This blog is a place to truly let your voices be heard. Quote-Unquote, Inc. has gone through a lot these last several months, if not years. Our supporters who have stood by us have experienced the same struggles, challenges and motivation to not give up this fight to demand media justice to our community. This is about people's continued access to media. This is about people's voices, not high quality productions. Please let your voice be heard here.
As a young student activist, Quote unquote gave me the voice that no mainstream media has given me. It provided me a platform to talk about things that matter to me. The great people that work at Quote Unquote were really supportive and work hard to make sure that everybody's voice is heard. Please don't take away Quote Unquote, that would be a huge detriment to our community, and a huge detriment to young student activists like myself all across New Mexico.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible the new organization operating the stations could do a better job of providing the services that Quote Unquote were contracted to provide? I am curious.
ReplyDeleteQuote Unquote Inc. has given accessible media training to Albuquerque residents for 30 years. The price was right, the training was great and the hands on experience was perfect. Channel 27 staff has lobbied for laws to create more media access for New Mexicans and also spearheaded the creation of the Media Arts Collaborative Charter school. I gained the critical skills needed to expand my skills as a designer by learning video work at CCC27. The contract needs to stay with the folks who have always "got the job done"...while working for pennies. My name is Zack Freeman and I support Quote Unquote Inc.
ReplyDeleteUnless there is something more that you can add as to why you were not awarded the contract there is not much one can say. I understand the RFP process so even if you were to get people to call the City that would not have any bearing on the RFP award.
ReplyDeleteMy son is planning on staring as a Freshman at UNM next year, and already is involved in media here in Santa Fe. Students need Quote Unquote to remain in place, as it provides opportunities that are not offered elsewhere, and sets an example for locals to admire. Please do not move QUQ from channels 26 and 27.
ReplyDeleteWhy don;t you look into to who U Public is and see just how capable they are just by there website and past history. The were awarded the contract to run education access and that was a year ago. And they can't even get a channel nor a website that works. Do you think they have more experience????
ReplyDeleteU TV website.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.upublic.tv/Default.aspx
What a joke!!!
The City Council has final say in the contract. And its not over by a long shot the people of Albuquerque deserve better. This is the last airwaves that are truly owned by the public.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine, a businessman, when he heard about QUQ losing the contract it has had for 30 years, said: "The city awarded it to a non-performer (UPublic) who bid higher? Sounds fishy..."
ReplyDeleteProgramming has been very interesting and educational. We need a true public station to express free speech and QUC has done a great job! Let's encourage the City Council to reevaluate this issue!
ReplyDeletePublic access TV, who could have seen this coming? City of Albuquerque all lawyered up and cutting you off at the knees, no good deeds go unpunished they say, follow the money: your replacement organization was spawned from somewhere, cable operators really don't want diversity or grass-roots programming. Challenge the award, evolve through this roadblock, stay agile and honest. Discover more about who and why and when you've been thrown under the bus. This switching of channels has an author, find out and challenge it with courage and truth.
ReplyDeleteWhat is UPublic going to do that QUC hasn't done? The diversity of opinion, thought, speech, under-represented information, etc. that they (QUC) have provided in our age of over-bearing - and too often detrimental - commercialism has been tremendous over the years and a necessity to a society trying to function democratically (well, not everyone is "trying", LOL!)....I agree with the person who said it sounds "fishy"...
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable---the city awarding the contract to THE HIGHEST BIDDER whose track record of running a tv channel is: he has the contract for the Education channel and that has been off the air for a year! Why is the city continuing to pay someone to not air any programming? The City Council should investigate his current contract to operate the Education Channel, let alone awarding him to operate public access channel 27 and encantada channel 26. the city awarded the contract to U-public TV, run by a guy named Rick Metz.
ReplyDeleteWow hard to imagine!
Deletei fear that if this goes thru, and UPublicTV runs public access tv channel 27 that it will be online only, no live shows, no shows in a studio, just edited videos. and the sense of a community media center with all the training and support and networking will go down the drain.
