Cable Leased Commercial Access (was Public Access/ Cable Channel Production) MacDV Digest #2641

[Ted Langdell]

Steve,

What you're actually looking for is a "cable leased commercial access"  
channel. Cable systems that have more than a certain number of  
"activated" channels (usually 36 or more) are required to reserve 10%  
or 15% of their activated channel capacity for leased commercial  
access.

Its a resource not publicized by cable companies, and not very well  
known.

This requirement allows unaffiliated producers with commercially  
supported programs to obtain a one-shot half-hour, on up to a full  
channel, 24/7.

You simply write to the cable company requesting rates, terms and  
conditions. See the links below. There's a specific section about  
what's required from you to create a "bona fide" request, and what the  
cable company is obliged to do in response.

I suspect you could write ONE letter to the main office of a  
multiple-system operator like Comcast or Cox, and list the towns or  
systems you want to use.

The law's intention is to make access available at a relatively low  
cost. The regulations have specific formula for determining rates, so  
there's a way to check (spreadsheet sugggested) whether the rate being  
quoted is more than what it should be... and processes for resolving  
disputes. (Bring on the CPA's!)

If you opt to use leased access, make sure that you don't get gouged  
when it comes to getting your tape played back, or arranging other  
delivery methods.  Cable operators are limited in how much they can  
charge.

Rather than paying a "per playback" fee, it might be cheaper for you to  
provide your own playback system and rent space in the company's head  
end.  There are hard-drive equipped MPEG-2 playback boxes that can be  
rack mounted, hooked up to a DSL connection and fed programs for timed  
playback.

If they won't rent space inside the head end (which might be illegal if  
they provide that kind of support to others) you might be able to  
arrange to have your own small equipment shelter next door, and run the  
signal through a conduit to their building.

See these links for details, which are contained in the FCC rules and  
regulations under the parts listed in the section covering cable TV:   
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/47cfr76_03.html

76.701 Leased access channels. (Deals w/cable operator's limited  
ability to censor LCA programs)
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/05dec20031700/ 
edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/octqtr/pdf/47cfr76.701.pdf

76.970   Commercial leased access rates.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/05dec20031700/ 
edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/octqtr/pdf/47cfr76.971.pdf

76.971 Commercial leased access terms and conditions
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/05dec20031700/ 
edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/octqtr/pdf/47cfr76.971.pdf

76.975 Commercial leased access dispute resolution.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/05dec20031700/ 
edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/octqtr/pdf/47cfr76.975.pdf

76.977 Minority and educational programming used in lieu of designated  
commercial leased access capacity.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/05dec20031700/ 
edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/octqtr/pdf/47cfr76.977.pdf

I'd also suggest that you do a search on the FCC website  
(http://www.fcc.gov) for "Cable leased commercial access" and read the  
various items that pop up.  That will familiarize you with some of the  
issues LCA programmers have had with cable operators, and what the FCC  
decided.  It will better prepare you for helping get what you want.

Many cable sales and management people have no clue about Leased  
Commercial Access, so it might not hurt to print out the first four PDF  
files, highlight appropriate sections and provide them with your rate  
request.

Hope this helps.

Ted Langdell
Ted Langdell Creative Broadcast Services
Marysville, CA

On Mar 19, 2004, at 5:30 AM, Macintosh Digital Video List wrote:

>
> Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 13:16:25 -0500
> Subject: [MacDV] Re: Public Access/ Cable Channel Productions
> From: Steve Robertson <stever at mindspring.com>
> Message-Id: <5E744072-7908-11D8-9BAF-000393AE2E76 at mindspring.com>
>
>
> On Thursday, March 18, 2004, at 12:43  PM, Laurie, Richard wrote:
>> I would search google for public access channels in your are then
>> contact them to see if they have a similar set up.
>
> My original questions about video quality for cable would apply to
> public access, but I was really asking about commercial, for profit
> local channels that are available only on one cable system. In my area
> (Newnan, GA, pop. about 30,000), the local newspaper owns and operates
> a local TV channel on the Newnan cable system. They produce their own
> programming- much as a local independent broadcast station would. They
> also offer advertising packages that include both the newspaper and the
> cable channel, plus "insertion" ads on the other cable channels. This
> is the type of local channel for which I would like to find a directory
> and technical specs.
>