Street Jazz

Some new blood has joined the Fayetteville Telecomm Board in the past few months, and while the TB has been criticized in the past for being in danger of becoming a debating society (with some individuals seemingly unaware that they are making the same points over and over, meeting after meeting), some real progress has been made of late.

Recent subcommittee meetings have marked a real sea change, and the TB will play an active role in the city’s attempts to fashion policies around the newer forms of social media, just as they have long done so.

Fayetteville is the only city in Arkansas with a Telecommunications Board, and it is something that we should all take pride in. Other cities lack the foresight to tackle the future the way that our city has.

If they deal with the issue at all, they will probably imitate what we have done.

If you are interested in telecommunications issues - be they the emerging world of Twitter, television, WiFi, or anything related - this may be the place you should be.

From the official Fayetteville description of the TB:

The purpose of the Telecommunications Board is to advise the City Council on telecommunication issues and to coordinate and oversee telecommunications franchise systems and use of the public rights of way designated for public access, educational, and governmental (PEG) use in the City of Fayetteville as part of the City’s telecommunication infrastructure.

Requirements for applicants:

Telecommunications infrastructure management, public policy development regarding communication and telecommunications issues, television, or other appropriate expertise. Members shall be registered voters and residents of the City of Fayetteville, and shall have resided therein for at least six months prior to their appointment.

Deadline is at the end of this week, so contact the City Clerk, if you are interested.

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Quote of the Day

There are some situations from which one can only escape by acting like a devil or a lunatic. - George Orwell

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Oops, I Did It Again Department

I just love the word community. How else to explain the fact that I used yesterday in the following sentence when I meant to say “committee”:

And while most members of the community seem well-represented on the community, there seems to be one glaring exception - Community Access Television.

Or maybe I was just lazy and didn’t proofread like I should have.

I’ll type. You decide.

rsdrake@nwark.com