City Council Study Session Agenda and Packet 2004 03 09

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COUNCIL COMMUNICATION TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: WILLIAM A. SIMMONS CITY MANAGER DATE: March 9, 2004 SUBJECT: Public Access TV — Discussion/Direction ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office SUMMARY: Please find attached a number of documents provided by Citizens for Community Television, those individuals actively involved in utilizing Public Access Channel 54 in Louisville. Materials include a letter addressing short term and long term issues, a specific agenda the group has provided to facilitate discussion and some background materials on Public Access. Staff will have copies of the Comcast franchise available at the meeting. Some highlights of the franchise related to Public Access include the following: 1) The franchise term is ten years, beginning September 18, 1995. Thus, the franchise expires September 18, 2005. 2) The franchise states that Comcast (previously Scripps Howard) shall provide at least one governmental access channel, one educational channel and one public access channel. 3) Comcast shall provide an access studio in the City, which shall be equipped to cablecast or to videotape programs, shall be staffed by Comcast on a regular weekly schedule for training, maintenance out - reach, etc. and shall include cameras, recorders and other appropriate equipment as described in Attachment A (included in the agreement), all of which should be kept in good working order. 4) Comcast shall also provide the use of the existing studio and one staff person to be available for taping to access channel users upon thirty days' prior written request pursuant to reasonable usage guidelines, which Comcast shall develop and implement. 5) The cost of maintenance and upkeep of the studio and all associated equipment shall be borne by Comcast. Cable companies once were legally'required to provide local studios as well as a channel for public access programming. The federal Cable Act of 1992 removed the local studio requirement. Cable companies must only pay for equipment and provide the public access channel. Municipalities must supply the studio and any labor required to run them. The 1995 franchise agreement still requires a studio as detailed above. The public access channel and studio are also available /accessible to the Town of Superior. The City of IL Z SUBJECT AGENDA ITEM Public Access TV — Discussion/Direction •