03/08/1982 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e through their monthly payments. He endorsed the suggestion of Mr. Weiner that provision of cable services be left to open market competition. Mr. Lioio felt that local producers should be responsible for raising funds for their own productions and should not have their work subsidized through public access. Public hearing was closed. Mr. Martin responded to questions raised during public testimony. Regarding the suggestion that Mr. Obie or Ms. Smith might have a conflict of interest on this matter, Mr. Martin said that as the franchise and the proposed amendments are currently worded, neither Mr. Obie or Ms. Smith had a direct pecuniary interest that would require their disqualification from voting on this matter. He said that if public access facilities were competing for private advertising dollars, then a conflict could exist, but that the proposal before the council did not include opportunties for such competition. Mr. Martin said that the transfer of Teleprompter's stock to Westinghouse had been approved by the three jurisdictions involved in the franchise, and that Teleprompter in turn holds the stock for Teleprompter of Oregon. Mr. Martin noted that the information packet submitted to the council did not reproduce any but the amended portions of the franchise. He felt that confusion over this fact might have led to some of the concern regarding leased access. He said that the amended franchise would provide opportunity for governmental, educational, or public programming. He said that the intent of establishment of the access center was to provide programming for the community. He said that production of this programming could be sponsored by the private sector, but that there could be no advertising on the public access channel--the sponsorship information could, however, be presented at the beginning and end of the program, as is done with many public television programs. Mr. Martin discussed the purpose of the amendments. He said that they were the result of the Cable Commission's review of Teleprompter's performance, desire to change and expand available programming, and desire to clarify items in the original franchise. Mr. Martin personally felt that none of the powers of the commission was reduced by the proposed amendments. He said that the commission had never had authority in the area of pay TV beyond that in the franchise. He said that the proposed change in the definition of pay TV would prevent Tele- prompter from charging a fee for signals already broadcast elsewhere. Mr. Martin said that the four public access channels previously promised by Teleprompter would still be available, as they are needed, and that the proposed realignment of the channels included provisions for an A-B switch to allow subscribers to basic cable to receive a second public access channel by purchasing the switch from Teleprompter at cost. Mr. Martin emphasized that under the provisions proposed in the amendments, the Cable Commission would assume all responsibility for public access. He said that commissioners agreed that more funding would be needed, but he pointed out that the proposed funding represents a major increase over the offerings made at the time of franchise adoption and at the time of the rate increase request discussions of one year ago. MINUTES--Eugene City Council March 8, 1982 Page 7