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