CTTV
Announcing the Champaign County Municipal Court Channel on CTTV
04/23/09 08:42 AM
CT Communications TV customers may have noticed
something different in their television guides
recently. A brand new local channel has been launched
between the Champaign County Municipal Court and CT
Communications. This project allows CTTV users to
view live video feeds of the municipal courtroom
while the court is in session. The channel is
exclusive to CTTV and can be found at Channel 93 on
the CT program guide.
The Honorable Susan J. Fornof-Lippencott presides over the Champaign County Municipal Court and was instrumental in developing this new channel. According to Ann Morrow, Manager of Affiliate Operations at CT Communications, the educational aspect of this was a primary consideration from the beginning. “When planning this project with Judge Fornof-Lippencott, we were all very aware that this provided an unprecedented opportunity for area residents to gain better insight and understanding of how our local judicial system operates - all from the comfort of their own homes.”
The format will be different than what some viewers may be used to seeing. “Since we didn’t have the resources to hire staff members to crew the cameras and equipment for all the activity that takes place in the courtroom, our approach was to automate the process as much as possible,” continued Morrow. “We’re utilizing two stationary cameras positioned to pick up as much of the room as we can and both angles are presented onscreen at the same time.”
Between court sessions when the live feed is not engaged, other media is being presented on the channel. This includes news, weather, court and other educational information. There are plans to continue adding more content in the future. “There are really a lot of things that can be done with this,” says Morrow. “As people become aware of the channel and viewership grows, we hope to be able to devote more resources toward enhancing the programming. We feel that this is something people will be interested in and are excited to be able to participate in it.”
People wanting to view local court cases are advised to check the court schedule ahead of time. The Champaign County Municipal Court operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. However, each day has a different schedule and sometimes this changes at the last minute. It is recommended that people refer to the court website at www.ChampaignCountyMunicipalCourt.com to get the most up-to-date information. From the website, the schedule is available by clicking on the “Public Access” link and then searching by Name, Case Number, or Schedule.
The Honorable Susan J. Fornof-Lippencott presides over the Champaign County Municipal Court and was instrumental in developing this new channel. According to Ann Morrow, Manager of Affiliate Operations at CT Communications, the educational aspect of this was a primary consideration from the beginning. “When planning this project with Judge Fornof-Lippencott, we were all very aware that this provided an unprecedented opportunity for area residents to gain better insight and understanding of how our local judicial system operates - all from the comfort of their own homes.”
The format will be different than what some viewers may be used to seeing. “Since we didn’t have the resources to hire staff members to crew the cameras and equipment for all the activity that takes place in the courtroom, our approach was to automate the process as much as possible,” continued Morrow. “We’re utilizing two stationary cameras positioned to pick up as much of the room as we can and both angles are presented onscreen at the same time.”
Between court sessions when the live feed is not engaged, other media is being presented on the channel. This includes news, weather, court and other educational information. There are plans to continue adding more content in the future. “There are really a lot of things that can be done with this,” says Morrow. “As people become aware of the channel and viewership grows, we hope to be able to devote more resources toward enhancing the programming. We feel that this is something people will be interested in and are excited to be able to participate in it.”
People wanting to view local court cases are advised to check the court schedule ahead of time. The Champaign County Municipal Court operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. However, each day has a different schedule and sometimes this changes at the last minute. It is recommended that people refer to the court website at www.ChampaignCountyMunicipalCourt.com to get the most up-to-date information. From the website, the schedule is available by clicking on the “Public Access” link and then searching by Name, Case Number, or Schedule.