Students discussed as alternative to Cox

Satellite Center may televise council meetings if Cox decides to stop offering free service

When the Louisiana Consumer Choice for Television Act was signed into law by Gov. Bobby Jindal last year, the bill was supposed to benefit consumers by giving them more cable choices.

But one negative aspect of the bill is the affect it is having on local parishes. Since Cox Communications can no longer sign an exclusive contract with St. Charles Parish (in an effort to deregulate), the cable giant had to get a state franchise license. That means that Cox is no longer required to provide crews and cameras to broadcast council meetings – a service it had offered for free as part of its former contract with the parish.

“Per the new state law, Cox is not required to provide videotaping services to St. Charles Parish,” Cox spokesman Brad Grundmeyer said. “As we met with parish officials regarding statewide franchising, Cox pledged to continue its coverage of council meetings as a service to the community for the foreseeable future.”

Though Grundmeyer said the company will continue to offer those services, at least for the time being, the parish has a unique backup plan if Cox changes its mind.

“We have discussed plans for if Cox no longer provides filming service,” Parish spokeswoman Renee Allemand-Simpson said. “We believe the most attractive option would be to possibly use the services of the students at the Satellite Center. The school already has most of the necessary equipment, and it would offer a great way for the students to get some experience.

“We would most likely pursue that angle first if Cox discontinued its services.”

Since the Cox services are offered for free, the parish would have to pay the students an unspecified amount, probably on a contractual basis.

The parish also has the capability to self-televise the meetings via a fixed camera in the council chambers. It captures audio as long as attendants use their microphones and provides a wide view of the chambers with no close-up shots.

“This is the method we use currently to air council committee meetings and other board and commission meetings,” Allemand-Simpson said. “It is an option, but we know viewers appreciate being able to see tighter shots for the council meetings, so we would come up with a solution to keep a film crew in place for those.”

Cox’s contract with St. Charles Parish expired on Dec. 18. Due to the recently passed Louisiana Consumer Choice for Television Act, Cox was required by state law to apply through the state and not the parish for a franchise.

“In advance of the state law being passed, Cox met with parish officials to explain exactly what the new law entailed and how it affected Cox doing business going forward in St. Charles Parish,” Grundmeyer said. “Due to our strong relationship with officials in St. Charles Parish, we informed the administration as to when Cox was applying for a franchise with the Secretary of State back in October of 2008.”

Cox’s new franchise agreement with the state is for a term of 15 years, is renewable and is nonexclusive. And while Cox could decide not to videotape council meetings, it will continue to pay the parish the same franchise fee that it did when the two had a contract.

“Prior to the passage of statewide franchising, the main issue for St. Charles Parish was the concern of losing the franchise fee paid by Cox to the parish,” Grundmeyer said. “However, with statewide franchising, Cox will continue to pay the parish the same 5 percent franchise fee as it had in the previous parish-negotiated franchise.”

The fee amounts to 5 percent of Cox’s gross revenue in the parish each year.

This franchise fee is intended to compensate a community for the cable operator’s use of the local rights-of-way, and to offset any costs associated with administering the local cable franchise.

Tim Vial, the parish’s chief executive officer, says that if AT&T does get into the cable business, (which was the intent of the new state law) they will be required to pay a franchise fee to the parish, as would any new cable operator.