Louisiana city council bans broadcast of public comment portion of meetings

By The Associated Press

08.14.00

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LAFAYETTE, La. — The City-Parish Council has banned cable television broadcasts of the public comment session at the end of its meetings, a move critics say stifles free speech.

The council, which airs its meetings on Acadiana Open Channel, on Aug. 8 cut the camera when the public comment section of the meeting began.

Residents are allowed to speak about agenda items during the meeting, but must wait until the public comment period to discuss other topics. That's the part of the meeting the council has stopped airing.

AOC Director Ed Bowie says the council is the producer of its own show and decides what is aired.

Council Clerk Lloyd Rochon said he told AOC employees to cut the camera, but said he didn't know who made the decision. But, Rochon says, he supports the policy change and believes it should be made permanent.

Rochon also says the public comment portion of the meeting allows residents to inform city officials of problems that officials may want to investigate.

"If what that citizen has to say, in the opinion of the council members, is worthy of placing on the agenda for further discussion, that can be done," he said.

Andrew Hebert, an architect and council watchdog, says the council is trying to prevent citizens' opinions from reaching a wide audience.

"In the arena of public views, it appears one side is all they want you to see," Hebert said.

Council President Lenwood Broussard said he hopes to keep the new policy in place.

"There's no reason why we ever had to put the public comments on AOC in the first place," Broussard said.

But another council member questioned the change and said he learned about it only after it had been put in effect.

"I think it's a poor practice, and it made me very uncomfortable," said Councilman Rob Stevenson. "It's just not right."

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