For all of you who never make it Downtown unless you absolutely have to, the people behind the local TV show "The Beat" say you're missing out.
Among governmental programming like City Council meetings and study sessions, "The Beat" aims to inform Tucson residents about what's going on Downtown. The 15-minute monthly show is hosted by Kristi Kline and is repeated several times a day on government- access channel Tucson 12 (Cox Channel 12; Channel 75 for Comcast subscribers). It's also available online at cityoftucson.org/ ch12/programs/beat.html. Tucson 12 is part of the city of Tucson Information Technology Department.
"We started in November of 2003," said Dan Sheffer, Tucson 12 director of photography, who co-produces the show with Jeanie Bergen. "Essentially what started the show was when the Rio Nuevo project had started, they wanted us to do an informational show about what was going on."
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After nearly four years, Sheffer (who also serves as the show's director, photographer and editor) said they haven't run out of Downtown culture to feature.
"There's enough going on out here that we really don't have that issue," said Sheffer. "We profile businesses that are opening Downtown, long-term establishments. You've got the business angle; you've got the entertainment angle. We usually do a little segment that we call 'In Your Own Words,' where we talk to a Downtown stakeholder — someone who basically likes Downtown, believes in Downtown. We give them a minute and a half to say what they think is original and unique about Downtown Tucson."
The 17th Street Farmers Market, the Etherton Gallery and Tempe band Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers (which recently played at the Rialto Theatre) are all featured in the latest episode.
The show strives to let people who live throughout the Tucson area — Sheffer said a lot of people on the far East or far Northwest sides of town only come Downtown to pay a parking ticket or for jury duty — know that there's plenty to do Downtown.
"I think what's unique about Downtown is that it's not a big corporate city," said Tucson 12 co-producer Bergen, who writes the show's stories. "You don't have your Starbucks. It's little unique stores with local business owners that are doing a really great job making it on their own. There's a lot of passion Downtown."
A show about entertainment, art and culture might seem like an odd fit next to city policy programming, but Sheffer said it's becoming more common as cities seek to broaden their image.
"Other public city governmental television stations around the country, they're all very different. It all depends on what they're tasked to do," he said.
"The Beat" wouldn't exist, Sheffer said, unless city government was serious about Downtown.
"The city has a commitment to Downtown revitalization and to promote the Downtown area, which pretty much opens up the opportunity for us," he said.
