2000-12-07CABLE TV ADVISORY COMMISSION
City of Beverly, Massachusetts
A! Torsey, chairman; Dan Murphy, Amy Siemasko, Robert Lee,
Arthur Crandall, George Johnson
Meeting of December 7. 2000
Beverly City Hall-- 4 p.m.
Present: Chairman Al Torsey, Dan Murphy, Amy Siemasko, Robert Lee, Arthur Crandall
Absent: George Johnson
Also attending: William August, Esq., attorney at law, Epstein & August, Boston
Tom Scully, Director of Community Services; Jane Lyman - for AT&T.
Counsel William August reported he had received a phone call from Nick Leuci,
vice president for franchise relations of AT&T Broadband. Mr. Leuci indicated that his
company would prefer not to operate local access broadcast studios as in the past. He
suggested the CAC investigate operation of a "Local Access" studio. Mr. August told Mr.
Leuci that much discussion at the November 28 public hearing concerned incidents of
alleged non-compliance by AT& T Broadband with license requirements. He said a letter
detailing complaints would be forthcoming. He said operation of the access studio would
necessarily be a central part of ongoing renewal negotiations.
Lyman said she disagreed that the franchisee was in non-compliance. August said
there was a difference in "interpretation." Lyman asked for a realistic list of potential I-Net
sites and mentioned it costs about $22,000 a mile to provide cable access. Scully said
the Fire Department is seeking the I-Net from Central Station and the Farms station to
file reports. The I-Net system in the past had been used for video, audio and some data
transmission.
August said the former license had required local origination production and
programming so the expectation was that there would be continuity. He said the CAC
will make the case for franchisee involvement in local origination prngramming and
production.
Lyman described Local Access Corporations. She said they are set up as non-
profit corporations, operate under boards of directors (typically five directors, two
appointed by the mayor, one by the Superintendent of Schools and two by the public).
They hire staff and direct coverage and programming. They operate with funds formerly
used by the franchisee for the existing studio as negotiated.
Lyman said it is easier for her company to write a check. Access Corporations
operate in several Eastern Mass. communities including Salem, Somerville, Cambridge
and Boston. August said Local Corporations have become a trend in the cable TV
industry. He said the current studio is being used by Beverly, Hamilton, Wenham,
Boxford and Topsfield but with no compensation to Beverly for sharing.
Lyman said it was always the company's intention to have a regional studio. She
said she would check with Mr. Leuci to clarify his position on Local Corporations.
The next meeting of the Cable TV Advisory Commission will be Tuesday,
December 19, 2000 at 8 a.m. on the third floor of Beverly City Hall.