HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03051985 - IO.3 jo�
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Internal Operations Committee tetra
COSta
DATE: February 25, 1985 County
SUBJECT: Cable Television: Funding for Community Access Programming
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Express the Board's appreciation to the Video Alliance for the production of their
Video Directory.
2. Direct the Public Works Director (Cable TV Administrator) to prepare a work plan for
long-range improvements in the existing cable television system in Contra Costa
County as it relates to community access programming, and present the proposed work
plan to the Internal Operations Committee on March 25, 1985. This work plan should
lay out such goals as a common channel number for public access programs, system
interconnects, and the development of a central repository for resources relating
to community access programming.
3. Direct the Public Works Director (Cable TV Administrator) to work with County
departments, the Video Alliance, and community service agencies in developing one or
more applications to the State for community access funding and return them to the
Board in time for the next funding cycle (April ) . Public Works should also ask the
cable companies if they would be willing to donate some of their resources for the
production of programs on such issues as prevention of child abuse, smoking, and
the locating of solid waste disposal sites.
4. Remove as a referral to our Committee issues relating to Televents rebuilding and
complaints related thereto.
BACKGROUND:
Our Committee met with Sara Hoffman, our Cable TV. Administrator, on February 25.
Ms. Hoffman noted that on March 5 the Video Alliance will be presenting copies of their
newly released Video Directory to the Board of Supervisors. This directory was prepared
with $3000 in funds from the County's community access fund. This leaves the fund with
approximately $13,000. If Televents, which has been the primary source of these funds,
is successful in deregulating they will no longer have to contribute to this fund.
Future fees will go directly to the State. Under a competitive applications procedure,
the State reserves 80% of the fees for the area from which the funds were paid.
While State funds could be helpful in supporting community access programming, they
cannot be used to further County efforts to coordinate and promote the use of community
access channels. A new source of funds may be available under the provisions of the
new Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984. The Act authorizes franchising entities,
such as the county, to increase its franchise fee from 3% to 5%. (County Counsel is
currently investigating whether or not the fee could be raised on existing franchises,
or only upon franchise renewal . ) This increased franchise fee can serve as a future
source of community access program funding.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X—YES SIGNATURE:
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RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMEN ION OF BOARD COMMI E
APPROVE � 9
1yER
SIGNATURES) Tom Torl akson T m P veers
ACTION OF BOARD ON March 5. 1985 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
XX UNANIMOUS (ABSENT — ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE.MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
County Administrator
CC: Public Works Director ATTESTED
Sara Hoffman, Cable TV Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
M382/7-e8 BY ' DEPUTY
-2-
Our Committee remains concerned that many elements of the community access television
system are not well coordinated, and that there is. no central repository for resources
relating to community access programming. We have, therefore, recommended that a
work plan be developed which identifies each of these elements and sets forth a time-
table for achieving greater coordination and cooperation among all elements of the
system.