LOCAL ISSUES HIT THE AIRWAVES ON PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION STATION

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce President John Mehner and Chamber Community Director Tonya Wells, reviewed a video produced by Wells. The video explained transportation issues in the Cape Girardeau area and is one of the monthly videos for the program "Chamber Matters."

Fifty-seven channels and nothing on?

If summer reruns have you humming Bruce Springsteen's ode to cable TV, check out the offerings on Cable Channel 5, the city of Cape Girardeau's public access channel.

You won't find any "Full House" reruns, but you will find a variety of informational programming about city issues and events, said Teri Goodman, the city's former public awareness coordinator.

Regular programming includes "City Source" "Chamber Matters," "Behind the Badge," "AARP Connections," "Ask Your Doctor," "Independently Speaking," "Public Forum" and broadcasts of city council and Cape Girardeau public school board meetings and local church services.

The channel also features a "bulletin board" of announcements on events and happenings going on around the city.

A familiar face to regular Channel 5 viewers is Dr. Jean Chapman, co-host of "Ask Your Doctor," a call-in medical show featuring local health care professionals talking about health-related issues. Viewers can call in with questions.

The show, produced by the Cape County Medical Society, has been on the air for "about six years," said Chapman, a Cape Girardeau allergist.

Doctors volunteer to appear on the show discussing topics of their choice, he said, and it gives viewers a chance to learn about medical issues from specialists they wouldn't otherwise come in contact with.

"I think that's its greatest value, and that's the whole purpose of the show, is patient education," Chapman said.

Viewers of "Behind the Badge" learn about the issues the city's police officers face every day.

"The idea is to kind of demystify police work," said Police Chief Rick Hetzel. "There's always been that natural curiosity. People want to know, what's it like behind the badge?"

Hetzel said the Department uses the show to help the community "understand what we are and what we aren't."

Hetzel and Sgt. Carl Kinnison co-host the show. Jim Dufek, a member of the city's Cable Advisory Committee and a teacher of television production and mass communications at Southeast Missouri State University, and his students actually produce the show, going out into the field with officers and using the university's studio facilities.

Hetzel said each episode includes an update on "what's new in the department" and more in-depth segments on different issues in law enforcement, including the city's canine unit, patrol operations and communications.

"Chamber Matters" focuses on "different issues the community might be interested in," said Tonya Wells, the chamber's communications director.

Transportation and the Cape Girardeau School District's recent bond issue were two topics covered on "Chamber Matters," she said. The format is essentially a half-hour of Q&A with the featured guest on a particular topic.

"It's really a good forum to let people know what's going on," Wells said.

Chamber president John Mehner said the show grew out of the chamber's strategic plan for providing more information to the public.

Dufek, who also produces "City Sources," which features information on city operations and programs, said the city tries to offer viewers "a variety of local programming that hits a lot of issues."

Dufek has helped develop a number of shows and says the city is "trying to deal with" providing an outlet for programming developed by private individuals as well as the city's own programming.

Mehner said he thinks people are surprised when they realize the variety of programming broadcast on Channel 5.

"I think people are finding themselves going there more and more just to see what's going on," he said.

The city doesn't track viewership of Channel 5 programs, Dufek said, "other than word of mouth."

Hetzel said he welcomes input from the community and has gotten a lot of positive feedback.

"I keep waiting for my first fan letter," he joked. "Haven't gotten any yet."

The Channel 5 franchise has been active since 1977 and was originally operated by the university.