Brodinsky TV show takes on local topics
As published in the Record Journal Sunday October 3, 2010
By Eric Heredia
Record-Journal staff
eheredia@record-journal.com
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WALLINGFORD — A mysterious character runs up and down the streets of Wallingford, in the shadows of the night, searching for answers. He keeps his head in a large, black-hooded jacket, pulls out a flashlight and opens the door, plops down at his desk and finally reveals himself.
It’s ... Michael Brodinsky.
That’s the persona the former Democratic town councilor takes in the opening scene of “Citizen Mike,” his new news and commentary television show on Wallingford’s public access Channel 18.
He said the saxophone song that plays during the intro was supposed to resemble the “Pink Panther” theme song.
Brodinsky was working on the second episode Wednesday night, organizing notes and newspaper clippings for his commentary and copy editing text about next fiscal year’s budget that will go on the screen with the help of WPAA Production Manager Eric Schrader.
“Put the word million on the same line as the $626,” he told Schrader in the control room of the Wallingford Public Access Association’s new studio at 28 S. Orchard St.
WPAA Treasurer Curt Huizenga said the organization spent $215,000 to buy the building and about $35,000 on construction work that he hopes to have wrapped up by Nov. 1. It’s a big step up from the 500-square-foot galley space the station used to have around the corner on Center Street. He said the extra space will allow the board of directors to use the conference room on the first floor as the studio operates on the second floor without being on top of each other.
“It’s nice. It’s like having a brand new job, almost,” Schrader said. “It feels less like a tanning salon.”
Getting back to business, he rolled the black curtain behind Brodinsky’s desk, checked the camera angles and dipped back into the control room to start rolling.
In his opening commentary, Brodinsky addressed developments from the Town Council meeting Tuesday. He was frustrated that the cost study on building a new North Farms Volunteer Fire Department wasn’t available to town councilors before the meeting. Majority Leader Bob Parisi said that the study hadn’t been available until Monday. He added that he looks forward to seeing Brodinsky’s show and he’s sure he’ll do a good job.
Later on in his recording, Brodinsky read articles about Anthem Blue Cross recently seeking 39 percent rate hikes on 800,000 policy holders in California. Later on he interviewed state Rep. Steve Fontana, chairman of the General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee, who said that independent analysis shows that the costs required by the national health-care reform are much less than the requested increases.
Since the new law will require insurance companies to put 80 to 85 percent of the money they make from premiums directly into the actual care, the companies are pursuing profits by other means, such as excessive rate hikes.
Brodinsky spent several minutes discussing state House bill 5090, which would establish a new rate approval process for individual health insurance companies, HMOs and hospital and medical service corporations. The bill would increase the amount of time required before a new rate can go into effect, require the Insurance Department to post rate filings on its website, provide 30 days for public comment and require a public hearing on a proposed rate filing under certain circumstances. Fontana said the House passed the bill, but it never got a vote in the state Senate, adding that in the next session there might be more pressure to consider the legislation again. “If you’re not in it for that depth, then it’s not the show for you,” Brodinsky said, happy that he’ll get to talk about things that are important to him.
“Citizen Mike” will premiere Thursday at 9 p.m. and replay every night.
