11/30/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Jones Intercable has made an application for an increase in rates to offset this recent increase. levied by the Copyright Royalty Tribunal for carriage of distant independent signals. Jones Intercable is required to carry channel 43 (Melbourne) as it is termed a "must -carry" station by the FCC for-t'is territory. There- fore the cable company dropped the other distant signal channel (17, Atlanta) for which they would be required to pay the 3.75% fee. By customer demand, channel 17 was returned to the air and this request. was made to the Board to offset the expense(Attachment "A"). U. S. Congressman Mike Synar (D -Okla.) recently introduced H. R. 2902 in Congress which is designed to provide up to three (3) distant independent television signals regardless of system market size -or location before being subject to copyright payments(Attachment "B"). ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSES: The alternative of not granting this increase to offset the expense of carrying channel 17 would mean Jones Intercable would discontinue carriage again. This alternative was very much opposed by several of their customers when it occured earlier this summer. The Commission and Utility offices received several telephone calls voicing opposition to channel 17 being dropped and protests in large number. -were made at the cable company's office: RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends this increase be granted to offset the Copyright Royalty Tribunal fee with the provision that if and when H. R. 29.02 is passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate, this in- crease will be terminated automatically and billing will be adjusted to reflect same. Chairman Bird explained the procedures to be followed during the rate hearing and asked that everyone who had filled'out a slip and wished to be heard come forward to the microphone to speak and be sworn in by Attorney Brandenburg. He explained that Jones Intercable would present their request and the Commissioners would then have an opportunity to ask questions of staff and Jones Intercable before the meeting was opened up to public comment. Mr. Ken Vickers, Manager of Jones Intercable, Inc. presented the firm's request for a rate increase: A I would like to provide a brief.history of events since our initial action discontinuing our carriage of WTBS back in June -of this year. The copyright legislation effecting our carriage of WTBS was approved in apellate court in March of'this year. The new copyright fee raised the charges to our system to 3.75% of our total basic revenues. This tremendous increase prompted our deletion of Channel 17 WTBS before we entered the next copyright period. The initial public reaction to this channel change focussed on two points. 3 � NOV 3 01983 �t&i( 55 PACE