the facility early, his successor - when hired by TV 3 - was unqualified and went back to school (he is now at a premier access station and actually spoke out about current management), the woman who succeeded him resigned instead of speaking to Judge Jackson-Thompson about her qualifications and questions about money, and the board of directors itself failed to show up at a November 15, 2008 hearing at City Hall that they
demanded.
So when Dan Sarno writes in the Transcript that everything is lovely and we should all forgive and forget and come on down, we must respectfully point out that with station management on the hot seat, we can't believe that things will be any different than they were before, no matter how passionate and sincere the young man is. Dan Sarno videotaped the October 29, 2008 evaluation hearing and has some idea of the problems, but he is fresh meat for the board of directors to carve and, if they somehow wiggle out of their current situation, past history indicates they will throw Dan under the bus as viciously as Dawn Natalia is humiliated by station management in the Melanson, Heath & Company, PC audit.
The installation of yet another manager by a board of directors not elected by residents or cable subscribers is similar to Rod Blagojevich, (ranked by Rasmussen polling as 'America's Least Popular Governor') appointing Roland Burris to the Senate. Remember, Blagojevich's popularity was at an all-time low before he was 'evaluated', and the same could be said for Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. which is facing more accountability and demands for transparency than it has ever faced in its entire existence.
In 2002 a former employee (and former Medford Transcript writer) Marc Lemay said to me that Mayor McGlynn should 'blow up the entire board and start fresh' (paraphrased). 7 years later the wrongful conduct at TV 3 continues with Frank Pilleri, David Skerry, Steve Marra, Cornelius Murphy, Arthur Alan Deluca, Gary Zappelli, Harvey Alberg and Ron Delucia dictating to the 60,000 or so residents, the businesses and the civic groups how they will be able to 'access' access. We don't need these old white men telling us they are a 'diverse' board, nor do we need Mr. Pilleri issuing a letter to Mary Fiorello telling her why she doesn't really want to be a member of TV 3, nor do we need to see the images of Frank Pilleri arguing with former Vice President Carl Galusi at the Fire House or shutting off the late Pat Fiorello's camera, images we saw on the cable channel itself.
We don't need 8 lawsuits or legal complaints issued to the City or to prolific volunteers who only want to do shows that they pay for.
So when the last four managers at TV 3 dating back to Steve Klooney in 1996 have not been able to provide true access television to our community, we who fund the station wonder why Medford should have a college student installed as the manager when surrounding cities have professionals who have been in Access television for decades. All due respect to Dan Sarno but his essay was poorly written and failed to give the community any evidence that we will not be harassed, sued or threatened if we fork over an additional $30.00 to a station that can't even respond professionally to the Mayor and to the auditors and the judge that the Mayor hired to get some answers. If TV 3 Medford's board of directors called Judge Jackson-Thompson a 'witch', which they did, and her evaluation a 'witch hunt', then what will they call ratepayers who cross those defensive, thin-skinned and vicious old men who have 'broken the spirit of access' in our city, to quote Stephani
Burke, one of 7 city councilors who voted against TV 3 on April 30, 2009.
---Joe Viglione is host of Visual Radio, a program that airs in Massachusetts and New York but is currently not on the air in Medford, Massachusetts specifically because he dares exercise his First Amendment right to tell the public what is really going on at 5 High Street, TV 3
Furthermore, Gary Zappelli appears to have utilized the TV 3 phone number and former address at Canal Street - property of the non-profit funded by the community - for his own personal web business.
So we can understand Zappelli's comment you 'will never please everyone in Medford' because we who fund the station (that includes you) don't approve of that kind of conduct.
Here's more information:
In response to Dan Sarno's April 22, 2009 update on TV 3 - the community appreciates Mr. Sarno's efforts on behalf of media in this city, however there is still the presence of the embattled 'board of directors' of Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. that concerns many residents and Comcast subscribers.
With decades of broken promises it is pretty hard to convince the people funding the channel that things will be different, and will positive changes continue if the current board of directors survives the scrutiny of a retired judge, the Mayor, the City Solicitor, the City Council and the auditors at Melanson Heath & Co, PC?
