News Summary

MIDDLETOWN — TV Middletown touts itself as being positively Middletown.

However, mayoral candidate Paul Nagy said the city's local cable access channel won't give any air time for those who oppose public levies and are using the channel in a partisan way.

He also claimed the channel was "going overboard" in airing only one side of the issue.

On Monday, Nagy sent an e-mail about that and other issues to city Law Director Les Landen and asked that he file suit on behalf of Middletown residents, have their funds withdrawn or "immediately make arrangements for new operators."

Nagy said the channel should be responsible for fair and equitable service to all citizens of Middletown because it receives city funding.

Landen responded that "TV Middletown is a nonprofit corporation separate and apart from the city." He said if Nagy had any complaints he should contact the channel's board of directors. Also, Landen said once Middletown City Council makes its contribution to TV Middletown, the channel can use those funds as it sees fit because "it loses its character as tax dollars."

A portion of TV Middletown's operating revenues, about $140,000, comes from the cable franchise fee paid to the city from Time Warner Cable. A portion of the franchise fee goes to TV Middletown, while the remainder goes for other city operations.

Ty Thomas, TV Middletown's executive director, said Nagy wanted to go on the air to give a rebuttal against both Middletown City Schools tax levies as well as the city's proposed five-year, 0.25 percent income tax increase for public safety. Nagy is on record as against the levies on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Thomas also said TV Middletown had televised three candidates' forums as of Monday for Nagy to express his views. He said Nagy has been a guest on "TVM Cafe" and TV Middletown has televised a meeting where he shared his city revitalization ideas.

Thomas said the TV Middletown board of directors, which has three active or inactive members who are candidates running for office this fall, discourage negative programming.

"The majority of the board said 'if it isn't positively Middletown, we're not going to do it,'" Thomas said. "Our job is to sell the city and not put it down. The city has never told us to do any type of programming."

Michael Scorti, board president, said "we don't take sides."

Scorti said the channel is trying to survive and has three full-time workers busy producing more than 400 programs a year.