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2 <br />CABLE TV CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE <br />Report to <br />THE ORANGE COUNTY HOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />1991 <br />BACKGROUND: The Cable TV Citizen Advisory Committee was established <br />in 1979 to review Cable TV Franchise proposals. In 1986 the <br />Committee was reactivated and reappointed to review Alert Cable <br />TV Franchise Expansion proposal. In 1991, the Committee was <br />reactivated again in order to advise the County Manager's <br />Office on methods for responding to citizen complaints and <br />inquiries concerning Cable TV service and to advise the <br />Manager's Office and the County Commissioners on an approach <br />for evaluating the applications of cable television companies <br />prior to renewal or granting of franchises. <br />MEMBERSHIP: The current membership consists of eight Orange County <br />Citizens. They provide a mixture of technical and non- <br />technical backgrounds, although the technical members expertise <br />is not specifically in the area of cable television. <br />The Committee met four times in 1991. It expects to <br />continue to meet quarterly as needed by the Board of Commissioners <br />and the County Manager's office. <br />At the April 23 meeting, the Assistant County Manager, brought <br />to the attention of the Committee the number and character of the <br />citizen complaints. These included interrupted and lower quality <br />service and cable extension policy. At all the meetings <br />representatives of the two cable companies serving Orange County, <br />Carolina Cable and CVI (formerly Alert), were present to answer <br />questions and explain policy. <br />The Committee requested the Assistant County Manager to pass on <br />the complaints he has collected to the relevant cable companies for <br />their action. They agreed to report the results of their inquiry to <br />future meetings. The cable extension policies were discussed in <br />detail at two of the committee meetings. The companies clarified <br />their policies and agreed to look into inequities and <br />contradictions. <br />At the June 14, 1991 meeting the two companies reported that <br />the complaints have been cleared up. As a result of the actions of <br />the two cable television companies the county manager's office has <br />received fewer complaints. In response to citizen complaints the <br />Committee worked with Carolina Cable to add to their cable service <br />more residential areas which are adjacent to existing cabled areas. <br />Under the present federal cable legislation local government <br />has very little input into the daily operation of Cable TV. <br />Companies may change their programming to meet market needs and <br />