Three Rivers approves media access policy, begins exploring city-run meeting livestreams

Three Rivers city commissioners unanimously approved a new media access policy Tuesday night allowing media organizations to connect directly to the city’s audio system during public meetings, a move expected to improve audio quality for independent broadcasts of commission meetings.

The policy will allow media outlets, including Watershed Voice, to directly access the city’s microphone feed while recording or livestreaming meetings. Watershed Voice plans to utilize the direct audio connection to improve sound quality during its livestreams.

Watershed Voice has livestreamed Three Rivers City Commission meetings since February 17, 2026. In recent months, residents and viewers have raised concerns about inconsistent audio quality during broadcasts. The news outlet previously requested direct access to the city’s audio system in an effort to improve livestream quality, but City Manager Joe Bippus initially denied the request.

That changed during the commission’s May 19 meeting, when both a resident and Watershed Voice Staff Writer Maxwell Knauer raised concerns about the difficulty some residents have hearing meeting audio during livestreams.

At that meeting, commissioners unanimously directed Bippus to develop a formal media access policy allowing media organizations to connect directly to the city’s audio system. Commissioners formally approved that policy Tuesday night.

City to explore its own livestream

In addition to approving the media access policy, commissioners also discussed whether the city should begin livestreaming its own meetings rather than relying solely on outside organizations for public access.

During public comment, Knauer and Three Rivers Commercial-News reporter Robert Tomlinson both spoke in favor of the city exploring what it would take to begin livestreaming meetings directly.

Knauer thanked commissioners for approving the media access policy but urged them to take the additional step of exploring what city-operated livestreaming would require.

“I think that is the simplest step to showing your constituents that you care about transparency at all,” Knauer said.

Knauer argued city officials have repeatedly pointed to cost and resource concerns without fully exploring what implementation would actually require.

“At any point in time any of you guys can direct city staff to pursue or to see what that looks like because it’s often the excuse that it would be too expensive, it’s gonna take too many resources, but that’s never been pursued, and that’s never been even considered,” he said.

Knauer also said Watershed Voice should not be viewed as the city’s long-term solution for public access to meetings.

“As I said, I’m not gonna be here forever, Watershed Voice hopefully will be here forever, but we don’t want to have that sole responsibility,” Knauer said.

“We’re really happy to do it. I just would urge you guys to do it yourselves because it really means a lot to the people that you represent,” he added.

Knauer ended by criticizing what he described as a lack of effort by city officials to seriously explore livestreaming options.

“I think it shows a fundamental lack of caring about transparency to not at least try that,” Knauer said.

Tomlinson echoed Knauer’s concerns and said city-operated livestreaming would allow him to cover more meetings throughout the area without needing to physically remain in the room the entire time.

“I know it can be done, I know that during COVID we did have a lot of livestreaming as well and that was pretty convenient for a lot of people, myself included, to be able to cover the meetings accurately and efficiently,” Tomlinson said. “I highly encourage you guys, while this is a good first step, I do highly encourage the city to look into livestreaming.”

After public comment, Commissioner Carolyn McNary said the city should at least explore what options are available.

“I believe the keyword is try,” McNary said, adding that the city has yet to even attempt to determine what city-operated livestreaming would require.

Commissioner Lucas Allen said he agreed with McNary, as did Mayor Angel Johnston.

Commissioner Pat Dane noted the age of City Hall and longstanding audio difficulties as part of the reason the city previously ended its own livestreaming efforts.

Following discussion, commissioners reached consensus to direct Bippus to explore equipment costs and what city-operated livestreaming would require before returning with that information for future discussion.

“I’m all for it, we can do it ourselves,” Allen said. “I don’t think that’s very good, going forward, to be reliant on you [Knauer] man, no offense, cause you don’t work for us, you’re doing this out of courtesy.”