The Council desires to assure full compliance with its cable TV franchise, FCC, State and local laws and regulations and interpret and apply such to the benefit of the City and its residents, and to assure that quality and updated services be delivered throughout the City, and that the public interest be protected in all matters relating to the cable service delivering systems.
Unless otherwise expressly stated or the context clearly indicates a different intention, the following terms shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the following meanings. The definitions shall also control and be applied to a Grantee’s cable communication franchise.
1. “Affiliate” means an entity which owns or controls, is owned or controlled by or is under common ownership with a Grantee.
2. “Basic service” means any service tier which includes the retransmission of local television broadcast signals representing at least one of each of the three major broadcast networks (NBC, ABC, and CBS), at least one public television channel, and retransmission of one or more channels available at no cost to Grantee via satellite broadcast and all PEG channels.
3. “FCC” means the Federal Communications Commission.
4. “Franchise” means a legal contract between the City and a person or company, which contract contains terms and conditions for constructing and operating a cable communication system.
5. “Grantee” means a person holding a franchise to operate a cable communication system within the corporate limits of the City.
6. “PEG channels” means channels dedicated to public service, educational or governmental purposes.
7. “Subscriber” means a person who purchases cable television services.
There is hereby created and established as an administrative agency of the City, pursuant to Chapter 392 of the Code of Iowa, to be entitled the Telecommunications Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission. The Commission shall consist of five citizens of the City, except that the member recommended by the School Board may reside anywhere in the Community School District, appointed by the Mayor, subject to approval of the Council. A majority of the members shall be subscribers to a telephone and television system at the time of their appointment. In its appointments the Council shall endeavor to develop a Commission versed and competent in telecommunication administration, finances and regulation. Anyone who is an owner, affiliate, shareholder, employee or agent of a city cable franchise holder, any prospective franchise holder or any public or private utility is ineligible to serve as a member of the Commission. It is recommended that one member be an officer, agent, employee, or Board member of the public school system, recommended by the School Board. There shall be one member of the Council and one member of the Electric Utility Board appointed as liaison members of the Commission with no voting right.
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