Sunnyvale communications officer Deborah Clark says that KSUN is an underutilized resource that could become more effective with improvements.

On Dec. 17 the Sunnyvale City Council unanimously approved Clark's proposal to enhance KSUN's current level of programming by considering several low- or no-cost options.

Different options under consideration include generating more city-originated programs, seeking out more public education and government-access programs and promoting KSUN in a more focused manner to the Sunnyvale community.

City-originated broadcast programs could include broadcasts of meetings of various city departments, boards and commissions, as well as special events and workshops, Clark said. Interviews with the mayor, vice mayor and board members would also fall into this category, she said.

Other possibilities include broadcasts of events held at the Sunnyvale Public Library, as well as talks given by the department of public safety.

According to a recent survey conducted by the city's communications department, neighboring cities such as Cupertino, Palo Alto and Mountain View regularly run public education programs on health, the environment, multicultural issues and learning the English language. Clark said this type of programming could attract more viewers and also introduce them to city politics.

KSUN now broadcasts city council and planning commission meetings, in addition to live and taped broadcasts of special meetings and events, such as the community outreach meetings on the downtown design plan. Public service announcements, such as those for the Spare the Air campaign from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, are also broadcast on KSUN.

Mayor Julia Miller and Councilman Manuel Valerio suggested that more informational programming from regional organizations, such as the Association of Bay Area Governments, the air district and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, could also be broadcast, provided the budget permits it.

Clark said after the meeting that although KSUN currently broadcasts government and regional programs, there's room for more.

"Government agencies and nonprofits send us materials," Clark said after the meeting. "We will also seek out additional programming that is in line with our services."

There are now only four playback decks available, Clark said. One is dedicated to city council meetings, one for planning commission meetings, one for PSAs and the fourth for special meetings and events. In order to incorporate additional programming, two additional playback decks are needed for more capacity, she said.

Clark also suggested creating a program schedule that would air regularly, highlighting upcoming events; filming relevant meetings and events using volunteers; and promoting KSUN in free outreach materials like the quarterly report. The only expenses associated with implementing the suggested options would be potential additional staff time, which would cost between $1,500 and $5,000, Clark said.

The department is not considering spending any funds for equipment at this point, she added.

"We will work in conjunction with whatever technology is available," Clark said.