SAN FERNANDO : City OKs Transfer of Cable Franchise

After reviving its bid to provide cable service to San Fernando residents for a second time, West Valley Cablevision Industries has won approval to take over the 2,500-household cable system serving the city as soon as next month.

The San Fernando City Council on Monday voted unanimously to allow the transfer of the city’s cable franchise to Cablevision after negotiations involving the firm, the city and the current cable provider, Valley Cable, were renewed earlier this month

“Now that it’s over and done with, CVI is looking forward to providing cable service to the community of San Fernando,” said Lee Alpert, an attorney representing the Chatsworth-based company.

Cablevision’s months-long effort to buy the franchise and assets from Valley Cable came to a halt in April when it pulled out of the deal due to protracted negotiations.

Alpert said Cablevision reconsidered its decision after being prodded by Mayor Dan Acuna to try once more to hammer out an agreement.

Acuna, who wrote letters to both parties, said he was concerned that Valley Cable would not have the financial resources to improve public access to cable, while Cablevision agreed to spend $65,000 on cameras and equipment to upgrade programming facilities.

During Monday’s meeting, company representatives and city officials spent nearly four hours debating the fine points of an agreement allowing the franchise’s transfer. In the end, Cablevision agreed to pay $25,000 to the city to cover fees and costs associated with the transfer.