Subject: Re: Cable Access
From: [email-masked] (J. David Johnson)
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 06:39:43 -0500

>	With all this talk about it being an untapped resource, I want to 
>know if there is anyone in the Toronto region that might be interested in 
>trying to do something to be aired!
>	Any interest? Any Ideas? ANYONE!!! 
>

It's funny this topis arose.

I work for a cable company currently as a graphic designer/photoclassified
coordinator.

I have slowly built up my equipment at "home" til now, which I feel I have
everything
(read - bare essentials) I need to begin business.

I've done several weddings, a couple corporate/industrial videos and several
animations
for other production companies and corporate customers.

Eventually I plan to leave the cable company and "go for it" full time.
Leased access
always interested me as an opportunity to take two personal loves and make
show that
could hopefully make some money for me.

My previous boss was kind enough to give me our companies policy on L.A. and
our rate
conversion breakdown. (Ya know, the complicated formula the F.C.C. designed
to make it
easier for us to afford L.A. by forcing the cable companies to sell at an
average value"

For instance, my market has 28,000 subs.  A 1/2 hour program could air for
around $25!

I want to produce a hunting/fishing show that is based on local information.

I can be done, but my suggestion to all is that you approach your cable co.
in a positive
manner.  You will be seen as a possible revenue threat, taking ad dollars
away from their
insertable networks.

However, if you feel the program is sellable, you may wish to go to the
Cable Co. & say:

I have a 1/2 hour program I'd like to discuss with you. It has avails that
you can sell and
being local, will help with your community awareness level.

For instance if you have 3 - 2 minute breaks (4 - :30 spots ea.) in each
show that's 12 avails.

Say to a cable company: I have a major sponsor who needs 2 avails and I'd
like to keep 2 avails
for myself to help offset the cost of the show and make it profitable for my
company.

That leave you 8 avails each show (weekly) at a value of $X dollars (in my
market I guess an
outdoors show could get around $75 a spot.  That's $600 weekly or $2400 to
$3000 a month.

I'll produce the entire show and hand you a tape each week for the next
weeks show.

What I'd like from you is for you  to air the program at least three times
per week at no cost to
me, and provide 50 or more cross channel promotional spots per week
announcing the show and airdates
and times, my major sponsor and the cable company of course.  (To make it
easier for you to sell they
will see the value in promotional advertising and will probably use all
resources to promote it)

If they say no (bad move for most ad managers) ask why?  Find out what they
object to and see if
it can be overcome.  If worse comes to worse, then simply let them know that
you are sincere in
getting your program on the air and that you'd like the rates for Leased
Access and their rates
for their commercial airtime.  Reinforce the fact that you wanted to create
a good business
relationship and thought that this offer was mutually beneficial.  Let them
know that you
feel that with their help, your program could thrive and for them, it could
become a popular 
revenue generating program for them, perhaps outbilling (because of it's
local appeal) CNN's
Larry King Live or USA's World Premiere Movies.

Constantly sell the ad manager on "targeted audience" (who will watch the
program) and how that
a local program of (you program's) type would offer even greater targeting
because of it's local
content.

You may not get anywhere, but this is where I would start.

Just a little info from someone on the "inside - looking - well... inside". 
J. David - Video GT