CITY OFFERS TRUE 'COMMUNITY TV' CABLE TV SLOT BOASTS LOYAL FANS.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE - One of Glendale's mysteries is how, as the third largest city in Los Angeles County with a population of 200,000, it is able to be keep its small-town feel.

The answer, many believe, is in the power of the tube.

Glendale residents are able to turn on their televisions 24 hours a day, seven days a week and catch a lively cast of characters - their civic leaders - in action.

``Channel 6 is the glue that ties the community together,'' said broadcast manager Tor Rolf Seemann. ``I think a lot of our viewers, when flicking the channels and see Brand Boulevard or the Verdugos, are drawn in because it's their back yard they're seeing on the television screen.''

Glendale's Government Access Channel, GTV6, broadcasts 35 live meetings each month - the most of any city in the nation - and has a heavy rotation of other live programming, all of which are replayed throughout the month.

The staff works with city departments including police, fire, public works and neighborhood services to create informational programming like ``Exploring Historical Glendale'' and ``Glendale Cops.''

``It does make me feel like I'm more involved and more aware of what my city's doing,'' said Glendale resident Rhaina Echols, 25, who watches Channel 6 when she catches a program that she finds interesting. She found a recent program on how to water the lawn informative, for example.

``And sometimes they'll put listings of what's going on in Glendale, so I definitely get the sense that my town is important,'' Echols said.

Earlier this month, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences recognized the work of GTV6 with two prestigious Emmy awards in the videography and public, municipal and operator-produced cable categories - the second time the channel has received two Emmys.

While GTV6 is critically successful, the city is unable to accurately gauge the channel's popularity with viewers because ratings don't apply to government access channels.

But based on surveys conducted every three years and anecdotal evidence, city officials believe a large number of its citizens tune in to find out what's going on in Glendale, turning many of the access-channel regulars into recognizable faces around town.

City Manager Jim Starbird recalled his surprise during a visit to the bank when the teller told him not to bother pulling out his identification card because he knew him from television.

``It happens all the time - at the bank, at the grocery store, people see me as someone familiar,'' Starbird said. ``An inordinate number of people are very interested in what's going on in local government, and GTV6 lets them stay connected. It's part of what helps to create a sense of community.''

Two Glendale police officers won contracts for national commercials after appearing on Channel 6, including one for Dove soap.

``We're in an industry town and people in the industry see our channel,'' Seemann said. ``It's like an open casting call.''

When Seemann came on board in 1997, there were two staffers and the city had been broadcasting the City Council meeting and the Larry Zarian Forum for two years. He realized he had the opportunity to create the channel from scratch.

Five more staffers were hired, and the different city departments began flooding them with calls with ideas for shows and the information they wanted to get out to the community.

The channel's success could be traced to the desire of the six GTV6 staffers - all of whom have the choice of working higher paying jobs in the entertainment industry - to serve the public and to their passion for the work.

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2) The production staff, above, works on a show at GTV6, while editor Brian Halloran, top, assembles a rough cut of a finished installment.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer