One thing I would point out -- and thank you to Councilwoman Tasco -- is that we have -- we are currently involved with Area II with a lot of different contributions that we currently provide. One thing that Councilwoman Tasco brought to our attention was a theater production of the life of Dorothy Hite. And with that, we were able to provide tickets to cover the cost of that for high school students to go and learn more about that powerful story of Miss Hite. I envision that once we are in Area II that we will only expand on our 156 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 current contributions and identify more opportunities -- of course, with the help of your services and through your staff and, of course, Donna Reed-Miller, Councilwoman Donna Reed-Miller, and Councilwoman Blackwell.
Okay. So I mean, I guess what I'm taking out of this is, notwithstanding your agreement with regard to Attachment A and the Assumption Agreement that we have some work to do in terms of identifying, specifically since this is being held as a separate -- still as a separate franchise area under the Holdco Vi entity, that we will still develop specifics on how to address these items in the Assumption Agreement, since they presently pertain to Area II.
Kathleen Sullivan. And I can tell you, Councilman Nutter, based on our experience in Areas I, III, and IV with the success of this transfer, it will not take long for the community to contact us. 157 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 And that's what we do. I mean, a lot of times -- and Sharon can tell you that we are inundated with requests for sponsorships. We go over them, we review them. Based on the need, we make the contributions. And then in addition to what we do in terms of a financial support, we'll have a lot of the programmers that we work with. And recently we had Dora the Explorer that we worked with Christian in the Marketing Department. And they came to us and said, you know, in two weeks, we need 1800 preschoolers to come to the Meriam Theatre. And Davita Gare (sp?) and Dan Calhoun from the City of Philadelphia, they're on Sharon's team, they got everybody in Philadelphia contacted -- all the day cares. And it was really quite an event. So in addition to what we set out to do, there's always additional things. 158 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 We also work very closely with the Police Athletic League, and we are constantly -- or not constantly, but continually buying tickets for them to go to the Phillies games, to the Sixers games, to the Eagles games. So there's even things that come up that we don't have planned for that we're happy to contribute to.
Sharon Powell. If I could add now -- I'm sort of remembering. Bravo On With the Show, the History Channel, the Discovery Networks, they have ample programs out there that we have identify with Area II.
You had mentioned earlier that there was $5 million in contributions over some period of time. Did you have written testimony? The testimony that you both gave, were they distributed?
We do have a template that we're going to provide. My testimony is in here. 159 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
You mentioned $5 million in contributions. I didn't get the period of time.
What that comprises of, Councilman, is our local Comcast Cable contributions, coupled with the contributions from the corporate office.
So since 2005, we've calculated, looking at the Areas I, III, and IV, that $5 million was donated to the City of Philadelphia's nonprofits.
Okay, thank you. 160 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 And lastly on this agreement on , item number 10, Support for Education. Now, what's required in your franchise agreement under Section 7 of Appendix D with regard to support for public education?
Okay. And does that also happen upon any renewal, or was that from the start?
That actually happened in 1999 and 1998 for Comcast. 161 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
It's with the renewal. It was with the original and then when we renewed in 1999.
Okay. So in assuming this Attachment A, do we have an understanding at the moment of what Item number 10 would be, which is on top of what you're required in Section 7 of Appendix E?
I'm a little confused. Excuse me. Do you mean for the initial outlay for the franchise when we took over Area I, III, and IV? Or are you talking about additional funding for scholarship programs?
What I'm talking about is, this particular item indicates that there is -- that you will provide support for the education of City of Philadelphia students in addition to 162 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 what is required under Section 7 of the Appendix E of your franchise agreement.
Right. Well, I think that's that where we will say we will continue to support continuing education and scholarship programs because we have our own Students and Leaders program that we will extend into Area II. And in addition to the other nonprofits that we support that goes to education in addition to what corporate does. Like, for instance, David Cohen is involved in the City Year program and their scholarships. I don't know -- I think Sharon may have the total number of scholarships that we contribute to, and we will offer that in addition to Area II.
Oh, but you would be required to offer that in Area II anyway, wouldn't you?
Well, that's 163 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 the -- yeah, but I mean I -- we actually even do some now in Area II. But we're saying we will be bound by what we are offer in Areas I. III, and IV to extend that into Area II. And I think that that conforms to --
Yeah, I understand that. Let's make sure we're clear. You have the $200,000 requirement, which is a renewal issue, right?
This particular section is about enhanced support beyond what you're required under 164 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 your own franchise agreement. What this came out of was the last renewal -- I'm sorry, the last transfer with Time Warner. And their commitment was beyond what they're required under their franchise agreement. Subsequent to that transaction, they would provide additional financial support for education here in Philadelphia, which is subsequently defined.
I would have to check because I don't know what that commitment is, and I understand that that was the commitment that they had, and I'm not sure what that number is, so I can't answer that without knowing what their commitment is.
Yeah. I mean, I can tell you what the number is. All I'm suggesting to you is, it's in Attachment A, it's a part of what you're assuming as a part of the transfer of this franchise. 165 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 It was a hundred thousand dollars.
I don't know that we were prepared to do that. I mean, I think that was for a scholarship program, and we have our own scholarship program. I think that was their scholarship program, so we will put in effect our own.
Right. Okay. I'm sure we'll have further discussion about that. How are you going to enhance service in Area II? In I, III, and IV, what are your subscriber rates or penetration rates? How many subscribers do you have in each of I, III, and IV? 166 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
In areas I, III, and IV combined, um... We have -- um, there are about 255,000 customers.
Sorry. It's Christian Meyer. I do not have the breakout between the two areas in front of me; I'd have to get back to you with that. But certainly Area III and IV are larger than Area I.
Area III and IV together are larger than Area I, so we view Area III and IV generally as a single group because everything is 167 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 aligned with programming and pricing structure in that area.
I understand. Is Area II significantly below where any of your other three areas are?
Okay. And how do you propose -- in words or 12 less, how do you propose to significantly 13 improve your penetration rates in Area 14 II. 15
Well, thank you for 16 the question. 17 Certainly much of it is related 18 to improving our promise to customers 19 relative to both the products and 20 services that we will bring to market as 21 well as the service that couches those 22 products and services. 23 Time Warner -- again, from my 24 earlier comments -- did not invest very 25 much money at all in new-customer 168 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 acquisition; rather, they spent most of their dollars, again, communicating with their existing customers, which was not surprising, given the geographic isolation of Area II relative to the rest of their operation. For us, however, Area II is immediately leveraged by the dollars that we spent already in the City's media outlets each day. And that number is a significant difference relative to what Time Warner invests in the City's media today -- almost a tenfold difference on a monthly basis that we would immediately be able to put forward. Getting our promises and features and benefits in front of Area II residents. And, in fact, have a marketing engine that is focused on really driving new-customer acquisition and new-customer growth. And given our penetration in Areas I and III and IV, we believe that we have great opportunity in Area II to attract new customers. 169 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
And specifically, how are you going to deal with all of the folks with the dishes on their roofs?
Well, the product combination of the three products that we have available today has already accelerated what we term our competitive win-back performance specifically as it relates to dish. So as we're able to offer customers a single choice for phone, Internet, and television service, we're finding that that component is proving to be very motivating to dish customers. We do have far more robust product offerings in specifically the on-demand space, and it's in that space where we lead the industry and really look to lever for customer acquisition in win-back in Area II.
Okay. I'll come back to that. There is an office, a studio 170 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 and staff, a full operation, at 49th and Parkside. What are your plans for that facility and for the staff at that location?
I'd like Robin Proctor, the Vice President of Human Resources, to answer that question.
Robin Proctor. And, again, thank you, Councilman, for an opportunity to speak to that. We're very excited about bringing the employees from the Time Warner property on 49th Street into the Comcast family, looking forward to having an opportunity to enhance their career opportunities, their learning, and development opportunities, to have them be a part of something that is a much bigger presence than they feel they are right now with the Comcast family here in Philadelphia.
