Cable Access Struggle Takes Place in Madera, California

Cable Access Struggle Takes Place in Madera, California
By Mike Rhodes
June 1, 2004

Community media activists won a significant victory today before the Madera County Board of Supervisors. “What we are asking the board to do is table the proposal for the moment and give the community an opportunity to comment,” said Baldwin Moy who led the group of community media activists. County staff was recommending the board accept a proposal that included an Education and Government channel, but no Public access.

Several speakers addressed the Supervisors asking them for a Public access channel. Fred Thomas, political action chairperson of the Madera NAACP said “it is very important that we have a public access channel so we can show the diversity and different cultures in this community.” Camille Russell, a teacher in Madera, said that she supports Public, Education, and Government (PEG) access and hopes that the Supervisors will include a public channel. Vickie Fouts, president of the Fresno branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and a Madera resident said “I believe the public has a right to be heard in their community. Public access will give them that opportunity.”

The contract that was supported by county counsel did not include a Public channel, an Institutional Network, or Community Media Center. Baldwin Moy was told by county staff that this was a good contract because it included a 5% franchise fee that would go to county government. Comcast representatives had argued to county staff that because Madera was such a small market, they were reluctant to give them the full 5%.

Media democracy advocate Mike Rhodes, who is working on the franchise renewal process in neighboring Fresno, told the Supervisors that communities of comparable size to Madera can and do negotiate good franchise agreements. Gilroy and Hollister have recently negotiated a contract that includes an Institutional Network that links schools and government offices. Over the length of that contract, the communities will save tens of thousands of dollars in communications expenses. The Supervisors were told that Madera needs a Public access channel to get information from groups like the Fresno/Madera Agency on Aging and other community groups on the cable network. Madera deserves no less than what other communities all across the country have.

Supervisor Frank Bigelow cited a conflict of interest and did not participate in the discussion. Supervisor John Silva, after listening to public testimony, proposed to postpone the vote on the proposal until he had a chance to meet with some of the community members who were participating in the meeting. Silva’s proposal was unanimously passed.

One issue that became apparent at the hearing is that this franchise agreement will only affect the small number of subscribers who live outside of the Madera City limits, but within the County of Madera. There is a need to contact the City of Madera and find out where they are in the franchise renewal process.

The good news is that the Board of Supervisors in Madera are willing to listen to grassroots community media activists and discuss the need for a Public access channel. Next, the group needs to organize a meeting with representatives from the City of Madera to make sure all residents have PEG access.

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