Forum on channelAustin's future

channelAustin is now faced with a period of change and we want to discuss this with you -- the community. channelAustin's contract with the City expires at the end of September and the City’s franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable ends in August. We are currently in the process of submitting a new proposal for how channelAustin will continue to operate beginning in October.

Under a new... [read more]

channelAustin is now faced with a period of change and we want to discuss this with you -- the community. channelAustin's contract with the City expires at the end of September and the City’s franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable ends in August. We are currently in the process of submitting a new proposal for how channelAustin will continue to operate beginning in October.

Under a new contract, City staff has proposed that the maximum amount we could receive from the City for operations is 27% less that what we receive now. We are hopeful that we will receive this new level of funding, however, there is no guarantee that the City Council will allocate any money from the City’s general fund for this purpose. There is no requirement that it does so.

Now, and in the past, the majority of our funding base has been guaranteed and defined by the City’s local franchise agreements with the cable companies. That guaranteed funding is eliminated this year. Any future City funding will depend on the City Council’s political will, which is based on the amount of visible support from the community and especially from voters.

At our Forum on channelAustin's Future, staff would like to lay out in broad strokes what we see happening in the next 7 to 8 months. We would like to know that we can call upon you to take action to demonstrate the value of the resources that channelAustin makes available and the necessity for continued funding.

channelAustin staff has realized for some time that going forward we can not operate under the same model. We also want you to understand some of the changes we will all have to make in order for this cherished resource to survive and prosper.

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