This year’s Member Appreciation night was a high point for MTN!  Thanks so very much to all of you for coming out and participating. Attendance exceeded our expectations and hearing from our many producers was a pleasure. Speaking of participating, I encourage all of you to attend this year’s Midwest Regional Alliance for Community Media Conference on Friday, February 25th and Saturday, February 26th. It is a fantastic opportunity to upgrade your producing skills, explore current and new technology and network with your peers. The conference is a great place to get support and validation for the work you do. You will not regret attending. See the back of this Monitor for further conference details.   Do you remember our former Executive Director Anthony Riddle? I’m pleased to announce that Anthony has been named the Executive Director for the national access television organization, the Alliance for Community Media, based in Washington D.C. It is great to have friends in high places.   On the national scene, Michael Powel’s resignation as the Federal Communications Commission Chair is an event that will have ramifications on public access. Public access was created because of FCC regulations and our future depends on continued support by the FCC. Support means a favorable regulatory climate that allows community media to thrive. Very large corporate media saw many favorable changes under Michael Powell’s reign. New laws allowed huge mergers and acquisitions with the ultimate result being fewer voices controlling more media.     Finally, the franchise renewal negotiations between Time Warner Cable and the City of Minneapolis are moving into full swing. Our city liaison John Harrison is meeting with me regularly to keep MTN updated on the talks. All I can say is that we are all keeping our ears to the ground, fighting for community television. Viva MTN! -Pam Colby