Millions of dollars in subscriber paid fees have flowed to this station with little or no accountability to those of us who pay for what is supposed to be our access channel. If an elected official doesn't do the job we hire them to do the voters have a chance to replace that individual. Why have Comcast Subscribers had less of a say in who handles our access channel and gets to dictate how these millions of dollars have been spent?
When the Audit of TV 3 was issued by the City Solicitor on May 7, 2009 this new public record makes it clear that not only does the board of Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. refuse to issue an annual report the way Malden Access TV does (a station Frank Pilleri claims he emulates), TV3 management refused to comply with the highly respected firm of
Melanson Heath & Company, PC which issued this correspondence to TV3:
'We have concluded that we are unable to express an opinion because limitations have been placed on the scope of our audit as outlined in our report and the following paragraph.
Your accounting records were incomplete during the period under audit and we were not able to apply alternative procedures to determine the completeness of the statements and related disclosures. TV3's management has not provided us evidence to support the $55,000 receivable on your financial statements. Additionally, TV3's management has declined to provide us with suffient representation on your financial statements...'
The letter goes on to say that the management, which includes two individuals who claim to be 'money managers' and offer advice to Medford viewers, cited 'numberous references to accounting standards and accounting practices which we are not familiar with and which we do not understand.'
Frankly, the Comcast Subscribers who fund the enterprise don't quite understand how individuals we never hired who admit they don't know how to count are able to play with millions of dollars and not be held accountable to the people who fund the station.
Not only has Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. failed to account to the ratepayers/subscribers fairly and honestly, they have dictated policies and procedures which censor local programming, have funded what appears to be a private film studio, they have refused to hold elections in January of 2008 - even though those elections would still have been tilted in favor of the existing board, and they have failed miserably at hiring someone who can effectively manage the station. One fellow failed to show up to work on time and closed the facility early, his successor - when hired by TV 3 - was unqualified and went back to school (he is now at a premier access station and actually spoke out about current management), the woman who succeeded him resigned instead of speaking to Judge Jackson-Thompson about her qualifications and questions about money, and the board of directors itself failed to show up at a November 15, 2008 hearing at City Hall that they
demanded.
So when Dan Sarno writes in the Transcript that everything is lovely and we should all forgive and forget and come on down, we must respectfully point out that with station management on the hot seat, we can't believe that things will be any different than they were before, no matter how passionate and sincere the young man is. Dan Sarno videotaped the October 29, 2008 evaluation hearing and has some idea of the problems, but he is fresh meat for the board of directors to carve and, if they somehow wiggle out of their current situation, past history indicates they will throw Dan under the bus as viciously as Dawn Natalia is humiliated by station management in the Melanson, Heath & Company, PC audit.
The installation of yet another manager by a board of directors not elected by residents or cable subscribers is similar to Rod Blagojevich, (ranked by Rasmussen polling as 'America's Least Popular Governor') appointing Roland Burris to the Senate. Remember, Blagojevich's popularity was at an all-time low before he was 'evaluated', and the same could be said for Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. which is facing more accountability and demands for transparency than it has ever faced in its entire existence.
In 2002 a former employee (and former Medford Transcript writer) Marc Lemay said to me that Mayor McGlynn should 'blow up the entire board and start fresh' (paraphrased). 7 years later the wrongful conduct at TV 3 continues with Frank Pilleri, David Skerry, Steve Marra, Cornelius Murphy, Arthur Alan Deluca, Gary Zappelli, Harvey Alberg and Ron Delucia dictating to the 60,000 or so residents, the businesses and the civic groups how they will be able to 'access' access. We don't need these old white men telling us they are a 'diverse' board, nor do we need Mr. Pilleri issuing a letter to Mary Fiorello telling her why she doesn't really want to be a member of TV 3, nor do we need to see the images of Frank Pilleri arguing with former Vice President Carl Galusi at the Fire House or shutting off the late Pat Fiorello's camera, images we saw on the cable channel itself.