Let me ask this question, and I don't mean to cut across you. 171 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Should the transaction go through, not just here in this chamber, but the larger national transaction, do all of the employees at 49th and Parkside automatically become Comcast employees?
According to the terms of the agreement, they automatically become Comcast employees. I can only speak to the Philadelphia arrangement; I'm not an expert on the other ones, but I believe that's the case.
Not that I'm a cold-hearted person. But -- and how far either up the chain or down the chain does that automatic transfer take place?
I mean, I'm assuming the top person at the operation 172 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 is the general manager down to whomever.
I understood that to be the scope of the contract, that it would be the day-to-day operational employees at that property, which I would deem to be from the general manager to all employees at that location.
Do you plan to keep everyone who's working at that particular facility working?
I -- I'm not in the position right now to say that I don't have any plans. I don't have any awareness of plans to make any significant changes there. I wouldn't want to speak to 173 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 everyone staying; I'm not sure that everyone wants to.
I understand, right. I understand that. The facility, the payment center, the call center, the building, the studio, all of the facility there, what are your plans for that?
Yes. My name is Brian Lambert. As you can well imagine, we've only had an opportunity to walk through that facility at this point in time.
Excuse me. Mr. Lambert, I'm sorry, what's your title or job?
My title is Regional Vice President of Customer Care for Philadelphia Metro. 174 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Again, we've only had the opportunity at this point to really walk through that facility. We haven't had the opportunity, and won't obviously until the transfer actually culminates, to go in and really start working with these folks and understand what their contributions are and so on and so forth. But we have no plans here to do anything today other than what we have situated there right now.
I was not clear. We will not have tomorrow's plan until the deal culminates, until we can go in and actually go through the facility and evaluate their systems, their plants, their people, and so on and so forth.
Okay. Well, you would understand, of course, that what I'm really driving at is, it's a valuable location.
Yep. 175 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
From a geographical point of view. There's a convenience, of course, to maintaining the ability to pay a bill, pick up a piece of equipment, obviously, you know, service, and the like coming out of that location as opposed to whether it's the far northeast or down on Delaware Avenue, presents some logistical challenges. So I'm just trying to figure out, in the course of all of this, what is the commitment to the people in Area II for a continuation of facility and service accessibility and convenience that they've come to have all of these years?
Again, I can only give you what we know today. We have payment centers in each of the four areas in Philadelphia. We expect to keep payment centers in each of those locations. This is an owned property. We would expect to continue to own that 176 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 property. And beyond that, I'm afraid we haven't made those decisions.
We have a major payment center right in the facility, the Time Warner facility today.
No. It's their payment center that will obviously become a Comcast --
I'm going back to your -- your statement was that you have offices in all four areas of the City. I was just trying to understand what --
I'm sorry. In all three areas and will have in the fourth area upon conclusion of the 177 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 acquisition.
Okay. So give me the definitive statement for the moment -- today's plan, tomorrow's plan, next week's plan. How do you envision this working?
Again, we envision the operation operating the way it is today for the near term.
Point of information. Is the word payment center -- Councilman Nutter indicated where you go and pick up equipment. Isn't a payment center different than a place where you can actually pick up a receiver?
No. It is a customer service center. We provide opportunities to pick up equipment and exchange equipment, make payments, find out about new services, diagnose --
So a payment 178 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 center does more than just pay bills.
It's a complete customer service center. You can walk in a service center.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Two last questions. One, of course, you heard the public access dialogue earlier. What is the company's position with regard to supporting public access here in the City?
Kathleen Sullivan. Well upon notification from the City, we're ready, willing, and able to light up the channel. And we are continuing to work with the City, the Department of Public Property, and the Law Department in trying to reach some 179 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 agreement to work out the whole financial picture.
So there are some financial issues as it relates to the company that are unresolved?
Not the company. We're actually ready to go, but there are some other issues, and I don't know if this is a forum to go into that because there are ongoing discussions.