ReplyDeleteI own the Albuquerque Clothing Company and run a design studio called Brighter Design, and I am currently consulting for economic development here in Rio Rancho, and understand the financial issues maintaining city services can bring. I have been following this because I have a personnel interest and investment at stake. I work in the City, live in the City, and feel I deserve to have my voice heard. Over the last couple months, Ms. Jones of Quote Unquote was finishing a training program in graphic design and motion design production. I was planning to work with Quote Unquote bringing 20 years of design and brand management experience to a classroom environment. The City Council’s recent decision has effectively stalled and adversely affected this opportunity for City residents.
ReplyDeleteAs this is a financial decision, I'm saddened the City hasn't given this the full attention it necessitates. To lose a functional and successful program like can Quote Unquote, which is looking to expand its service, demonstrates the shortsighted nature of the City’s decision. Personally, it will have cost me months of work, as I am not guaranteed the new managers have any interest in my program proposal. As this is costing me and my company money, I feel it is my duty to point out what I consider to be a shortsighted political solution chosen by council members who may be overlooking the potential and efforts to create new and promising programs that benefit all City districts.
Gregg McPhedrain
President
Albuquerque Clothing Company LLC
Owner
Brighter Design Studios.
Quote Unquote is a huge part of local community in Albuquerque, NM , and contributes greatly to the local culture. My name is Peter Gallo and I support Quote Unquote inc.
ReplyDeleteTHE IDEA OF HAVING THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO A BROADER AUDIENCE OTHER THAN FAMILY AND FRIENDS IS DEMOCRACY: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND FREEDOM OF CHOICE ROLLED INTO ONE - WHY THIS IS OCCURRING TO "QUOTE UNQUOTE" NOW, AFTER SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH DISTINCTION ALL THESE YEARS IS PUZZLING, BUT NOT ALTOGETHER UNSURPRISING - THE STATION CANNOT BE CONTROLLED OR "INFLUENCED" BY THOSE WHO COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ITS BROADCASTING OR BE CALLED TO ACCOUNT FOR THEIR ACTIONS - WE HAVE FOUGHT THIS FIGHT IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND MANY TIMES BEFORE AND I HOPE WE CAN GATHER THE STRENGTH AND THE COURAGE TO FIGHT AND BE SUCCESSFUL AT IT ONCE AGAIN - YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY - Richard K. LoRe PhD.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know more details - about why the take-over /transfer is even being considered? Why is this happening without a huge public debate and lots of publicity around this issue? What is the new group offering that could possibly be any better? It looks like once again it's all about money for & from the rich...and more cuts in public resources and education. QU and the community media center have been an important educational resources in our local community for 30 years - and doing an excellent job at it. As a music teacher and musician I am very concerned about this news and the possible loss of these resources... Beth
ReplyDeleteAs a media teacher and longtime partner with Quote/Unquote, Inc., I am disappointed at the City's decision to abruptly end QUQ's management contract for Ch.'s 26 and 27. Our school currently has 6 interns placed with Quote/Unquote, and their staff have been exceptional in working with our students to train them and create new learning opportunities that these students might not otherwise have had access to. The ripple effect of this abrupt transition throws this and so many other relationships into chaos, effecting the fate not just of the QUQ staff but all those who benefit from their continued community outreach.
ReplyDeleteI am skeptical about how this decision was made, and question the lack of transparency on the City's part.
I've seen different things put out by uPUBLIC like uROCK Albuquerque, Fight Gym and the Rock this Restaurant show where they pooled efforts to increase restaurant business in ABQ and makeover Mr. Powdrells Bar BQ. The quality of those outshines anything I have ever seen on Public Access - so I remain hopeful.
ReplyDeleteuPublicTV may be a fine outfit to make pretty videos. but a community media center---a public access center--isn't about making pretty videos. it's about giving a platform to marginalized voices, training folks with zero film or video experience, who don't want to become the next steven spielberg or martin scorsese or quentin tarantino. folks who have a point of view and want to share it on the public's airwaves. we have hundreds of channels with pretty videos ---and viewers still feel that "nothing's on"---nothing is on worth watching. reality tv, sure. but grassroots folks trying to speak truth to power? that is only on ch 27 in ABQ. first we lost the trib, then we lost KUNM, then we lost Progressive New Mexico 1550 AM, and now if people don't influence city council to investigate the RFP process, we will lose public access ch 27 as we know it as well.
