Part of Our Community

Historically, cable service has been regulated by local franchising authorities, Cable companies were awarded non-exclusive "franchises" to serve local communities, and many of those franchises continue to exist today. In 2007, California passed the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (“DIVCA,” P.U. Code Section 5800 et.seq.) which provided for state franchises authorized by the State Public Utilities Commission. Under either franchising authority, cable operators provide substantial contributions to the communities they serve: · Cable operators set aside channels for government, public and educational use, allowing members of the community to produce and show unique local programming. · Cable systems pay "franchise fees" (usually 5 percent of the system's video revenues) to the local community. · Government-mandated public interest obligations require that "equal time" be given to candidates running for public office and that advertising sales be restricted on children's TV shows. Cable companies continue to be significant charitable contributors to a wide variety of social and cultural community causes.