04-01-2019 Council Packet 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WS – 2 WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item No. 2 Date: April 1, 2019 To: City Council From: Jeff Karlson, City Administrator Re: Access to Channel 16 Background A few weeks ago, staff responded to a message from a Lino Lakes resident who complained about no longer having access to the public access channel when his receiver box ceased to function. He found out from Comcast had scrambled the signal and he could only get channel 16 through Comcast directly. The Comcast system underwent a complete digital conversion March 2013. Following the upgrade, a subscriber required digital service in order to watch any programming through the Comcast system. In 2014/2015, North Metro TV negotiated a franchise settlement agreement. Comcast had requested approval to transfer NMTV’s franchises to a newly formed company called Midwest Cable. In return for certain provisions, Comcast was released from their obligation to provide free Universal Service to any new subscribers. Subscribers who were already getting Universal Service were grandfathered in. Comcast does not have any record that the complainant was a Universal Service subscriber prior to the Settlement Agreement with Comcast. Comcast is not obligated to provide free Universal Service to subscribers unless they had Universal Service in 2014, at the time the Settlement Agreement was signed. Channel 16 can be accessed two ways in our franchise area, with a third option on the way. •Subscribing to any level of cable service. •The channel is live streamed 24/7 on the NMTV website and is accessible through the City’s website, which requires internet service. •NMTV is working to provide the City channel as an OTT (over the top) channel via Roku and Apple TV by the end of this year. This will require purchasing hardware. NMTV Executive Director Heidi Arnson will be at the work session to explain the Settlement Agreement and subsequent change in Universal Service, and to answer any questions the Council may have. Requested Council Direction No action is required.