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In 2003, the Cable Television Advisory Committee welcomed two new members, Barry Blesser and Greg Poulos, and saw the retirement of two incumbents, Robert Blakelock and Kent Bowen.
During the year, the Cable Television Advisory Committee’s major efforts were devoted to the state-mandated license renewal process, anticipating the expiration of the current license on October 1, 2004, and to the establishment of a Media Center Task Force.
Other important events during the year included the formal transfer of ownership of the cable system from AT&T Broadband to Comcast, Inc., in January and completion of the cable system technology upgrade. As part of the previous year’s ownership transfer hearings, the Selectmen negotiated a commitment by Comcast to upgrade the system in 2003. More specifically, Comcast executed a performance bond in the amount of $150,000 guaranteeing that 95% of the Town's subscribers would be upgraded by the end of October, with the remaining 5% to be upgraded by the end of November, 2003 at the latest. We are happy to report that the upgrade was completed earlier, with the new system turned on in August. This new system not only provides more channels, including optional digital and HDTV services, but also high-speed
broadband Internet access and local telephone service. These latter two services lie outside the cable license and the purview of the Cable Television Advisory Committee.
October 1, 2001 marked the commencement of the state mandated, 3-year license renewal process, pursuant to the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, Section 626. The Town has opted to proceed using the Section 626 “formal process” with the option to switch over to the “informal process” at a later date if conditions so warrant.
A major element of the new license will be how PEG (Public, Education, and Government) access facilities, channels, and services are provided. Under the existing license, the cable operator staffs and runs, with community volunteer support, the TV studio in the high school, broadcasting local programs over the Town’s community channels. Increasingly, however, cable operators are objecting to providing such services, shifting the burden to the community.
Early in the year, the Committee, in collaboration with the Cable Access Committee (CAC), concluded that it would be worthwhile to investigate the feasibility and desirability of establishing some form of public, non-profit organization to own and operate a media center providing PEG services to the Town. Upon the recommendation of the Committee, the Selectmen established the Media Center Task Force for this purpose.
Upon investigating work along these lines in neighboring communities, the Committee learned that several had found it very useful to hire an experienced consultant to assist in the feasibility study work. An important part of such work is a needs assessment carried out through a series of focus group workshops with a variety of community interest groups. Such assessments not only help in the media center feasibility investigations but also provide evidence helpful in negotiating more favorable license terms.
The Committee and the CAC developed a strategy for selecting and hiring a consultant, prepared the necessary Requests for Proposal, and then participated in interviewing consultant candidates and selecting the winner, Rika Welsh. Following Rika’s selection in September, the Committee and CAC turned over the conduct of the media center feasibility work to the Media Center Task Force, which includes two representatives from the Committee.
With the Task Force focusing on PEG access needs, the Committee has now turned its attention to other aspects of the new license. Working with Peter Epstein, our cable attorney, we are now carrying out a thorough investigation of the cable operator’s compliance with the existing license. To this end, a public hearing on compliance and other cable issues is scheduled for February 3, 2004. Then, compliance findings coupled with Task Force needs findings will be integrated to serve as the basis for the services sought in a Request for Proposal from Comcast, the launching point for negotiating the license itself.
I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for the fine work of the entire Committee, including not only the new and retiring members but also incumbents David Johanson, Richard Pew, and Susan Timberlake. Additionally, I would like to thank the Cable Access Committee, attorney Peter Epstein, Lee McCanne of the Belmont Public Schools, Tim McCarthy of the Electric Light Department, and staff of the Selectmen’s office, especially Joyce Munro and Mel Kleckner, for all of their help and support.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard C. Norris, Chairman
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