ACTIVATED CHANNEL. Those channels engineered at the headend of a cable system for the provision of services generally available to residential subscribers of the cable system, regardless of whether such services actually are provided, including any channel designated for public, educational or governmental use.
AFFILIATE. A person that (directly or indirectly) owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, another person. For purposes of this definition, the term OWN means to own an equity interest (or the equivalent thereof) of more than 10%.
BASIC CABLE SERVICE. Any service tier which includes the retransmission of local television broadcast signals.
CABLE CHANNEL or CHANNEL. A portion of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum which is used in a cable system and which is capable of delivering a television channel (as television channel is defined by the Federal Communications Commission by regulation).
CABLE OPERATOR. Any person or group of persons who provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates owns a significant interest in such cable system, or who otherwise controls or is responsible for, through any arrangement, the management and operation of such a cable system.
CABLE SERVICE. The one-way transmission to subscribers of video programming, or other programming service and subscriber interaction, if any, which is required for the selection or use of such video programming or other programming service.
CABLE SYSTEM. A facility, consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception and control equipment that is designed to provide cable service which includes video programming and which is provided to multiple subscribers within a community, but such term does not include a facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of one or more television broadcast stations; a facility that serves subscribers without using any public right-of-way; a facility of a common carrier which is subject, in whole or in part, to the provisions of subchapter II of Chapter 5 of Title 47 of the United States Code, except that such facility shall be considered a cable system (other than for purposes of § 541(c) of Title 47 of the United States Code) to the extent such facility is used in the transmission of video programming directly to subscribers unless the extent of such use is solely to provide interactive on-demand services; an open video system that complies with § 653 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996; or any facilities of any electric utility used solely for operating its electric utility system. CABLE SYSTEM also means a “community antenna television system” as defined in 55 ILCS 5/5-1095.
COMMON CARRIER. Any person engaged as a common carrier for hire, in interstate or foreign communications by wire or radio or in interstate or foreign radio transmission of energy, except where reference is made to common carriers not subject to this chapter; but a person engaged in radio broadcasting shall not, insofar as such person is so engaged, be deemed a COMMON CARRIER.
FEDERAL AGENCY. Any agency of the United States, including the Federal Communications Commission.
FRANCHISE. An initial authorization, or renewal thereof (including a renewal of an authorization which has been granted subject to 47 U.S.C. § 546), issued by a franchising authority, whether such authorization is designated as a franchise, permit, license, resolution, contract, certificate, agreement, or otherwise, which authorizes the construction or operation of a cable system.
INTERACTIVE ON-DEMAND SERVICES. A service providing video programming to subscribers over switched network on an on-demand, point-to-point basis, but does not include services providing video programming prescheduled by the programming provider.
MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROGRAMMING DISTRIBUTOR. A person such as, but not limited to, a cable operator, multichannel multipoint distribution service, a direct broadcast satellite service or a television receive-only satellite program distributor, who makes available for purchase, by subscribers or customers, multiple channels of video programming.
OTHER PROGRAMMING SERVICE. Information that a cable operator makes available to all subscribers generally.
PUBLIC EDUCATION OR GOVERNMENTAL ACCESS FACILITIES. Channel capacity designated for public, educational or governmental use; and facilities and equipment for the use of such channel capacity.
RADIO COMMUNICATIONS. The transmission by radio of writing, signs, signals, pictures and sounds of all kinds, including all instrumentalities, facilities, apparatus and services (among other things, the receipt, forwarding and delivery of communications) incidental to such transmission.
(1993 Code, Ch. 72, App.) (Ord. 96-12, passed 10-16-1996)