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SR-082807-1FCity Council Meeting: August 28, 2007 Agenda Item: To: Mayor and City Council From: Kathryn Vernez, Assistant to the City Manager, Community & Government Relations Subject: Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute Delegated Authority Agreement with Los Angeles County for CityTV to provide programming services and activate a County Pilot Channel in Santa Monica, and make necessary budget changes and appropriate funds. Recommended Action Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a Delegated Authority Agreement with the Chief Executive Officer of Los Angeles County for up to $104,300 for CityTV to provide programming, video production services and support to activate the Countywide channel as provided for in the Time Warner franchise in Santa Monica. Executive Summary The City's cable television franchise with Time Warner provides for a total of six (6) access channels to be available on the Basic Service tier for Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access uses. One of those channels was earmarked in the franchise to become a Regional Government channel. CityTV is proposing that the regional government channel be developed into a Los Angeles County government channel as a pilot project partnership with Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County 1 potentially will reach over 2.5 million cable households and this pilot project would be the springboard for programming Countywide. The County would provide the funding to cover the hard costs to start-up, equip and operate the channel. CityTV would provide the production expertise to operate the channel. Discussion The City of Santa Monica has six (6) cable access channels activated in Santa Monica. CityTV, the City's cable television operation, is responsible for programming four of the six channels. Of the remaining two channels, one is for public access and operated and programmed by Time Warner; and the other channel is operated and programmed by Santa Monica Community College. CityTV's main channel is cable channel 16 which runs live public meeting coverage, local news, event coverage and other original and acquired programming. CityTV2, cable channel 20, features repeats of CityTV's public meeting coverage. Cable channel 99 currently airs area event information and a CityTV program that encourages residents to get out and explore Santa Monica. The event listings are provided at no charge by ExperienceLA, anon-profit that promotes using public transportation to go to area events. CityTV is proposing to program cable channel 75 with content developed in partnership with Los Angeles County. Channel 75 is currently afull-time graphics bulletin board that promotes City and community events and services. Programming on the County 2 Channel will include live and replayed Board of Supervisors meetings ,and other programming produced by Los Angeles County departments. Programming of regional interest, covering events and topics such as the MTA/Metro-sponsored rideshare program, transportation alternatives, and bike path locations, "green" initiatives and sustainability tips for homeowners and businesses, and programs featuring arts and cultural destinations, as well as programs like CityTV's recent live call-in program on homelessness, could also be presented on the channel. Funding would be provided by the County via a Delegated Authority Agreement ("DAA") with CityTV. Specifically, the DAA would contractually convey funding to CityTV for production and related services provided to Los Angeles County. This will allow CityTV to partner with the County to produce programming of interest to both Santa Monica and Los Angeles County cable TV viewers. With the approval of this Delegated Authority Agreement, Santa Monica will be the first City in the County to have the County Channel programming and will serve as the launch site for the channel. Santa Monica residents will be the first to have the benefit of viewing this dynamic, new regional channel and the City will receive the funding necessary to launch, operate and maintain the channel for Los Angeles County. In other words, there will be significant value-added at no additional cost to Santa Monica residents. 3 The term of the agreement initially will be for one year. At that time the parties will evaluate the pilot project partnership and determine the future of the project. The current graphics that are on cable channel 75 will continue to air on CityTV2 and will also be aired on cable channel 99 so that local residents will still benefit from information on local services and events. Alternatives If Council chooses not to approve the Delegated Authority Agreement, only graphics will continue to run on cable channel 75. Budget/Financial Impact Los Angeles County will provide the complete funding to necessary to cover the costs of launching, activating and operating the channel. The estimated one-time costs are $21,500 for telecommunications and playback systems. Monthly telecommunications costs are estimated at up to $1400 per month to provide a live feed from the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration to CityTV. Operating costs are expected to cost up to $1100 per month for preparing programs to air, scheduling the channel, and preparation of graphic bulletin board messages and program listing services. Additional funding is available to jointly produce programming that could be made available to air on both the Los Angeles County Channel and CityTV. The following budget changes are needed to record receipt of the County funds in FY2007-08 and make them available for program use. 4 1: Establish a revenue budget in the amount of $51,500 at account 01207.407820. 2. Appropriate the same amount at account 01207.544012. Prepared by: Robin Gee, Cable N Manager Approved: Forwarded to Council: Assistant to the City Manager for ~Cify Manager ~` - Community and Government Relations Reference Contract No. 8820 (CCS).