I understand, but there are some discussions with regard to potential support from the company as it relate to public access that are unresolved; is that correct?
Yet. 180 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
Okay. There was an article in the newspaper this morning with regard to this proposed transaction. Can you tell me a little bit about -- very little -- about, you own a channel or a product called Sports Net related to some contracts you have. I guess the company owns a couple teams and does broadcasts for another of the four major sports. I guess you broadcast three of them. Is that all wrapped in something called Sports Net?
You know, I make these up at the moment. Do you think I can recreate what I said? 181 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
You have a product called Sports Net. I believe it involves two teams that you are part owners of or directly owners.
Comcast Sports Net is an investment of the company to increase our features and benefits that we are able to make available to our customers, very similar to competitive advantages that we face with some of our 182 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 competitors in this footprint, similar to the NFL ticket package with DirecTV that is also not accessible to us. As companies like our maneuver back and forth with the competitive landscape, Sports Net has become a competitive advantage that we and our customers see a lot of value in. And so far, there has not been need to make a strategic decision otherwise.
When you use that terminology "a strategic decision" to what, sell it outside the... okay. So the bottom line here is, with all the back-and-forth between you guys and the Dish folks about who's offering whose product or not offering whose product and, you know, federal law and who's skirting around it and getting through loopholes, you have a product that you sell to your subscribers, which the TV dish people want and complain that they can't get. 183 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 And in the alternative, the TV dish people have a product, NFL Ticket, I think it's called, which is not available to Comcast subscribers.
So this is just all the big kids denying each other everybody's product until you could ever agree on a price, which, at that point, everyone would be happy.
Just say yes. Just say yes and get it over with. (Laughter.)
It's about the fundamentals of the business. It's about, you know...
Yeah. 184 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
The fundamentals of the business -- which would be money. Okay, all right. I think I'm finished. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you very much. I would just like to say that as a customer of Comcast and also working with the administrative offices, specifically with Sharon Powell, they have been extremely supportive and helpful to us when we made requests for support for community organizations and nonprofit -- not just if my district, but citywide. So we want to thank you for that. And I had another question -- I lost my train of thought. I just want to 185 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 make one final comment. Are there problems associated -- that you see associated with public access? Are they insurmountable? Can they be overcome?
I thought that it would be able to be overcome too. Thank you.
Thank you. Miss Sullivan, could you provide to the Chair -- Councilman Rizzo raised an issue earlier, and I meant to come back on it. First, what are your plans with regard to the current rates under the Time Warner system? And do you 186 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 anticipate, in the course of the next year or so, should this transaction both here in Council and the national transaction conclude during the course of the summer, do you anticipate any rate increases over the course of the next year?
No. And I think that was answered that we do not. But, again, I'm not the marketing person, so I'll defer to Christian.
So, again, relative to the fundamental levels of service where, in fact, Area I and III, IV are differentiated, in fact, to cheaper price points, no, we don't. And certainly there's alignment between the organizations that we're going to have to examine going forward. For instance, when you look at, you know, premium a la carte rates. For instance, Time Warner has split out the access to On Demand as a separate charge. The companies are aligned in those charges, 187 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 but we would likely align those charges over time.
Okay. While I really have no idea what you just said -- (Laughter.)
-- I know you're very sincere in saying it. I'm sure it's important and it's relevant to some who can actually figure it out. How about if we do it this way. Can you provide to the Chair a rate chart comparison for each area, the three that you presently have. I'm sure you can get from our good friends over at Time Warner what Area II is and what you think the rates would be under a Comcast-run Area II. So I basically would like to see a series of five separate charges all next to each other. Do you have to break out something, or if they've broken out something, try to make it as close as an 188 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 apples-to-apples comparison as possible.
Yes, of course. Let me caveat that. I can describe what exists today. I'm not sure we're in a position, without being closer to executing the transfer, of describing exactly what the company's plans are after transfer. But I can describe exactly what they are today of what hypothetically do you believe alignment would lead to. You know, I think it will be certainly a tool that we have obviously looked at ourselves.
