HomeMy WebLinkAboutVII(B) Cable Television - Request For Transfer Of The Franchise i
Item VII B
"CENTER OF GOOD LIVING Agenda 3-3-98
PRIDE OF WEST ORANGE" MAYOR•COMMISSIONER
S.SCOTT VANDERGRIFT
Ocoee
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Staff Report
Date: February 27, 1998
To: The Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners /
From: Janet G. Resnik, AICP, Community Relations/Projects Director
Subject: Cable Television -Request for Transfer of the Franchise
This memorandum is to inform you that action must be taken on the request for transfer of the
cable television franchise from Cablevision Industries of Central Florida, Inc. to Time Warner
Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership. Attached is the official letter from Diane Pickett
of Time Warner Communications requesting the transfer. Under federal regulations, this request
must be approved or denied by the franchising authority within 120 days (March 6, 1998).
Last week, the City's cable television special counsel, Ila Feld with Leibowitz & Associates,
received a telephone call from Time Warner indicating they wanted to request an extension of the
transfer application window in the hopes of negotiating a franchise renewal versus the franchise
transfer; however, in a subsequent call on Thursday, February 26, Time Warner stated they
would be withdrawing the request for the transfer all together.
To make this withdrawal official, the City must receive something in writing from Time Warner
prior to the City Commission meeting. The action of the City Commission will depend on
whether that letter is received or not.
Please call me if you would like to discuss this further. If not, we will brief the City Commission
on the status of the transfer on Tuesday night.
cc: Ellis Shapiro, City Manager
Ila Feld, Leibowitz &Associates
Diane Pickett, Time Warner
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•
•
TIME WARNER
COMMUNICATIONS •
CERTIFIED MAIL
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
• Mayor and Commissioners
City of Ocoee November 6, 1997
150 N. Lakeshore Drive
Ocoee, FL 34761
Dear Mayor and Commissioners:
I am writing to advise you that Time Warner Communications is planning to reorganize the ownership
structure of several franchises in our Central Florida Division, including the franchise for your
community. Under our plan, the franchise for your community will be transferred from Cablevision
Industries of Central Florida Inc. ("Franchisee"), an entity controlled by Time Warner, to another Time
Warner controlled entity, Time Warner Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership ("TWEAN").
TWEAN is a partnership formed in 1994 which is two-thirds owned and managed by Time Warner .
Entertainment Company, L.P. and one-third owned by Advance/Newhouse Partnership. Over 4 million
of Time Warner's cable customers are already in approximately 900 franchises held by TWEAN,
including most of our franchises in the Central Florida Division.
Since the transfer of the franchise will be from one Time Warner controlled entity to another, there will be
no change in the control of the franchise nor will there be any change in the operations of the cable
system in your community. In particular:
• There will be no impact on our programming, customer service, or business policies and practices.
• The management and staff of our cable system in your community will remain the same.
• Time Warner Communications will continue to direct the operations of the cable system under the
cable television franchise.
• Local management will continue to report to the same executives of Time Warner.
Although the day-to-day operations and management control of the cable system will not change, our
franchise may require your approval as the franchising authority to the transfer of the franchise to
TWEAN. If you conclude that such approval is required, we would appreciate the consideration and
adoption of the accompanying Resolution. We have enclosed one original and two copies of FCC Form
394 to provide you with the information required by the FCC rules. We would appreciate the prompt
adoption of such a resolution if you conclude that it is in fact necessary.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter, please contact me.
•
Sincerely,
Diane Pickett
Vice President .
Public Affairs and Government Relations
Enclosures: 3 copies FCC Form 394& Resolution
cc: Ellis Shapiro, City Manager
Linda Shaffer, TWC <AA
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