Cable Fee Hike Might Spur Review of Comcast Contract

City leaders said this week that they will not fight a 30-cent raise in fees for local cable TV service but instead will push for a complete review of the city’s cable franchise contract, which expires next year.

Comcast Cablevision has announced a 30-cent fee hike on basic cable services, effective Feb. 1. City Manager Keith Till advised City Council members not to initiate a full review of the rate request, which could cost $10,000 or more in consulting fees.

Till said the city should begin negotiations for renewal of the Comcast franchise agreement, which dates to 1982 and expires in March 1997.

“You’re sort of choosing your battlegrounds here,” Till told council members, “to be in the arena of the franchise renewal as opposed to the arena of the proposed 30 cents.

“We really want to get into the entire package. The rules have changed since this 14-year-old franchise came into effect.”

Laird Mueller, who represents the Seal Beach Cable Foundation, a local group that provides funding for community cable programs, encouraged council members to seek competitive bids.

“What we need to do is put out a number of requests for proposals to a number of various companies,” Mueller said.

Councilman George Brown said a new franchise agreement should be negotiated that gives the city more control over cable TV fee increases.

“We should learn from this and understand that we should have a contract they can’t stuff down our throats,” Brown said. “I’m categorically opposed to that 30 cents.”