Medford Mercury publishes Letter to the Editor re: TV 3 and Mayor McGlynn

Dear Editor,

RE: Medford Mercury front page June 10, 2011

It was interesting reading Mayor McGlynn's opinion about the Waste Management program he installed.  What residents need to know is why and how the City of Everett reportedly gives back to the community - rewards consumers when they recycle.  Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks gift cards is a nice way for the residents to feel like they are getting something for putting in the extra effort to "go green."  When one considers that the Mayor charges $2.00 a bag for additional trash containers that a City Councilor says are valued at twenty-five cents, and that if one of the green containers - the trash container or the recycling bin - is stolen or lost, the residents may be charged $100.00 or so to replace either or both containers.

There are many Mayors up for re-election on November 8th, including Michael J. McGlynn.

This handy TinyURL will give you a list: http://tinyurl.com/november8mayors

What is also interesting is that on the front page of the Boston Globe June 10, 2011 the presidential race is in the news...Newt Gingrich's staff making an exodus.  Since the presidential election is 17 months away it is imperative for Medford residents to be able to discuss openly an election that is less than 5 months away.  McGlynn is in his 24th year, that is an enormous amount of time for stagnation to hit. Those 24 years that he is in office allow for a power base that is difficult to topple.

Which makes access to the media all the more imperative for each and every Medford resident, business and civic group.  

On Tuesday evening, June 14, 2011 I will be addressing the City Council of Medford on the topic of full access for all Medford residents.  

An individual who is planning on running for the office of Mayor phoned me on June 9th to say that he was contacted by a board member of Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. and informed that they believed he needed a "legal guardian" to go on the air on Monday night. He was planning on being in-studio with former TV 3 vice president Carl Galusi who hosts the Open House with Ziggy Bush show.  The board member who phoned the possible candidate is the same individual who pulled a video that State Rep Paul Donato wanted aired a few years back.  The Board of Directors of TV 3 deemed the video "objectionable" (there was reportedly criticism of how TV is being operated) and one board member took it upon himself to remove the program during an election cycle.

State Rep Paul Donato has called political speech "the most protected right".  In September of 2009 the current Vice President of TV 3 offered that all City Councilors could state their platforms on TV 3 with no questions.  This appeared to be the access TV station - which has been highly critical of the City Council, offering a quid pro quo - get airtime on your Public Access channel (when elected officials already have the Government Channel), and wink wink nudge nudge - TV 3 would allegedly back off of flinging the mud at the candidates for elected office.

The citizens of Medford deserve free and full access to the airwaves.  Horse trading between those who have taken control of access television and those running for elected office puts a huge question mark on the entire process.

Add to the problems at the embattled station the huge amount of Comcast subscriber's monies spent on litigation to keep people out of TV 3...including a suit against the city itself...and you see why my call for ALL elected officials to demand TV 3 open its doors to everyone in the community is a valid one.

Had I begged mercy from TV 3 they would have welcomed me with open arms.  All Frank Pilleri - the self-appointed president of TV 3 - wants is people to obey him.  That is not how it works in a free society.  CIty Solicitor Mark E. Rumley told me he felt that TV 3 was run like "Havana".  He also told me that David Skerry, the station's attorney, told Mr. Pilleri that he was conducting business in an "Un-American" fashion.   Politics is very American.  For years we have not had access - full access - to state our opinions - especially when it comes to how TV 3 operates.   Election 2011 is Mayor McGlynn's chance to be the true oversight, the Issuing Authority, and not have his cronies block the door and stand in the way of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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Other news - Newt Gingrich was in New Hampshire last night
http://news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/20110614/pl_atlantic/gingrichcharitypaidcashgingrichbusiness38810

Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, told ABC, "The spirit of operating a non-profit organization is to work for the public good regardless of the politics that are involved... I believe it violates that spirit." Borochoff said of Gingrich's use of ReAL's donor list,