Just quickly. Councilman Nutter loves charts, so the more comprehensive the chart, the better you're going to get around. (Laughter.) 189 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
Basic business principles. You're moving into a new franchise area, you have an existing rate structure. You're not going to go in there and whack these people 'cause you want to retain them and you're in competition with the dish and the satellite. So just the market forces as you enter into this franchise area, you're not in a position to be jacking up rates to hold on to customers when they have options like dish and satellite. Is that pretty --
Thank you, Councilman. Okay. Any other questions? (No further questions.)
There being none, thank you very much. 190 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
We now want the representatives from the Grassroots Cable Coalition to come forward. Make sure someone from Comcast stays in the event that there's a question that needs to be answered in further testimony on the bill. Good afternoon, sir. Please proceed. State your name for the record.
Good afternoon. My name is Joshua Brightbart I coordinate the Philadelphia Grassroots Cable Coalition, which includes Penberg, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Communication Workers of America, Jobs With Justice, the Philadelphia Community Access Coalition, Media Tank, Action Alliance for Senior Citizens, and the Kensington Welfare Rights Union. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. 191 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Our coalition appropriates access and accountability in the local video service market. We are very concerned about the prospect of Comcast having monopoly control over the Philadelphia cable system. We already see unaccountable behavior on the part of Comcast, including poor customer service and constantly-rising rates. The loss of a contrasting, if not competing, service in the Area II franchise gives Comcast complete control over Philadelphia paid TV subscribers. One change that would introduce some competition to the City would be the requirement that Comcast license its broadcast of our local sports teams to competing services, including satellite TV providers. We strongly encourage you to effect that change in our television landscape through direct negotiation with Comcast as part of this transfer process 192 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 and by joining our coalition and petitioning the FCC for relief. Along with our national partners, we have generated over 14,000 comments to the FCC, asking the agency to place conditions on the Comcast Time Warner takeover of Adelphia, including comments from many concerned Philadelphians. I would like to share with you what some of my neighbors have put into the public record on this issue. One Philadelphia resident wrote: "I have been a cable customer since it first came into Philadelphia as Wade Cable Works, and I've continued to this day with now Time Warner. I do not like the idea of Comcast taking over the complete sports network. I've been a passionate Flyers fan since the Broad Street Bullies. I'm 71 years old. I do not understand why Comcast continues to hold me hostage to their sports station. Why can't other people in Philly see the 193 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Flyers, Phillies, et cetera, without being held hostage by Comcast." Again, that was a comment submitted to the FCC. Another commenter wrote: "Comcast vertically integrated ownership and investment in the Philadelphia cable service providers market, the original Sports Network, the taxpayer-supported venues at which the teams play, and the local sports teams are a conglomeration that few law-makers could have predicted decades ago. Now is the time to fix the flaw in the system and close the Comcast loophole." The Comcast loophole the commenter refers to is the provision in the federal cable law that allows cable companies to withhold from competitors any programming they distribute through wires. They have to share anything they distribute through satellite. This gives them a monopoly over Philadelphia sports programming, which it uses as an 194 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 anti-competitive weapon against satellite TV providers, allowing them to continue raising their rates year after year, without regard to the rate of inflation or the quality of service. And in answer to Councilman Nutter's question earlier, the most recent figures that I've seen from the general accountability office in Washington showed that there's a nationwide average of 10 percent penetration by satellite providers. And in Philadelphia, it was 4 percent.
