Foundation Journal

JCTV community TV station in Jefferson City reported today some good news about the status of city funding on their Facebook Page : "We are pleased to announce that the City Council's budget committee voted to restore $55,000 to the budget for JCTV. The budget will go before the full Council for adoption Tuesday. Though this is good news, our work is far from over, as $55,000 is only one-third of our regular operating budget. But we are committed to providing public access television services to the community." Perhaps what made the difference to save funding for the community TV is the public pressure, including a huge turnout from Lincoln University students and a strong appeal from NAACP Jefferson City chapter president Nimrod Chapel.

A KMOU TV report also discussed the funding question in a August 3 report -- see video below. And a  KRCG 13 report on August 26 mentioned the city council was still deliberating the funding question, and rescheduled budget vote.

The News Tribune reported today that Jeff City residents and Lincoln University administrators, including Lincoln University President Kevin Rome, asked Jefferson City council members to continue funding JCTV , the community TV station serving that area. The city is considering cutting the $110,000 funding to the station as reported by KRCG TV13. Rome sees the importance of JCTV for the university when he said  “I would like to see that relationship grow and flourish,” Rome said. “When you invest in Lincoln University, you invest in the community.” The station does not seem to be doing any groundbreaking investigative reporting -- a recent episode of "Missouri River Regional Library Show" focused on quilting and fiber arts. However, t he station's programming does include about 30% educational programs , according to JCTV station manager Gloria Enloe.  And JCTV airs recordings of Jefferson City council meetings and planning and zoning meetings, which addresses the...

A low-cost, public-funded community television outlet is under attack by Jefferson City, Missouri legislators. News about its possible demise surfaced in news reports in February. An article in the Jefferson City News-Tribune indicated that the media outlet will stop broadcasting unless the city provides $55,000 in funding or another institution like Lincoln University picks up the operation of the station. The station produces local programs like "Community Connection" and "Missouri Viewpoints," which provides a "community service...that helps you know what's happening with local government and also gives a voice to those that would not otherwise be heard." Unless there's a particular reason for closing the station it seems in good practice to have a monitor of local government, especially in the Missouri state capital of Jefferson City. Some opinions on the topic argue that the city is not facing a financial crisis and supports continuatio...

Mary Sanchez, writing for the Kansas City Star on May 4, 2011, highlighted the predicament former Missouri drug convicts face when trying to live outside prison walls. Missouri is one of nine states where a person can commit murder, rape, aggravated assault, armed robbery, any number of violent crimes and, after serving time, still be allowed food stamps. But be an ex-felony drug offender? No way. Those folks have a lifetime ban on receiving food stamps. This item was part of the Missouri legislative session in 2009 when Missouri food assistance advocates visited Jefferson City. Legislators just couldn't do the right thing and remove this burden from people that have paid their time for the crime. Sanchez makes a good case for allowing former felons to receive the food assistance benefit. Providing the benefit would allow these people to lead a somewhat dignified life as they find employment, housing, and other basic services. She argues that providing access to this essent...

A group of 30 people from Harvesters and area food agencies traveled to Jefferson City for Harvesters’ Advocacy Day. The group met up with other food bank workers and agencies from Missouri food banks. We started with a short meeting hearing from Rep. Bob Nance, a Republican author of legislation to increase supplemental food stamp assistance for elderly. Bob Nance encouraged workers in food banks to continue serving a vital community need – providing emergency food aid. Brian Colby with the Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance addressed the food bank group. He emphasized that food banks are on the front line of the economic downturn by focusing on the safety net of food assistance. He noted that food stamps provide an economic benefit to local communities by injecting funds into people’s hands to purchase food. The group heard from Jan with the Ozarks Food Bank and Karen Haren with Harvesters. After the brief gathering, individuals were invited to visit with legislators. I had four...