City Council will hear disturbing news from City Manager OBrien at Tuesday's (9/23) City Council meeting. His plan is to cut 5% of the access center's funding (that is 5% of the 60% percent of the franchise provisions for the city's PEG channels so really more like 8%). In addition he is making no commitment for funding beyond 2009.

Today we read the City Manager's recommendations that he plans to cut funding allocations as early as next year and leaves us in the dark as to what to expect for years 3 and 5 of the remaining term of the cable franchise.

If the Manager's recommendations (PDF found on WCCA's website) are enacted, WCCA's funding would be cut 8% in 2009. No funding level would be guaranteed after 2009.

What you can do: Contact your City Councilor and, if possible, attend the September 23 City Council meeting (7pm, City Hall). Ask the Council to pressure the Manager to negotiate a better deal with WCCA.

Throughout the entire cable franchise ascertainment process the community had strongly voiced their request that the city of Worcester make assurances for increased funding and channel capacity for WCCA TV. At every Cable Advisory meeting and Public Service and Transportation cable hearing we attended we never heard calls, except from the government channel coordinator, for increased funding for the government channel or the school channel. In fact we found over a million dollar surplus combined of monies left unused from channels 11 and 12.

WCCA TV and community members clearly demonstrated a need for increased provisions to support the growth and capacity of WCCA TV to meet community media needs.

The City Manager's communication to the council comes without advanced notice to WCCA. We have received no offer or proposal. We did have the the opportunity to negotiate. We hope there is still time for that.
communication to the council and more comments can be read here