Saratoga News

Photograph courtesy of KSAR

What TV viewers saw if they tuned in to the KSAR coverage of the Planning Commission meetings has been called 'bad television.' Commissioner Marcia Kaplan, who suffers from painful migraine headaches triggered by bright lights, wore dark glasses and tried to shield herself from the lights.

Televising Planning Commission proves tricky

By Sarah Lombardo

The Planning Commission's first few televised meetings have not gone as smoothly as some would have liked. And if changes can't be made, commissioner and former chairwoman Marcia Kaplan said she might have to resign for health reasons.

It is the lighting used to televise the meetings with which Kaplan has a problem; she says the lights trigger her migraine headaches. "The lighting as it stands now has been shining directly in our eyes. We can't see anything," she said. "And for me, that's almost instant migraine."

So far, two Planning Commission meetings have been aired live on KSAR-TV (Channel 6), Saratoga's community access television station. At the March 11 meeting, Kaplan tried wearing dark sunglasses and holding up paper to shield herself from the light. Commissioner Mary-Lynne Bernald also wore dark glasses.

Did it work?

"No," Kaplan said.

Migraine headaches can cause debilitating pain and are triggered by any number of factors, depending on the person. Bright light is only one of a number of common triggers for migraines.

KSAR-TV representatives, city officials and commissioners met March 18 to discuss ways of making life in the spotlight more livable for the commissioners. City Manager Larry Perlin said they hope to find a way to either reduce or remove the side lights, which shine directly at the stage instead of above it. The regular stage lights, which shine from above, do not seem to present a problem, he said.

Kaplan said she hopes the problem can be resolved but has to consider her health.

"If they force us to stay in that environment," she said, "I will have to resign. That would be a pity. I really enjoy what I'm doing."

Vice Mayor Jim Shaw, who with Councilmember Stan Bogosian pushed for the televising of all City Council and Planning Commission meetings, admitted that the March 11 meeting was "bad television."

The uneven lighting, the inability of the cameras to reach some of the displays and the lack of sound in parts of the meeting made it difficult for residents watching the meetings at home to understand the proceedings.

"It's a lot more complicated than turning on a camera and feeding the video through," he said.

Shaw, the council's representative on the KSAR-TV board, said he and KSAR officials hoped to find a way to accommodate both the needs of the viewers and the needs of the camera.

Bogosian and Shaw have continuously campaigned for the televising of meetings. At their first City Council meeting as elected officials, Bogosian mentioned the desire in a list of projects he wanted to tackle. The televising of meetings, both said, would ensure that residents unable to attend meetings can still be informed of what is going on.

With all the trouble the televised meetings seem to be causing, is it worth it?

"I think so," Shaw said.

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