MISSION — Information about the goings-on at the city of Mission will now be available with the flip of a channel due to a project to launch their own cable network.
The city announced the debut of their own cable channel, channel 1300 on Spectrum cable, that they will use to broadcast city meetings, provide updates on city projects, and relay information during emergency situations.
Mayor Armando O’Caña unveiled the channel which he said would enable the city to reach audiences that they might not have reached through social media.
“As the mayor of the city of Mission, my goal has always been to increase transparency and always maintain a strong line of communication with our residents,” O’Caña said, recalling that a new channel had been a vision of his for a few years.
The channel, which launched on Dec. 1, will be on 24 hours and will soon also be broadcast online through the city’s website.
“Whenever you want it, wherever you are, it represents public service at its best,” O’Caña said.
City Manager Randy Perez said the process of launching the channel was a lengthy one that entailed setting up meetings with Spectrum, obtaining the technology, purchasing equipment and setting up a control room.
“All that was in coordination with the cable company,” Perez said.
The city’s channel is a Public, Education and Governmental Access channel enabled by federal law. The franchise fees that cable companies pay to the city are being used to fund this initiative.
One segment that will be included in the programming is one called “City Manager Updates” that will air on a biweekly basis.
“I want to focus on projects, for example, so I want to provide the details of the projects,” he said of what will be addressed during that segment. “A perfect example is the seven drainage projects that we’re working on that many people might not be aware of.”
He also wants to use the segment to address questions or concerns so he encourages the public to submit those to the city.
The cable channel will also provide the city’s emergency phone numbers, city department information, their social media platforms and job opportunities.
City council meetings will air Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., while regularly scheduled meetings will be aired live. Those are held every second and fourth Monday of the month.
