Committee on Council hears update on ATL 26 chamber broadcast upgrades; contractor to fix audio issue

Isha Collins, chair of the Committee on Council, heard a presentation on May 20, 2025, updating members on upgrades to the City of Atlanta’s broadcasting systems, including completion dates for renovated council chambers and recent costs for temporary AV services.

The presentation matters because the upgrades affect how the public watches and hears council meetings and because staff reported a technical issue that allowed the public podium microphone to be unmuted during tests — a potential concern for chamber operations and broadcast integrity.

Kimpson (Kempton) Wright, council chief of staff, said the Larry D. Dingle committee room was completed in March 2025, that “committee room 2 is scheduled for completion in mid July, 2025, perhaps August,” and that the Marvin S. Arrington Sr. council chamber was completed on May 18, 2025. Wright described new microphones, speakers, LED monitors and a Crestron system to control audio, monitors and lighting. Wright also said Comcast channel 26 will be available in the council chamber by the end of the project, likely in July or August.

Wright noted a test finding: "The presentation or the public podium microphone is supposed to be muted only from the president's seats and Crestron. However, we did notice that, this morning, just a little test." She said the contractor and ATL 26 staff were present and aware of the issue and that Clark, the contractor, was working to resolve it. Wright added that four additional speakers had been installed in the back of the room to address public-audibility concerns.

Natasha Lee, director of ATL 26, provided the costs for temporary audiovisual support during recent meetings. Lee said, "For the April 21 council meeting, it was a little over $12,000. And then for the, May meetings, including budget briefings up until the fifteenth, it was over 17 a little over $17,000." When asked to clarify, Lee confirmed those figures were aggregate totals covering setup, cabling, labor, audio and vision for the listed events.

Councilman Howard Shook asked about funding. He asked, "How much did it cost and what was the funding source?" Lee and Wright replied that the costs were split between the mayor’s Office of Communications and council contributions; Wright said funds were "split," and Lee indicated the mayor’s Office of Communications (MOC) and council shared the expense.

Wright explained a viewer experience difference between the Comcast channel and the online livestream: Comcast currently carries the council feed in standard definition, which can crop portions of the screen, while the livestream shows the full frame. She also said studio lighting will be balanced to improve on-air appearance and that room lights remain available for users who want minimal lighting.

Wright said the Clark team and ATL 26 aimed to resolve the remaining issues by May 30. Committee members did not take formal action on the presentation; staff said they will continue testing and implement contractor fixes.

The presentation included a list of city staff and contractors involved in the upgrade. No public commenters had signed up for the meeting’s public comment period.

Next steps: staff will complete remaining chamber upgrades, resolve the podium mute/unmute issue, and bring any follow-up items back to the committee as needed.