The December 14 City Council Consent Calendar included a $1,632,360 allocation for “improvements” to the new CityTV studio, for which the City paid $1 million-plus not long
ago.

The Council  approved the allocation unanimously, without any discussion.

Thus, the City will spend $2.5 million in public funds for a “government access” TV channel that offers no public access, broadcasts only a few of Santa Monica’s ‘s public meetings, a handful of  locally produced programs, almost all of which look like  nothing so much as propaganda for City Hall — from which all blessings flow, a plethora of canned programs and virtually no live public events, except the meetings.

A great many talented television writers, directors and actors live in Santa Monica — but their work is rarely, if ever, seen on CityTV, which seems to share KCET’s obsession with Huell Howser.

CityTV should be a showcase for local student film-makers and local theater readings and workshops,  and an arena for  public discussions and debates of local  issues, as well as art exhibitions,  sports and all  sorts of other local happenings.

After spending $2.5 million on the studio, of course, CityTV will have very little money, if any, to spend on programing and the people who make it. But if it can run such blatently commercial  series as “Cheap Eats,” which amount to nothing but half-hour ads, surely it can find a way to give residents something more substantial than two guys eating eggs…in Hermosa Beach, and train the crew that covers the Council meetings not to blow cues.