Two-Way TV Teleconferencing for Government

Describes the successful implementation of the first two-way, multilocational, interactive television system designed for governmental use. Developed by the Metropolitan Regional Council, MRC-TV presently allows government officials at 9 locations within the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area to conduct business meetings via television through a central facility located at the One World Trade Center in New York City. Eventually 17 locations will be involved; each of these will be equipped to interact not only with the central facility, but with outlying sublocations in its own district — fire and police stations, hospitals, and smaller townships. The report, intended for planners who may wish to implement similar systems in their own areas, describes MRC-TV's history, equipment design, operations, and day-to-day problems. A cost model is also included that allows a potential user to estimate what expenditures would be involved for a similar system in another part of the country. (See also R-977, R-1000.)