4 percent compared to a 10 percent average, and I will e-mail you that study. Now, that behavior is legal and, it is good business, but it's bad for Philadelphia. We paid for the stadium, we paid for the headquarters, but they control our ability to enjoy Flyers, Phillies, and Sixers. Particularly with the way the 195 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Phillies are playing this year, it's a sad situation. Broader access to those games would do more than open up the marketplace; we have pride in our teams. When Rowen makes a game-saving catch as he crashes bases to (indiscernible) or Bobby Brady gets a game-winning hit with two outs in the ninth inning with the bases loaded against the Mets -- I was at that game, it was very exciting. We talk to our neighbors about it. Our sports teams are key to our civic engagement, and they should not be held hostage by one corporation. And the same is true, I should add, about public access. In other cities, the public access channels are a key path to civic participation. Here, they're merely a continuing source of revenue for Comcast. As Mr. James testified, there's no fee being charged for them using the channels that are dedicated to public access. 196 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 And our coalition supports the activation of the channels for public access. The closing of the Comcast loophole might provide some pressure on Comcast to slow their annual rate increases. In the last ten years, cable rates around the nation have gone up 56 percent, which is nearly three times the rate of inflation. And that addresses, Councilman, something you said about the potential for rate increases in that area. And at a reason hearing of the Republican House Policy Committee in Harrisburg, a number of lawmakers cited cable rates as the major source of constituent complaints after property taxes. Senator Dominic Pileggi and Senator Anthony Williams are planning to introduce a bill tomorrow morning that would eliminate your local franchising authority in favor of state authority. 197 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 They and Verizon claim that local municipalities are not doing enough to promote competition in the video services market. We believe local franchising is still the best way to address local communication needs, as this hearing demonstrates. And (indiscernible) show those state legislators and the people of Philadelphia that you support a competitive market by effecting closure of the Comcast loophole. Release the Sixers, free the Flyers, let our Phillies go. Thank you for your time and consideration. (Applause.)
Thanks so much for your testimony. Any questions of this witness by members of the Committee? Any questions by other members of Council? (No response.)
There being 198 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 none, thank you for your testimony.
Next we have Southwest Community Development Corporation, Edith Dixon, and Point Breeze Performing Arts Center, Alfred Brown. (Witnesses come forward.)
Good afternoon. My name is Edith Dixon. I'm the community organizer at the Southwest Community Development Corporation. I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Southwest CDC regarding the Comcast Time Warner transfer. Southwest CDC is a nonprofit organization. We are celebrating our 20th year assisting the Southwest Philadelphia community. Our mission is to assist low-income residents with home energy and housing problems. Southwest CDC services include housing counseling, utility and rental 199 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 assistance, community outreach and organizing, employment counseling, family service and education, and economic development planning. I'd like to speak about the relationship that Southwest CDC has developed with Comcast. Annually, at Southwest CDC, we hold a fundraiser. It's our spring reception. Comcast has supported us every year, and this year was no 13 exception. However, the name Comcast created a buzz among this year's spring reception guests, especially those who are not currently in the Comcast footprint. Not only were community leaders and organizations pleased over the opportunity to have their cable and high-speed Internet handled by Comcast, but the nonprofit groups were excited over the chance to form partnerships with Comcast and its community outreach 200 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 programs. I speak before you today as someone who works in the Southwest community and cares about its citizens. I want to encourage your approval of the Comcast Time Warner transfer. I think the Southwest section of Philadelphia could use a good corporate citizen like Comcast to be part of the Southwest community. Thank you.
Thank you, ma'am. Any questions of this witness by members of the committee? (No questions.)
Thank you so much for your testimony. Any other individuals or community organizations? (Witnesses come forward.)
I'm sorry. Councilman Goode. 201 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440
I notice Mr. Brown is here; he didn't hear you call his name.
Yeah, I called his name earlier. Mr. Brown, yeah, I called your name earlier. Folks, could you hold on please a minute. I called Mr. Brown's name, and he didn't hear. I called on Mr. Brown to testify on a bill earlier. Thank you, Councilman. (Witness comes forward.)
