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<br />e <br /> <br />Page 7 of the ordinance, Mr. Martin said, deals primarily with the adjustment in <br />programming that results in the January 1, 1983, deadline for conversion of the <br />program as outlined in the cover memorandum to the council. Some of the <br />signals that are now part of the basic service will be moved up to the next tier. <br />People can buy a converter from Teleprompter at cost and pay an installation fee <br />set by the commission or buy a converter from a private outlet. What is part of <br />the basic program and what requires a converter will always be an item open to <br />discussion. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />The access facility, its equipment, and Teleprompter's obligation are outlined on <br />page 9 of the ordinance. Teleprompter must provide the studio and make available <br />to the commission $140,000 within 30 days of the execution of the agreement, and <br />the commission will use the money to determine what equipment is to go into the <br />access center. The commission, not Teleprompter, will choose what equipment is <br />needed. An additional $60,000 will be made available during the second year <br />of the agreement. Teleprompter will provide one full-time technician to maintain <br />equipment in the center and has agreed to provide $50,000 per year for the <br />operation of the access center. The Cable Commission and Teleprompter will meet <br />no later than September 30, 1983, to examine what is happening to the financing <br />of the access center and whether independent sources of revenue have been <br />developed for the access operation. Responsibility for the success of the <br />center has been given to the Cable Commmission with Teleprompter providing some <br />financial support. <br /> <br />Ms. Wooten asked how the negotiated budget for the access center compared with <br />other agreements Teleprompter has executed in other cities. Mr. Martin said it <br />varied widely. New franchises give more but want a twenty-year agreement. The <br />agreement negotiated by the Cable Commission is reviewed every three years for <br />possible changes. Mr. Martin urged the council to keep in mind that Tele- <br />prompter's capital investment is in a system that can't automatically jump to a <br />system of increased channels because it would require very expensive changes. <br />In negotiating a budget for the access center, Mr. Martin said that the commis- <br />sion was aware that costs provided by Teleprompter would get passed on to <br />individual subscribers. <br /> <br />Ms. Wooten also asked about remodeling costs for a studio. Mr. Martin said what <br />constitutes providing and maintaining a studio was still to be discussed. What <br />costs the $50,000 will go toward has not been decided by the commission. Other <br />questions yet to be resolved include whether there will be charges for using the <br />center, what the priorities will be, and what the regulations will be. A <br />2l-member committee established by the commission is working on those questions. <br />Mr. Martin noted that the fourth channel for public access has been defined more <br />clearly in the proposed ordinance. <br /> <br />In continuing his review, Mr. Martin said that rates must be filed with the <br />commission. There was considerable debate by the commission about what was <br />meant by reasonable standards in the indudstry. He said the commission felt <br />reasonable standards related to comparable systems. In resolving the legal <br />implications of using the word "reasonable," the City Attorney's Office has <br />clarified in the language of the ordinance what the expectations are in terms <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session <br /> <br />March 8, 1982 <br /> <br />Page 3 <br />