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Lake Cam leaders urge Select Board to press legislators on streaming-era cable funding; board votes to send letter
Summary
Lake Cam representatives told the Select Board that cable franchise revenue is declining as providers shift to streaming, and asked the town to urge state legislators to support bills (S.41, H.106) clarifying municipal access funding; the board voted to send a letter of support.
Robert Marshall, representing Lake Cam, told the Lakeville Select Board the town's public access service is already seeing a drop in cable franchise funding as cable companies move customers to streaming platforms.
Marshall said franchise fee revenues historically funded Lake Cam's operations and staff, and that there is a legislative effort to modernize the statutory framework so streaming providers cannot escape obligations that support municipal public-access channels. He asked the board to contact Representative Orel and Senator Rodericks to ask where the Senate bill (S.41) and House bill (H.106) stand and to urge strong support for the measures.
Marshall described a conversation with a Comcast representative who told him Comcast considers itself an 'Internet company' and suggested streaming may not be subject to the same municipal franchise-fee obligations as traditional cable. Marshall said some communities nationally have seen franchise-fee declines as large as 30 percent and Lake Cam has seen a smaller decline already.
Select board members and staff discussed options, including helping Lake Cam educate subscribers and circulating a form letter residents could sign. The board voted to submit a letter to the town's legislators in support of the bills named in Marshall's materials (Senate 41 and House 106) and to follow up on timing and draft language.
Why it matters: Municipal franchise fees historically support local public-access channels and related community services. Board members said that if franchise revenues disappear without a statutory fix for streaming, Lake Cam's ability to provide town meeting coverage and other programming could be at risk.
Action taken: The Select Board moved and seconded a motion to send a letter to the town's legislators asking for information on, and support for, the bills identified by Lake Cam and to signal the town's interest in preserving public-access funding. The motion passed on a roll call vote.
