Where will SCAT go?

City plans to sell local station's home

By George P. Hassett

The city's cable access television station, the oldest in the state, is facing an uncertain future as city officials plan to sell off the station's building in Union Square.

At the April 25 Somerville News contributors meeting, Somerville Community Access Television Executive Director Wendy Blom said the station has a temporary contract to remain in the old Union Square fire station free of charge until June. She said city officials assure her they will not displace SCAT but will not agree to anything in writing.

“There is some uncertainty there. We don't know what may happen at City Hall. But we do have support in the community,” she said.

Blom said that support comes from SCAT's efforts to be “embedded” in Somerville. More than 30 percent of the station's shows are in languages other than English, she said, and programs such as Next Generation Producers offer teenagers opportunities to create their own movies, music videos and documentaries.

Last year, the young producers premiered their work on the big screen at an event held at The Somerville Theater and attended by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.

“I think people know SCAT is the place to turn to if they want to get their political views on the airwaves and people with teenagers understand all the services we offer to kids who may not play sports or have anything to do after school,” she said.

SCAT is funded through profits from cable companies. Cable companies who do business in Somerville must pay the city five percent of their profits. SCAT gets roughly one-third of that money to operate their station. Blom said their budget is under $400,000 a year.

The money helps fund a station that puts on a wide variety of shows, from “JoJo's Magic Dreamcart” - an award winning children's show that has been picked up by Rhode Island public television - to “Fruit or Breast” - an almost risqué game show that features a contestant figuring out a series of secret words, always relating to fruit or breasts, based on clues from another contestant.

Blom said Curtatone has told her the city will sell the building at 90 Union Square within the next two years. She said she would like to see SCAT find a home with other non-profit organizations.

Comments

[Historical]

Does't the old Union Square Fire Station hold any historical significance to this city and this administration? It's bad enough that we're selling off city properties to balance the budget every year (when we run out, do we sell a school, or City Hall??), but will we now sell historical buildings to the highest bidder so they can potentially be destroyed in favor of yet another ugly 'as many units as you can possibly fit in' condo building??

[taxpayer]

Everyone is worried about SCAT. How about the firefighters who for 10 years have been stuck in a trailer. How about putting us back were we should have been all along since the public safety building should never have been built at it's present sight in the first place. This seems to be the most viable option since the city seems unable to come up with a better plan.How many more members of the department have to get cancer before anyone cares. Let's get our priorities straight. What is more importent the health and safety of public safety personal or finding a new location for SCAT. Shame on you Somerville News for your misplaced concerns.

[SCAT]

Perhaps the city could sell the building to Tufts (or Harvard or MIT, based on its' location), then lease space for SCAT at exorbitant monthly fees!

[jackK]

This sounds like a perfect fit for community center that Alderman Trane has been pushing.

[Fluffy Nutter]

what a great location for a Fire Station. The city is more concerned with visions of highrise hotels. Go down to LaQuinta and visit all the drug addicts and hookers before you build any more. Check the police logs. DIdnt they just do a sting op. through craigslist and arrested several hookers doing business there? I would rather a fire station than a hotel in my neighborhood.

[J CARLTON]

SHORT MONEY TO PUT IT BACK TO WHAT IT WAS BUILT FOR A FIREHOUSE

[Fluffy Nutter]

to paraphrase Kanya West "Joe Cutatone hates Fire People"

[Well]

Joey Cakes call up Clean Genie a Buck looks good and ot to Guata you go you have a ticket to ride.

[kev]

I don't know why the firefighters have a gripe. They are living in the same lovely trailers that only 10 years ago they were told were going to be "temporary housing". How about that! Here they were 10 years ago thinking that they would have to give up the cozy confines of a double-wide trailer for a new fire station and they are the ones laughing now because when the next Hurrican Katrina rips through Somerville they will be all set, they won't have to move into a trailer like the victims of Hurricane Katrina because they are already living in one! Maybe when the City sells the old Union Square Fire Station it could spend a little bit of the profits on a new trailer for the firemen.

[Trailer Trash]

if the public safety building is so safe, lets do a swap. Put city hall here in the new Union Sq. Hotels, green line it will be awesome. We'll put the police and firemen up on Highland Ave.
Any takers?

[concerned]

This adminiatration has openly shown people what they think of public safety and those who provide. It's for others to adhere to and they have no use for those that provide it.

[Joe Bloe]

Not one more cent invested in Union Sq until the Administration promises to buy the Firemen a new trailer!!!

[I Care]

They completed the BIGDIG quicker than it took Mayor Curtatone to figure out a solution to the Firefighter's "temporary housing" in Union Sq.

[just wondering]

what do you expect from an administration that thinks it's ok for the city solicitor to get stopped 3 time in 2 months for drunk driving and a chief building inspector who is not liscensed to do his job. your as good as the people that surround you.

[Big Dig]

Will Trum Field be done for the fireworks....in 2015 ???