Hollister
– Legislation proposed in Sacramento that would create
state-issued cable television franchises, while taking the power to
negotiate with providers away from local governments and cutting
funding to the local Community Media Access Partnership station by
nearly half, has some in the county concern
ed.
Hollister – Legislation proposed in Sacramento that would create state-issued cable television franchises, while taking the power to negotiate with providers away from local governments and cutting funding to the local Community Media Access Partnership station by nearly half, has some in the county concerned.
The bill, known as the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act, circulating in Sacramento would take the power to create cable franchises out of the hands of local governments and give it to the state, thus precluding cities and counties from negotiating with cable TV companies for how much funding will be provided for local access stations such as CMAP, which provides services like television coverage of local government meetings and free educational programming. Currently, local jurisdictions negotiate franchise agreements with cable companies. Those agreements also define how much funding the cable companies provide to stations like CMAP.
“Citizens stand to lose if this passes,” said Suzanne St. John-Crane, executive director of CMAP, which serves Hollister, San Juan Bautista and Gilroy.
In its current form, the act will strip CMAP funding by nearly half. In addition to franchise fees and funding from the governments it serves, CMAP gets 3 percent – about $189,000, – of gross revenue that Charter Communications, the company holding the local cable franchise, receives in the three cities. Under the act, a franchise holder will pay 1 percent of gross revenues for public, education and government programming. In CMAP’s case that would amount to about $63,000 per year, reducing its current $300,000 annual operating budget to about $174,000.
“Our funding would be cut by 50 percent, so would our services and staff,” St. John-Crane said. “There’s no fat to cut at CMAP.”
Supporters of the act, which was authored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles), say that it will remove the 40-year-old city-by-city franchise process and give new providers, such as telecommunications companies like Verizon and At&T, a chance to get into the local cable TV market. More competition will result in lowered prices, they say.
Critics, however, bemoan the loss of local control over cable TV franchises and the elimination of requirements that cable companies provide free service to schools and libraries. Also, they are concerned because the act takes away cities’ control over how many public, education and government channels a franchise holder must provide.
“They want to shut out the small person, put the squeeze on them” Hollister Mayor Robert Scattini said. “They want to control it.”
Concerned about how the act would affect CMAP service in Hollister, the City Council members voted late last month to send a list of principles that they hope lawmakers will consider as they move forward with the legislation. The principles call for the retention of local control over many aspects of the franchise process and protection of public, education and government programming.
Scattini said that CMAP performs a valuable service for the community, helping residents to stay abreast of the government, and he doesn’t want to see their funding slashed.
“(CMAP) gets to peoples’ homes, they can watch City Council meetings and various other meetings,” he said. “A lot of people can’t come (to government meetings), but they can keep up with activities. That’s a big plus.”
St. John-Crane has taken her concerns to Sacramento, where she recently spoke to members of Nunez’s staff about how the legislation can be changed so public access stations like CMAP don’t suffer. She said that, among other things, she has suggested a “do no harm” amendment that would require new franchise holders provide funding that would maintain public access stations at their current levels. Thus far her efforts have been well-received, she said.
“They are surprised at how much money will be lost if this passes,” she said. “The message I’m getting (from them) is, ‘We need to fix this.'”
Nunez’s staff did not return phone calls Friday.
The legislation has been referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Luke Roney covers local government and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at lr****@fr***********.com
