This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
https://youtu.be/vjG8YJz4AVU?t=2h30m54s
Video of the discussion, approximately 15 minutes, held July 31st, 2018.
The Longmont City Council, during their study session giving the city's Finance Department direction on the City Budget, talked about the future of Longmont's Channel 8 including its purpose, operations, funding and challenges ahead. The immediate issue was a possible cut in their budget of $25,000, or about 14%.
The cable franchise fee, paid by every resident in Longmont who subscribes to Comcast Cable, is the primary funding source for Channel 8. Each resident pays $4.11 on their bill which is sent to the City of Longmont and placed in the general fund. 25% of that money is earmarked for Channel 8. Its services include a broad range of activities, from broadcasting and live streaming the City Council and School Board meetings to streaming a variety of other city oriented content. In addition, they maintain a studio that is accessible to the general public for the creation of public access TV shows for the local community.
In 2017, the 25% came out to a budget of approximately $190,000.
In an email from Jim Golden, Longmont's finance director, he said: "In 2017 the total cable franchise revenue was $751,697. In 2018 through two quarters we have received $334,212. Budget for 2018 was $760,000 so we are dropping it to $660,000 for 2019. LCT receives 25% of the budgeted figure unless actual comes in less than budget."
Due to the continued trend of people dropping their cable services, this year's budget will be approximately $25,000 less than the 2017 budget.
The question posed by Jim Golden is 'do we continue funding it at the same level, pass on the 'cut' of $25,000, or do something else.'
The City Council's general direction was to allow the cut, but not to 'pull the rug' out from under Channel 8. They strongly encouraged the Cable Trust board to look at how they run their operations and the associated costs, the services they provide and how they get continued funding since the cable franchise fee is projected to continue dropping into the foreseeable future.
Council Member Tim Waters also brought up the possibility of creating a Community Information District (CID) that could be created to fund the various non-profit information, media entities in Longmont.
Waters said an attorney who is an expert in special districts is coming to talk to council later this month, on August 21st. He then said that "It's an opportunity to explore with her what it would look like if we were to create a special district, and that there's discussion underway, I've sat in a meeting or two about at least envisioning what it would be like if we built a community information district that would include the Cable Trust, the radio station, our online non-profit news source and potentially the library; there are library districts that exist across the country, a whole new way to fund our library with maybe more predictable funding and fold in the Cable Trust and fold in the radio and create a whole publically owned Community Information Special District. That's a topic I think we ought to visit on August 21st, I think it tee's up a way more creative robust sustainable... now it would require approval of this council based on how I understand the process works and it would require support of the community on how I understand the process works, but this is a perfect conversation to continue, in my view, when we have that expert here".
You can watch Council Member Water's comments here:
https://youtu.be/vjG8YJz4AVU?t=2h41m7s
The Cable Trust was founded in 1982. According to it's website, it's purpose is:
"The Longmont Cable Trust is an independent entity that facilitates programming; reflecting the cultural, educational, civic, ethnic and spiritual interests of Longmont. LCT creates a vital communication link for Longmont citizens operating Channel 8 under a Service Contract with the City of Longmont. LCT manages and controls Local, Public, Governmental, Informational and Educational Cable TV Access."
