Saugus group upset over ballot question TV spot failing to air

SAUGUS – Saugus Concerned Citizens claim Saugus Cable Television Station is violating a federal mandate by not running a political ad that asks voters to return the station to its former organization.The ad supported the ballot question,?Would you like to see Saugus Cable Television revert back to Saugus Community Television, a community operated organization, where you have a voice as opposed to a Board of Selectmen controlled operation?” The question earned a spot on the ballot with a petition of signatures, the first time ever in Saugus.But more than a week after it was submitted and paid for, the ad has yet to air, which former SCTV operations manager Rich Garabedian said “could sink the boat.”?This is about freedom of speech and about how they?re manipulating the system and controlling it and it?s wrong. It?s illegal,” said Garabedian.Janice Jarosz, SCTS Board of Directors, treasurer said Thursday the ad did not immediately run because there was no precedent for it and it was a “gray area.”?A lot of people were saying it was telling them how to vote,” said Jarosz.Jarosz said SCTS decided to go with the “run one, run them all” rule of thumb as it applied to election candidates, since all election candidates were invited to run their own two-to-three-minute segment. By that logic, Jarosz said they could not just run the ad for one question unless there were ads for any others on the ballot.?It?s what they figured they should do,” said Jarosz.Concerned Citizens? Chet Stentiford said he didn?t buy that.?Naturally they will find every excuse they can not to run the ad,” he said. “If they can stall it and not run it, that?s what they?re trying to do.”