Good afternoon. Okay. Good afternoon, Council and Council Committee and Council Chairman. My name is Alfred M. Brown, and I'm the Executive Director of Point Breeze Performing Arts Center. Point Breeze is a community in South Philadelphia, and we are probably the first area of the City to receive cable, and we were under Greater Media. But prior to Comcast coming, 202 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Comcast has made a humongous difference in our area, and they have really supported Point Breeze Performing Arts Center -- and not only Point Breeze but a number of the other organizations within our community. I am a representative of the Point Breeze Community Development Coalition, which represents about 40 organizations, and Comcast supports all of us and all of our issues and our things that we're doing within our community in South Philadelphia. Point Breeze Performing Arts Center's mission is art for social change. We believe that the performing arts can be a critical tool to affect and change lives of young people within our community, which we presently do. And, certainly, in light of the issues that are happening in South Philadelphia and also in West Philly and other areas of the City with the violence that's going on presently right now with 203 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 our young people, Comcast has stepped up, has been a corporate partner who has stepped up and recognized the issues that -- and supported the organizations that are dealing with our young people to alleviate the issues that we're dealing with within our community. And we wholeheartedly need Comcast's support and Comcast's issues that they're dealing with. Sharon Powell-Lee is a great person in helping us with those issues. Yet, you know, Point Breeze reaches a number of areas of the City, not only South Philadelphia. We're all in West Philly and in North Philly and the greater Northeast as well. So we wholeheartedly support all of the initiatives and all of the things that Comcast is doing and will do and is presently doing. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your testimony, sir. 204 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Any questions for this witness? (No questions.)
Thank you, sir. Now, anyone else to testify on this bill. (Witnesses come forward.)
Good afternoon, Chairman Clarke and Councilman Ramos, DiCicco, Kenney, Tasco, Rizzo, and Councilman Goode and Councilman Nutter. I'm Jonathan Stein, General Counsel at Community Legal Services, representing the Philadelphia Community Access Coalition. The Philadelphia Community Access Coalition comprises 92 organizations across the City who are social-service providers, neighbor community groups, arts and culture organizations, labor unions, and churches. We are probably closer to 205 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 finally realizing a public cable TV system today than we have been in the past years, since the 1983 ordinance 5 was passed by this Council that decreed 6 that there be a system. 7 We've been working closely in 8 recent months and years with the 9 Administration, particularly the Law 10 Department, the Public Property 11 Department, the Managing Director's 12 Office, and the Mayor's Office to 13 collaborate jointly to resolve and 14 address a host of aspects of getting the 15 system established. 16 But we're not there yet, and 17 the reason why we're here is precisely 18 because we're not there yet. 19 We've been awaiting a public 20 commitment from Comcast to provide 21 adequate public funding -- adequate 22 operating funding for a public-access 23 system beyond what was set forth over 20 years ago, in 1983 dollars, in 1983. And as a result, we believe 206 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 this transfer should not go forward until an enforceable public commitment is made by Comcast at present. I'm going to really conclude my remarks here because I want my colleagues -- Miss Gretjen Clausing to my left, Miss Joy Butz. to say a few words about the value of public access to the City since they've still -- because we haven't had public access yet, there still is some lack of information about the benefits of public access to the City, despite the fact that over 1700 -- 1700 cities and communities across America are successfully using public access. This is Miss Gretjen Clausing.
I've been working in independent media in Philadelphia since 1989. That includes, working at the International House of 207 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Philadelphia, Prince Music Theater, and Scribe Video Center. And I've been a member of the Philadelphia Community Access Coalition since our forming in 1998. And I thank you again for the opportunity to speak this afternoon. My goal really is twofold.
Hold on. I just want to make announcement. I'm sorry. If there's anyone here who was interested in the 2:30 Finance Committee hearing, that hearing is going to be postponed, recessed until 1 o'clock tomorrow. There you go, I just wanted to get that out. So if anybody is waiting for that, they can leave. Thank you. I'm sorry. Please proceed with your testimony.
