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Davis Brings New Vision to California's CTV

Posted on: Friday, 15 July 2005, 18:00 CDT

Jul. 15--PLEASANTON - This isn't the first time Glenn Davis has found himself at a small, struggling public-access television station.

Back in the late 1960s, long before cable television sought to entertain the masses with the Golf Channel and Oxygen, Davis was just beginning his television career at Channel 13 in Beacon, N.Y.

"We'd shoot mayor speeches or football games," said Davis, who was named executive director of Tri-Valley Community Television last month. "Just terrible, terrible stuff.

"But I realized then, this is what I wanted to do," he said. "I wanted to be in television. That's still the way I feel. If I didn't enjoy television, I wouldn't be here."

Davis does not step into a perfect job. CTV's struggles in the past seem to lend themselves more to a made-for-TV movie than something on a public access station.

Earlier this year, Davis' predecessor Bruce Goddard resigned after being put on administrative leave pending completion of an investigation by CTV trustees. Although the investigation was characterized as "personnel matters," several former CTV employees came forward claiming Goddard had run them out of the station and created a hostile work environment. The station also lost some of its regional programming, and its schedule became erratic. Goddard resigned in February.

Davis already has run into problems stemming from CTV's history. He said some businesses he has approached to underwrite programming have been hesitant because of "past bad experience." To Davis, however, the key word is "past."

"This is a day of change here," Davis, 54, said. "There's a new vision, and things will not fall through the cracks."

Davis, who has his own commercial video business at his home in El Cerrito, brings with him experience that would seem to back up that statement. After his New York experience, he went on to work at KTVU and KGO in the Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles to be in charge of the production of a wide array of shows.

He worked on shows such as "Eye on L.A." and various ABC shows. He also helped start the Cable Health Network, which has since morphed into Lifetime.

"The interview process for this job was extensive," Davis said. "The (CTV) board was very, very clear about what they wanted."

Davis said some of the things the board wanted was someone who understood the work required by the station and had a management style that would work. Davis said he knows he has both and has big plans for CTV, which operates on channels 28, 29 and 30 via Comcast and broadcasts to about 200,000 people, according to the organization's Web site.

He wants more and better programming on the station, and shows that will highlight different aspects of the Tri Valley.

"I want to bring entertaining programming here," he said. "I come from a television background, and entertainment is the key to television, obviously. If it's not entertaining or interesting, it shouldn't be on television."

One thing Davis will soon have going for him is a new studio, which is set to be built on a Pleasanton School District site near Second and Abbie streets, not far from its current studio. It could be completed within a year.

"It'll be a lot nicer than this place," said Davis of the $1-million-plus project.

Davis though still will have to deal with a small budget while trying to attract new talent to the station. Last year, CTV had a $634,000 budget, with about two-thirds of it coming from its four client cities -- Dublin, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Livermore -- through cable TV franchise fees, according to the organization's Web site.

Regardless, Davis feels fortunate to have this opportunity.

"This job gives me a chance to use everything I know for the public good," Davis said. "This isn't just a chance to entertain or make a living. This job is unique because it also serves the public. That's very exciting to me."

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Copyright (c) 2005, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.

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Source: Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

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