Philadelphia Community Access Coalition
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MS. PRESTON: My name is Joan Preston. I am a representative of the Town of Deliverance Television Ministry, where our pastor, Benjamin Smith, is president of the organization. And we have been working in conjunction with this coalition.

I'm coming to you as a concerned citizen, a working individual, and a representing of God-fearing people who want to see our city productive, aware of the current technologies, and identify some of the advantages that these technologies will provide to our communities.

I want to point out three specific benefits about public access. People like you and I can learn how to produce and air our own television shows for little or no cost. We often criticize the kind of programming that comes across the tubes. Public access will provide the opportunity to make a change.

An example. There is an organization out of Chicago that are dedicated in keeping the youths off the streets. Once a week, they sponsor a youth safe night. On that night, the youth of Chicago link up with the youths in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and this is all done through public access. As of today, they are 15,000 strong. These young people have a sense of purpose, and they are displaying to America that they can come together and communicate as mature people. Wouldn't it be great if the youth of Philadelphia were privileged to link up with the youth in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. on youth safe night?

The second benefit. Public access would do for us what the media does not; and that is, afford us the opportunities to tell events exactly as they happen. It is the bridge that our town need to bridge all people together.

The citizens of Philadelphia deserve public access. City Council, you must permit this opportunity to become a reality for the citizens of Philadelphia. I remind you that we are only the only major city that does not have public access.

The final benefit that I have is, basically, public access is a mystery to our general public. We want the opportunity to take away this mystery. Public access would assure us of more exposure to religious programs, education, local events, science programs, and cultural events. This is a tool that would bring the residential and business communities together.

The former president and newly-elected John Street --

COUNCILMAN ORTIZ: He hasn't been elected yet.

MS. PRESTON: Well, we think he's going to be.

-- assured us in previous hearings that City Council wants to do the right thing about public access.

And I conclude, the time of Deliverance Television Ministry and the Philadelphia Community Access Coalition are aware of the concern that if public access would become a reality, it would encourage pornography and stances that could serve as destructive to our children. Please understand that the citizens of this great city, many, many of whom are God-fearing people and whose desires are to build and strengthen their communities would not contribute to its destruction.

Public access is not only a need, but a must. We have visualized this access to be a resource that would bring a broad range of education and awareness to the general public.

Therefore, we welcome the opportunity to build relationships and network from community to community, from cultural to cultural, and from urban to rural. This is what public access is all about -- learning from and about each other.

And I thank you.

COUNCILMAN ORTIZ: Thank you.

(Applause.)

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