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1 <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />REVIEW OF PUBLIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND GOVERNMENT (PEG) ACCESS <br />ASPECTS OF FRANCHISE RENEWAL PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY <br />COMCAST OF MINNESOTA <br /> <br />I. INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW <br /> <br /> The North Suburban Communication Commission (“NSCC”), on behalf of its member <br />cities of Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Little Canada, Mounds View, New Brighton, <br />North Oaks, Roseville, St. Anthony, and Shoreview, Minnesota (hereinafter, collectively the <br />“Member Cities” or individually a “Member City”) in July, 2013, issued a Request for Renewal <br />Proposal (“RFRP”) to Comcast of Minnesota (“Comcast”). This report is a review of the <br />public, educational, and government (“PEG”) aspects of the proposal submitted by Comcast <br />in response to the RFRP. <br /> <br /> Prior to issuing its RFRP, the NSCC, acting through its staff and retained experts on <br />institutional networks and PEG access, undertook extensive research to identify the current <br />and future community cable-related needs and interests of the NSCC member cities, their <br />residents, business and community organizations, and educational institutions that serve the <br />residents of the cities. The Buske Group (“TBG”) was retained to prepare a Community <br />Needs Ascertainment by the NSCC, which review was included in the Staff Report and <br />became part of the RFRP. <br /> <br /> The NSCC, through its RFRP, sought a proposal that: (1) describes, in detail, what <br />Comcast proposed to provide during a franchise term with respect to services, facilities and <br />equipment; (2) demonstrates that Comcast satisfies community cable-related needs and <br />interests and in a manner that will provide the benefits of cable communications technology <br />to the residents, institutions, organizations, and businesses in the community, now and for <br />any franchise term; (3) shows that Comcast is financially and otherwise qualified to hold a <br />renewal cable franchise and to provide the services, equipment and facilities set forth in its <br />proposal; (4) explains why Comcast believes that renewal is warranted in light of its past <br />performance; and (5) complies with the requirements of Chapter 238 of Minnesota Statutes. <br /> <br /> The format of this Executive Summary mirrors the format of the full report. Part II of this <br />document is a review of key PEG elements of the proposal submitted by Comcast. This <br />analysis does not attempt to analyze each and every PEG requirement in the RFRP, and <br />whether Comcast has or has not complied with that requirement of the RFRP. This summary <br />analysis concentrates on the key categories of PEG requirements and outlines Comcast’s <br />level of compliance. <br /> <br />Part III of this Executive Summary summarizes the flaws in Comcast’s critique of the <br />Community Needs Ascertainment activities undertaken by NSCC and points out serious flaws <br />in Comcast’s own needs ascertainment methodology.