We don't need 8 lawsuits or legal complaints issued to the City or to prolific volunteers who only want to do shows that they pay for.
So when the last four managers at TV 3 dating back to Steve Klooney in 1996 have not been able to provide true access television to our community, we who fund the station wonder why Medford should have a college student installed as the manager when surrounding cities have professionals who have been in Access television for decades. All due respect to Dan Sarno but his essay was poorly written and failed to give the community any evidence that we will not be harassed, sued or threatened if we fork over an additional $30.00 to a station that can't even respond professionally to the Mayor and to the auditors and the judge that the Mayor hired to get some answers. If TV 3 Medford's board of directors called Judge Jackson-Thompson a 'witch', which they did, and her evaluation a 'witch hunt', then what will they call ratepayers who cross those defensive, thin-skinned and vicious old men who have 'broken the spirit of access' in our city, to quote Stephani
Burke, one of 7 city councilors who voted against TV 3 on April 30, 2009.
---Joe Viglione is host of Visual Radio, a program that airs in Massachusetts and New York but is currently not on the air in Medford, Massachusetts specifically because he dares exercise his First Amendment right to tell the public what is really going on at 5 High Street, TV 3
1 comments:
There is NO verbal order from Judge Diane Kottmyer, you very sick, mentally ill individual - get help before you physically hurt yourself or someone else!
Joe Viglione is a homophobic homosexual who thinks every conversation contains anti-gay references. You are mentally sick Joe - get help QUICK! No wonder the gay community has totally ostracized you. Has your "roommate" walked out on you yet? No? Well be prepared for it to happen soon if you do not immediately check yourself into a mental hospital.
Un-American Joe Viglione is presently engaged in the elder abuse of an American War veteran. Joe is a traitor to this country; every good American should spit on him whenever he comes near (which hopefully is NEVER). This man should be banned from the United States of America, all it's territories and possessions and all it's allies. This man is the lowest of lowlife scum. He is not fit to breathe the air of this planet. He is reviled by ALL human beings everywhere (except for John Byers - who is lacking in the mental capacity to see Joe for who & what he really is). This man is a disgrace to humanity and is particularly hated by the Gay Community he has been a traitor to. He is morally bancrupt, friendless and totally useless - a complete waste of the carbon atoms it took to create this utterly reprehensible life form!
Delusional Joe Viglione makes up content on John senior's speech. Hey Joe - we have tapes of that conversation, too. There are no "waahh' crying sounds on it. John senior does NOT slur his speech. It does not sound that way to ANY reasonable person; the only slurring is in your own psychotic mind. There are NO mocking voice inflections. Again, the mocking is in your own delusional brain.And isn't it funny how all along John Jr has agreed that he never before held a job and now magically, you produce TWO of them. How much "remembering" did it take for you to get him to say that? Can he produce any documentation to back up these alleged "jobs"? Does he have any papers? any pay stubs? a W-2 form? Can he produce a tax return declaring that income? If you're not being PAID, then you don't have a JOB. But then you wouldn't really know about documentation and that sort of thing; claiming poverty as you do. With all that "under the table" and "cash only" work that you do so that you can file for poverty benefits. birds of a feather, you and John Jr it seems - neither of you know anything about honesty and decency. At least not now that you've corrupted John Jr. now THAT is abuse of the highest order. A father reprimanding his son for being a freeloading goldbrick would NEVER be considered abuse in ANY court of law. being "special needs" does NOT give someone the right to freeload if they are capable of doing something for themself but just REFUSE to. You are a real piece of garbage - lower than the scum in the sewers beneath the feet of decent people who walk above it.
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
Poor Joe, you had to shut off your "followers"
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
You just couldn't face those truthful statements
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
You couldn't risk having anyone read the TRUTH about you
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
You didn't want to be exposed as the asshole that everyone already knows you are
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
so Boo Hoo Hoo
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
go home and cry in your pillow
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
you insignificant little useless man
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
because the truth of the matter is I BEAT YOU limpdick
JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
I WIN and JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!! JOE VIGLIONE LOSES!!!
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