ReplyDeleteCome on people we know nothing about upublic but what quq scares us with. Let's give them a chance and see what they've got. Quq has had public access for 30 years! 30 years! Where's the "freedom" in holding the station for 30 years? Just like Obama, we need change! Besides I can't see it getting any worse, for goodness sake.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the other companies saying about the RFP process? The only complaint I've heard so far is from QUC, but there were 5 losing "bids". The article in the Alibi stated clearly that the City would put this out to bid "Every so often" ... so why is everyone treating this like its a surprise? If I was working to maintain a contract with the city -- I would constantly be working on improvements to quality and using modern technology to connect to the community. Beyond that, I would EXPECT every round of contract renewal to be tense... not surprised.
ReplyDeleteQuote Unquote has done an excellent job operating the public access station and I would very much like them to continue.
ReplyDeleteuPublic wants to use the public access channel to engage film and video professionals---but that isn't the purpose of public access. they want to control what goes out over the air--if it isn't awesome, popular, with high production values, they won't air it. they would be bringing a commercial model to community entity. hands off our public access channel!
ReplyDeleteI support QUQ, they have done a fine job throughout their stewardship of public access ch 26 and 27, why on earth would you want to change something that works so well within the community?, Oh, politics, I understand now, I do hope the city will reconsider and reevaluate the concept that free speech and accountability doesn't always go to the cheapest bidder. To give a platform for open, organic and live learning opportunities you need a source that works well and has support within the community, QUQ fits the role and has proven their ability to do just that. I would be among the many who would be very pleased if QUQ were allowed to stay. JM
ReplyDeleteI guess the city felt quq wasn't fit to continue.
ReplyDeleteCommunity media is by definition not slick and not business oriented. Nor is it a blank channel. It should be pretty transparent to anyone investigating this issue that the city is trying to muffle a successful community media megaphone that citizens can utilize to criticize local government and 1% elites. This is what privatization looks like -- and we can smell it all they way up here in Chicago!!! SAVE Quote Unquote Community Media Center! The handful of comments here supporting the high bidder seem shameful and/or ignorant.
ReplyDeleteA quick follow up on my earlier comment with reference to my understanding that QUQ was not the low bidder, shame on the city for their misguided move to take a true community media outlet out of service. again I would be very pleased if QUQ were allowed to stay on. One further note to the comment about how QUQ has been doing this for 30 years, so its about time for change, welllll, with that logic a good marriage that has gone for say 25 or 30 years needs to change as well, mmmmmmm, how bout our constitution, well over 200 years, time for a change their to? Don't worry about that one, it was thrown out when the Fed took over with their banking buddies and the rest of the vampire squid to put everyone in debtors prison, and if QUQ is taken off the air then you wont have to worry about hearing scary stuff like that cause it will be all rosy and sunny sailing once they privatize and kill whats left of true freedom of speech! was this a great country or what? JM
ReplyDeleteIM GLAD CAUSE THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES. THE PEOPLE WHO GET PAID AND WALK AROUND BEING RUDE TO PEOPLE THEY NEED TO GO FIND A JOB . ALL OF YOU PRODUCERS ARE GOOD . THESE PEOPLE SILENCE PEOLE AND KICK THEM OUT, NOW ITS THEIR TURN ..
ReplyDeleteHuh? Would you please be a bit more vague? :p
DeleteOh no! A 3 month extension???
ReplyDeleteThis is the only thing that works with my cable T.V. It is the main news that I get from the media. It is essential it be kept on the air just like it is. I have watched the hearings and I am not impressed with the candidate chosen to take the place of the present producers also the City Rep in these meetings was uninformed, not forth coming and appeared hostile to questions she answered. This needs to be further reviewed and posed to the public and not done in the manner shown so far. Why get rid a national awarded producer for anybody else?
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