ATTACHMENT #1
AGENDA #5c
TO: Mayor and Town Council Members
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Summary of The Peoples Channel 2000 Annual Report
DATE: April 9, 2001
The purpose of this memorandum is to present summary information from The Peoples Channel’s Annual Report. Mr. Robert Gwyn, President and Chair of The Peoples Channel Board of Directors, will present the report.
The Peoples Channel has submitted its Annual Report to the Town of Chapel Hill for Calendar Year 2000. The Peoples Channel is a non-profit corporation organized by area citizens to provide community access television in Chapel Hill. The Channel is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.
I. Facilities & Services
A. Governance. The Peoples Channel is governed by a Board of Directors whose members serve without compensation. Under provision of its bylaws, members of the Board of Directors are selected by approval of the Board of Directors at any meeting of the Board. A list of Board members is included as Appendix A.
B. Staffing. There are currently two (2) full-time positions and one (1) part-time position.
C. Programming and Scheduling. During 2000, The Peoples Channel aired 26 locally-produced series (five more than last year) and 45 locally-produced one-time programs. During the January 2000 snowstorm, the Channel experimented with live and call-in programs. The Channel also cablecast 367.25 hours of original locally-produced programming for an average of 7 hours of local programming each week.
II. Funding and Development
A. Funding and Other Contributions
1. The Peoples Channel receives funding from several sources, primarily “pass-through” fees collected by Time Warner from cable customers under the Franchise Agreement. The cable television franchise approved by the Council and accepted by Time Warner in July 1996 allows the Town to have cable customers billed a public access fee. On December 11, 2000, the Council approved an increase in the monthly subscriber pass-through fee from 68 cents to 69 cents, based on inflation. Under the Performance Agreement with The Peoples Channel, the Town pays The Peoples Channel these public access fees, which are collected by Time Warner in customer bills.
2. The Peoples Channel had a reduction in fund balance in the amount of $13,991 for Calendar Year 2000. During the year, expenses included one-time video equipment purchases totaling $17,376, triggering the revenue/expense imbalance reflected below. Channel representatives say that they expect income and expenses to balance in the future. The Channel’s books have been audited through June 30, 2000. The numbers listed below have not been audited to the extent that they represent transactions after that date.
|
Funding Source |
2000 Revenue |
|
Contractual (Pass-Through Cable Fees) |
$ 93,057 |
|
Sub-Lease of Office Space |
$ 6,264 |
|
Fees from Orange County |
$ 19,000 |
|
Tape sales/video dubbing |
$ 2,556 |
|
Interest |
$ 2,017 |
|
Rental of equipment & studio space |
$ 120 |
|
Restricted Contributions |
$ 600 |
|
Unrestricted Contributions |
$ 390 |
|
Total |
$124,004 |
|
Expense Item |
2000 Expense Amount |
|
Payroll |
$ 55,798 |
|
Rent |
$ 33,719 |
|
Video Equipment and Tapes |
$ 20,740 |
|
Utilities |
$ 5,662 |
|
Contract Services |
$ 6,029 |
|
Office Supplies and Equipment |
$ 3,470 |
|
Insurance |
$ 2,915 |
|
Professional Fees |
$ 2,050 |
|
Miscellaneous Expenses |
$ 7,612 |
|
Total |
$137,995 |
B. Other Contracts and Performance Agreements
1. The Peoples Channel has negotiated with other communities for service:
(a) Orange County Board of Commissioners. In 2000, the Channel entered into a contract with Orange County to tape and cablecast Board meetings. The Channel used private funds and purchased equipment for a mobile field studio. Volunteers installed studio lighting at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, where many of the meetings are held.
(b) Presentations to other franchise authorities. The Channel has been in contact with the Carrboro Board of Aldermen and hopes to enter negotiations soon.
IV. Future Directions
A. Equipment. The Peoples Channel has developed a schedule for long-term replacement of equipment and is investigating new systems for recording video and audio on the computer. The Channel is also researching software that can integrate program scheduling, equipment checkout, and other parts of technical operation.
B. Community outreach. With the addition of an outreach coordinator to the staff, the Channel is pursuing a program of contacting community groups, non-profits, and schools to provide information about their potential involvement with The Peoples Channel.
C. Performance Agreement renewal with the Town of Chapel Hill. The Channel’s directors have contacted the Manager’s Office regarding renewal of the performance agreement. An agenda item in tonight’s packet would authorize the Manager to negotiate a new performance agreement with the Town.
D. Proposed Performance Agreements with other Franchising Authorities. The Peoples Channel is currently working to secure performance agreements with Orange County, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Chatham County, which are also in discussions with Time Warner for their franchise renewals.
That the Council receive the attached Annual Report.