BAVC Abruptly Drops "Democracy Now" and Stops Streaming Channels on SF Public Access TV

BAVC, the new operator of San Francisco Public Access Television, abruptly dropped the popular daily news program "Democracy Now" from its' daily broadcast schedule on Wednesday, December 30, 2009. BAVC also dropped a number of other previously scheduled programs from its' scheduled day-to-day line-up, including "The Global Report", a weekly half-hour geo-political news show produced by Free Speech TV. As of this date, no daily or monthly broadcast schedule is posted at its' website BAVC.org.

BAVC also abruptly stopped streaming both of the SF Public Access TV channels 29/76 on December 30, 2009, shutting out potentially thousands of Internet viewers from watching any of the locally-produced programs.

BAVC continues to keep the doors closed to the SF Community Access TV station at 1720 Market Street where a monthly rent
of approximately $17K continues to be paid from City funds. BAVC originally closed the station on December 18, 2009, preventing access to the production facility to all local community access producers and programmers. Three days later,
BAVC began a Giveaway of the Station's furnishings, props, and other public property to private parties, without compensation,
as required by City policy.

To date, BAVC has failed to file an approved "Exit Plan" (Transitional Plan) with the City and County of San Francisco, as required by the Franchise Agreement signed by BAVC and City and County of San Francisco on August 20, 2009.

Arguably, all of the changes outlined in this report can be interpreted as violations of the current Franchise Agreement.

Viewers and Producers of SF Community Access TV are encouraged to file written and oral complaints regarding these changes with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Department of Technology and Information Services (DTIS), City Attorney, District
Attorney, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

News Updates will continue to be posted here on Indybay.org on BAVC's Hijacking of SF Community Access TV. Stay tuned.