Westside : More Say on Cable Sought

The Los Angeles City Council has agreed to seek new rate-setting authority over local cable television operators amid concern that revised federal regulations may give the companies too much sway in some of the city’s poorer communities.

The council’s 13-0 decision Tuesday authorizes city staff to ask the Federal Communications Commission for authority to regulate four cable operators that do not have a large percentage of subscribers within their franchise areas. The areas include the Hollywood-Wilshire franchise.

Previously, the council authorized the city Telecommunications Department to seek new price-setting authority over Los Angeles’ 10 other cable franchise areas.

The new action was taken because of 1992 federal rules that, among other things, gives cities more authority to regulate cable television rates in areas that have no effective competition. One measure of that competition, federal officials have said, will be the percentage of households that subscribe to a cable company in any franchise area.

But, Los Angeles officials note, each of the city’s 14 franchise areas have only one cable operator. As such, they argue, the percentage of subscriber households in a cable franchise may have more to do with an area’s economics and per capita income than competition.

Sex Equity Panel Vacancies

The Los Angeles Unified School District is inviting students to apply for three vacant positions on the district’s Sex Equity Commission.

The commission has 29 members, and three seats are reserved for students. Positions also are available for non-voting student members. The commission discusses the study of women’s history, elimination of sexual harassment, equity for female students in school programs, a student’s right to take non-traditional vocational classes and equal education for students who are pregnant or have children.

The commission proposes recommendations to the school board for changes in policies and practices in the district.

Commission members serve on the board for two years and meet monthly at district headquarters. Interested students may call Donna Cassyd at (213) 625-4004.