TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file strategy to restore Public Access television in Long Beach. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
At the November 17, 2009 City Council meeting, the Technology Services Department (Technology Services) was directed to return to the City Council within 45 days to present a strategy to re-establish Public Access television in Long Beach. For the past several months, the City has worked extensively with Public Access stakeholders to restore Public Access. On December 28, 2009, City staff provided a memorandum to the City Council describing the efforts to date as well as the strategy to restore Public Access. It also highlighted the plan to enhance Parks, Recreation and Marine's video training program for youth. This report provides additional details included in the strategy.
History: The enactment of the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006 (DIVCA), a bill that the City vigorously opposed, marked a major change in the regulation of video service providers in California. Essentially, DIVCA replaced the local franchising process with a State process under the authority of the California Public Utilities Commission. The legislation allowed incumbent cable operators, such as Charter Communications, to vacate their local cable franchises. As a result, the incumbent cable operator was not required to provide Public Access facilities, equipment, and staff support for residents to produce their own cable programming after January 2, 2009. Public Access television in Long Beach is dark because there is no longer an entity with the requisite funds to operate the channel.
Beginning in November 2008, Technology Services began meeting with representatives from the Public Access television community to discuss the future of that medium in Long Beach. Over the next few months, staff met with the group on several occasions to identify potential solutions to continue Public Access operations. Unfortunately, neither a short nor long-...
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