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Council presses Brockton Community Access director on missed live coverage; Mercer promises fixes
Summary
Councilors criticized the local public-access broadcaster for missed live coverage of recent elections, the annual parade and routine meetings; BCA Executive Director Scott Mercer said staffing and city-owned equipment problems contributed and pledged to work with IT and provide annual reports.
Councilors questioned Brockton Community Access (BCA) Executive Director Scott Mercer about community complaints that local events and municipal meetings were not aired live or were missing from the public-access channel.
Councilor Azak opened the discussion, saying residents called him asking for results after an election lacked live coverage. Mercer, who said he has been in the role about "2 and a half years," said the station covered the recent election as a recorded (live-to-tape) program after an equipment failure and aired the results multiple times on HD and standard-definition channels. "We put it out at 10PM ... and then the next day ... we ran it 10 times," Mercer said.
Councilors pressed Mercer on repeated technical problems that have affected council chambers coverage, the parade and youth sports. Mercer acknowledged staffing constraints and that the station operates city-owned equipment, which he said his organization does not maintain. He promised to provide annual reports, meet with IT and the mayor's office, and work through specific incidents the council supplies. The committee recommended a resolve inviting the BCA executive director to return for further follow-up; one councilor abstained from the recommendation vote.