Okay. Thank you. Again, my goal today is sort of 208 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 twofold. First I want to give you really a snapshot of what public access television can look like in Philadelphia so that you can see why, you know, it's very important that tying adequate public commitment from Comcast to this transfer is so important. And, secondly, I want to share my sense of urgency with you. If this bill is voted out of committee today and then adopted by the full Council later this week without any obligation that Comcast support public access above and beyond their commitment in the preexisting franchise agreements, City Council will be missing a huge opportunity. This is an opportunity not only to ensure the creation of a public access network this year, after over 20 years of waiting, but it's also about ensuring its future and it's sustainability. As Jonathan stated, in over 1700 communities around the country, over 209 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 1 million volunteers produce and create more public access television programming in one week than all of the major networks combined. Where public access exists, individuals from age to 80 participate 8 from being members of the nonprofit arts organizations and culture groups, labor unions, faith-based groups, social service organizations, and they are all are there, producing their own programming. They share stories, they air information, they explore issues, promote dialogue, teach skills, and entertain people. Public access television allows ordinary citizens to gain access to training in the use of new digital media technologies, including television production and media literacy training, and enables people to address diverse social and cultural needs of their communities. Basically, we envision it as a 210 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 kind of an electronic green space. It can be thought of as a city park, a place away from the bustle of commercialism, where people can meet and exchange information and exchange ideas. Referring back to the work that Jonathan was mentioning and Public Property Commissioner Joe James, we have been doing a lot of work with a working group of folks from the City, and we have the opportunity to really kind of put our vision out there. And I think people keep talking about five channels, five channels, but we really want to sort of inject them with a sense of life so that you understand how we see this Philadelphia neighborhood network taking form here. And using current technology, we could basically have this system up and running in 60 days. And on these five channels, we have put them forth in this way that there would be a Philadelphia Affair 211 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 Channel, which would be supporting government and nonprofit service organizations with that kind of programming. There would be a channel that would be called the Arts and Culture channel That would highlight the wealth of creative expression in Philadelphia. There would be an inspiration channel, which would be Philadelphia Spiritual and Religious Channel. There would be a youth channel, which would also be intergenerational, not just youth, but it would be primarily TV made by and for young people. And then, of course, the Public Form Channel, which provide a diversity of viewpoints from Philadelphia residents. The interesting thing that I think again is important to emphasize is that there is enough preexisting programming that is both regional and national that could be aired as a part of 212 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 a startup programming schedule. And this would get the channels off the ground and begin the education and outreach process to Philadelphians to get them in and to train them and then to add their own programming to the schedule.
There's already countless hours of programming made by Philadelphia community organizations that's just sitting fallow on shelves and not getting out to a larger public. " Even though it's kind of a dry title, it basically surveyed organizations representing a broad section for major cultural institutions like the Art Museum, the Horticultural Society, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and all of them speaking positively on their interest in being able to use 213 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 public access television. Congreso de Latinos Unidos sees the potential to cable-cast their existing health and educational program, market programs and provide information and to create new career opportunities. The Free Library of Philadelphia could cable-cast talks and events. And the Philadelphia Art Museum had also discussed ideas of cable-casting images of art work to homebound seniors to use in distance-learning education programs, cable-cast tours and event. I just think it's interesting in the discussion about scholarships and educational opportunities -- I think those are all really important and Comcast could be held to those, but this is an opportunity for education and training for the entire city, that at this point hasn't been put into place. And I also want to mention that given -- with the recent approval of 214 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 wi-fi, there is really an exciting opportunity that could be seized at this moment where, by looking at these two systems in concert, that you could actually envision really any neighborhood, any home, any community center would in itself become its own satellite center, by being able to use the wifi technology to upload programming and then download it at the access centers and then put it out on the cable channels. Public access is a vehicle for creative expression. It fosters the development of independent artists that would infuse local arts industry with new creativity. Public access would help establish the arts infrastructure to grow and better complement other economic strategies such as tourism. Public access provides communities with the possibility to create their own positive images of themselves and to tell their own stories 215 06/5/06 - Public Property/Public Works - Bill 060440 and represent themselves in an honest and real manner. The bill before you, which you are now considering, would basically be giving Comcast a $22 billion industry behemoth, a total monopoly on cable services in this city. I urge you to take this moment to do what cities across the cities have been doing at these franchise transfer hearings. City Council must ask Comcast to publicly commit itself to adequately fund both the capital and operating costs of public access system above and beyond what is in the preexisting franchise agreements, which were written in 1983 dollars.