Creative Gardens host Stentiford blasts SCTS: ‘It’s horrendous’

SAUGUS – Chet Stentiford, the host of Creative Gardens on Saugus Cable Television Station, said he won’t be recording any new shows for SCTS.Stentiford has hosted Creative Gardens for nearly two years and said he’s “had enough” after new rules were recently enacted by the SCTS Board of Directors that require all show producers to take training classes and provide their own crew members.”What brought me to that decision? All the nonsense that’s been shoved around with both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Directors of SCTS,” said Stentiford. “I just decided I’ve had enough of it.”Creative Gardens taught viewers about gardening and horticulture, and Stentiford aired around 15 shows in his time with SCTS. Creative Gardens is also aired on several other towns’ community access station.The new rules state that SCTS will no longer provide and staff for any producer of a show, all producers must provide their own crew members and take training courses and be certified on SCTS equipment. The rules also state that no programs may be filmed outside of Saugus.”Before that happened, a couple people from the SCTV crew used to go out and film my program and edit before putting it on the air,” said Stentiford. “That was pretty much an established thing with SCTV before it became SCTS. They decided that they’re not going to do that anymore ? Most cable access companies do it that way ? I don’t really see a whole bunch of local shows anymore. I see stuff coming in from out of town. A number of shows have disappeared.”Stentiford said he’s buying his own camera to do his show and will still send it in to SCTS.”If they want to put them on that would be nice but I’m not going to hold my breath. I’m not sure they’re going to,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense at all. There’s a lot of screwy stuff going on ? Saugus used to have the best cable access around with the variety of shows ?But now it’s horrible. It’s horrendous. What they’ve done is totally absurd. There’s no reasoning behind it. It doesn’t make sense.”The Daily Item has been unable to reach any members of the SCTS Board of Directors for comment and a formal records request for financial information faxed to SCTS on June 6 has gone unanswered.Linnea Star, a psychic medium who hosted Linnea and Friends for two years, said she’s putting her show on hiatus for the summer and wants to see everyone involved with SCTS “work together and overcome any differences.””I would like to continue to offer an audience the ability to educate, entertain and enlighten, and I think that’s what we need to do in a family-oriented cable station,” she said. “I wish we could fix everything that needs to be fixed and get along with each other, and be open and discuss what needs to be addressed and do it amicably with the best intentions of everyone involved.”Star said she’s going to “look into” taking the training courses and hopes to have her show back on after summer.”I really don’t want any more dissension,” said Star. “I would like to continue to offer what we offer. Everyone has to work together to get along and cooperate.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].