Cable Franchise Transferred After Contract Changes In/Around: Liberty Lake

Thu., Aug. 10, 2000

By Lorie Hutson lorieh@spokesman.com (509) 459-5446

Spokane County commissioners transferred the Liberty Lake cable franchise from Community Cable Service to a limited liability corporation this week after the owner agreed to several changes in the contract.

Martin Howser, owner of the cable company, will provide a government access channel that carries the Spokane County programming on AT&T, offer at least one educational access channel, pay fines if his franchise fees are late and restrict any channels that primarily show explicit sexual content.

Howser asked the commissioners to transfer his franchise to a new limited liability corporation last month after he restructured his business. The new corporation is called CCS, LLC.

The request for the transfer reopened franchise negotiations and the citizen’s Cable Advisory Board requested the changes after reviewing Howser’s franchise contract.

The cable board said it was concerned about the viability and management of Community Cable Service because the company was late with its 1999 franchise fee payments. Howser did not pay the fees until this year. Also, the board wanted to consider whether the cable company should be required to post a higher performance bond and offer public, education and government channels.

CCS has about 1,400 subscribers in Liberty Lake. It serves a total of 4,200 customers in Eastern Washington. It offers about 70 channels and 12 digital channels.

Howser also voluntarily agreed to restrict or forbid any channels that offer “adult” entertainment or any programming that is primarily sexual. He said that is the current policy of his company.

The restriction cannot be required by the Cable Advisory Board as a condition of the franchise agreement because it would violate the 1934 Federal Communication Act.

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