My sincere compliments to Nick Kouros for his revealing article on the Harvard Cable Access Committee [in last week’s Press]. The information uncovered by his research and personal experience is sobering.
My involvement with the Cable Committee spans almost 10 years. I’ve witnessed the members’ baffling logic, perpetual inexperience, unwillingness to learn, and their dogged pursuit of mediocrity. Nonetheless, I was stunned by the sheer negligence, arrogance, and ineptitude related in Mr. Kouros’ article.
Consider HCAC Chairwoman Pat Natoli’s flat refusal to answer any of Mr. Kouros’ questions about her committee’s training, operations, or goals. She might as well have said, “It’s none of your business.” And this, not only to a Harvard resident and cable subscriber, but to a reporter.
After attending two training classes conducted by HCAC, Mr. Kouros reports that at neither class did the instructor know how to operate the equipment he was supposed to demonstrate. The hubris in not learning about the equipment ahead of time is mind boggling. And one of the instructors was Jonathan Williams, the most senior member of the committee.
Mr. Williams’ response was, “There’s no one that knows everything, but if we needed to, we could hire trainers.” If you don’t know how to use your own equipment, when is there a greater need to hire trainers?
Mr. Williams also suggests that, even though they have yet to use the spacious studio they have, the HCAC should partner with other towns and create an even larger studio. To produce an even larger amount of nothing, perhaps?
Committee member Ray Dunn notes HCAC is buying equipment “that will allow around-the-clock broadcasting.” To broadcast what? HCAC struggles to air even 24 hours of programming a week. More public funds wasted.
Asked about HCAC’s progress, Peter Warren, current BOS-HCAC liaison replied, “I really can’t speak to the specifics, because what these people do is so technical it’s beyond my comprehension.” No vision, no planning, no training, no programming, no leadership, no accountability—what’s so technical about that?
Selectman Tim Clark sums it up perfectly: “The committee itself is the barrier…”.
I couldn’t agree more.
Keith Turner
Littleton County Road
