Laserfiche WebLink
<br />_I II II <br />the starting point <br /> <br /> <br />In November of 2002, the North Metro Telecommunications Commission <br />member cities and Comcast signed a new franchise agreement that included the <br />continued funding of community television through November 2017. <br /> <br />With the promise of this funding, we developed and implemented an ambitious <br />plan to meet the needs of our seven cities, three school districts, and the general <br />public. We purchased a new production truck and filled it with high-end digital <br />equipment, designed and built a state-of-the-art television production facility with <br />a centralized master control for playback of city programming, and expanded our <br />staffing levels to meet our service goals. <br /> <br />Enter the phone companies and Congress. National franchising legislation is <br />currently making its way through the House and Senate. If approved in its <br />current form, it would reduce our community programming funding (PEG fees) by <br />76%. <br /> <br />There are many possible scenarios for our future. Worst case, the legislation <br />passes in its current form and we have to make fundamental changes. Best <br />case, a "do no harm" amendment regarding PEG funding is included in the <br />legislation, resulting in a smaller reduction in our current funding. Whether it <br />happens this year or next, or the year after, is unclear. What is clear, is that we <br />need to be prepared for change. <br /> <br />Our goals for 2007 reflect this reality. While our hope is to be able to continue <br />the course of growth and development we have established, it is very likely that <br />we will have to develop a different course. As such, we have budgeted and <br />planned for a year's work, as if there will be no fluctuation in our funding. At the <br />same time, we will be developing alternative funding sources that could either <br />supplement or replace a portion of the PEG fee, and outlining possible scenarios <br />for survival of the organization in the event of a greatly reduced income. <br /> <br />We will continue to serve our communities at the same level we have in the past, <br />while following the legislative process closely. If we are faced with the worst <br />case scenario, we will be prepared to alter the 2007 budgets and plans <br />accordingly. <br /> <br />_I II II <br />alternative funding plans <br /> <br /> <br />Regardless of what happens in Congress, developing alternative sources of <br />revenue is an exercise that will serve us well. To that end, the Commission has <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />a <br />