Proposed Bill Could Restore Declining Community TV Funding

On Tuesday night, (04/02/2024), the Coon Rapids City Council unanimously supported a resolution calling for Equal Access to Broadband down at the State Capitol.

Broadband is high speed Internet delivered by fiber optic cable. Broadband companies must install their fiber in City right-of-ways to bring high speed Internet to homes and businesses. A bill at the State Capitol would require broadband companies to service communities equally.

"The equal access to broadband act will level the playing field with broadband ISPs while assuring build out and minimum upload and download speeds to meet the current and future needs of the business and residents statewide," Mike Freiberg, the State Representative for Crystal (43B) said.

The bill could also require broadband providers to pay a franchise fee to put their fiber optic cable in a city's right of way, just like cable companies are required to do. The fees would be used as PEG funding – which is money dedicated to public, education and government access programming.

"CTN and other cable production facilities are pretty much funded by cable franchise fees,” Eric Strouse, CTN Station Manager said. “And as people are cutting the cord, we have seen those fees decline over the last seven years."

The proposed law has drawn support at the State Capitol from some lawmakers, along with cities and community television stations like CTN.

"This is a passive legislation,” Strouse said. “That means that cities have to decide, and so it's all local control, which is important, but each city can decide what's right for their city."

Cable franchises were established back in the 1980s - long before the Internet was part of our daily lives.

"Technology has changed a lot, that's why this funding change needs to happen," Strouse said.

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SOURCE: CTN