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Fort Smith Business Meetings Go Live Over Internet Tuesday [Times Record, Fort Smith, Ark.]
[October 31, 2014]

Fort Smith Business Meetings Go Live Over Internet Tuesday [Times Record, Fort Smith, Ark.]


(Times Record (Fort Smith, AR) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 31--Fort Smith will begin live-streaming Board of Directors business meetings over the Internet beginning Tuesday, according to the city.

"I think it's a real good thing," Ward 1 Director Keith Lau said Thursday. "If a citizen has a high-speed Internet connection, they can stream us and watch us." The city televises its board meetings on Government Access Channel 214 through Cox Communications cable services. For the live stream, available via UStream, the city will use the feed television production company 777 Productions already provides. The city anticipates creating a link from its homepage, fortsmithar.gov, to the live stream.



"We've moved to, I think, the higher channels on Cox," Lau said, "which knocked some of the citizens out. We don't get it on DirecTV, Dish (Network) or AT&T. So just with all the changes in satellite and cable TV, this is going to be a welcome relief." The city's Information and Technology Services Department conducted two live-streaming tests during this month's business meetings.

"We were pleased with the trial runs," ITS Director Russell Gibson stated in a city news release. "We're using existing technologies and equipment to offer citizens yet another way to access local government." The Board of Directors' business meetings are held at 6 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of the month. On the Fort Smith website, a board meeting page maintained by the City Clerk's Office hosts an archive of all city board meeting agendas and packets dating to 2009, as well as voting summaries for most meetings in 2014.


On Fridays prior to Tuesday board meetings and study sessions, the agenda packet is posted for public inspection.

"We're excited to begin live Internet streaming of the board's business meetings," City Clerk Sherri Gard stated in the release. "This is a cost-effective method of providing our citizens with unfiltered access to local government as it happens." Board business meetings are held at the Fort Smith Public Schools Service Center on Jenny Lind Road. Video streaming will be available via UStream, under the "City of Fort Smith Board of Directors Meetings" profile. A free UStream app may be downloaded for Apple or Android devices.

Fort Smith began televising its Board of Directors meetings in 2009, but stopped in January 2011 following budget cuts. In 2012, based on higher-than-expected sales-tax revenues, directors amended the budget to include broadcasting funds. The second era of televised city meetings was ushered in that May. Television services cost the city $1,100 per meeting, according to the city.

During board business meetings, three cameras are set up: one in back aimed at the board, another to the side for close-ups of directors and a third focused on the podium. Board meetings will continue to be broadcast live and on a delayed basis on Cox cable, according to the city.

___ (c)2014 Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.) Visit Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.) at www.swtimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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