What exactly does the public access TV station do for the community? How does something like that fit into the modern world where the price of a TV studio (or handheld HD) is not prohibitive, and the content can be distributed via the internet?
Lots of people still use TV, and yes, the costs of the equipment they provided are relatively low. But we were starved for cash, that's why we could be bought cheaply.
Does the franchise protect the company recouping the cost of the physical plan or is it more of a monopoly on providing video service locally?
It's sort of a monopoly, in our case it was a duopoly. They have to come to an agreement with the town to provide service, but it doesn't (usually) prohibit the town from bringing in other providers. If I recall correctly, there were clauses that other providers couldn't come in for cheaper than they did.
I haven't closely followed the so-called "national franchise" debate that took place a few years ago, other than that it was defeated.
A version of this came up in MA when I was there, as a state wide franchise. It was basically a way for them to get access everywhere, for cheaper, without paying the towns and paying a smaller aggregate total to the state instead. I was opposed to that (not that I had a voice), because we needed every cent we could get from whatever source.
I agree that the net sum of the system is pretty silly.
What exactly does the public access TV station do for the community? How does something like that fit into the modern world where the price of a TV studio (or handheld HD) is not prohibitive, and the content can be distributed via the internet?
Lots of people still use TV, and yes, the costs of the equipment they provided are relatively low. But we were starved for cash, that's why we could be bought cheaply.
Does the franchise protect the company recouping the cost of the physical plan or is it more of a monopoly on providing video service locally?
It's sort of a monopoly, in our case it was a duopoly. They have to come to an agreement with the town to provide service, but it doesn't (usually) prohibit the town from bringing in other providers. If I recall correctly, there were clauses that other providers couldn't come in for cheaper than they did.
I haven't closely followed the so-called "national franchise" debate that took place a few years ago, other than that it was defeated.
A version of this came up in MA when I was there, as a state wide franchise. It was basically a way for them to get access everywhere, for cheaper, without paying the towns and paying a smaller aggregate total to the state instead. I was opposed to that (not that I had a voice), because we needed every cent we could get from whatever source.
I agree that the net sum of the system is pretty silly.