SCTS’ for-profit status irks viewer

SAUGUS – The Saugus Cable Television Station Board of Directors met in executive session Monday night to review resumés for the open clerk position.After a 45-minute closed-door meeting, Chairman Christopher Peatridge said the three applicants who are Saugus residents were chosen out of eight.?Those people will be called and noticed by mail to come in for an interview,” he said.Seven people were in attendance Monday, including Saugus resident Cynthia Alba, who had issues with the station ending its non-profit status over the summer.?Why has Saugus Cable gone from a non-profit – which from what I?ve seen most local town cable televisions are – to a for-profit status?” she asked.Peatridge clarified that it was the Board of Selectmen that made that decision.?You would have to ask the Board of Selectmen,” he said. “It was their purview. They?re the ones who chose to not continue the contract after the five years expired. That is not something of our making or our doing. We were appointed after that was done and set up.”Alba also said she “took offense” to a previous meeting when the board told a SCTS host he could not have any logos appear on his gardening program after doing a show at the Lowell Spinners stadium.?It?s not an infomercial when you show someone?s logo,” she said. “It seems to me that the time spent arguing on logos was detrimental to getting hosts to donate their time and expertise on a program to educate Saugus viewers.”Alba said someone was treated “like a criminal” because “a baseball cap was showing.”James Ravagno, who was appointed vice president Monday, told Alba that most logos are registered trademarks and you need permission to broadcast them.Chet Stentiford, who hosts Creative Gardens on SCTS, said he agreed with the board “to a degree,” but noted he wanted to see everyone come together for the station.?It?s time the two facets here start working together to put together a good functioning broadcast system,” he said.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].