DATE: March 12, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: City Manager's Office
TITLE: SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REQUEST FROM KOCT, IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000, TO SUPPORT CONTINUED COMMUNITY TELEVISION PROGRAMMING OPERATIONS
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council approve a payment to KOCT Television, in the amount of $75,000, to support continued community television programming operations; appropriate $75,000 from General Fund Unassigned Reserves; and authorize the City Manager to execute the payment.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
On February 15, 2017, the City Council approved a five-year agreement with KOCT which designated KOCT as the access management organization responsible for public, educational and government (PEG) cable television activities for the City (Attachment 2). That agreement had a five-year extension option, which was executed in 2022 (Attachment 3). The current agreement's termination date is on June 30, 2027.
This agreement grants KOCT access to and use of the public access and educational channels in Oceanside. KOCT, through the contract, is responsible for production and programming in support of government access and educational programs. This includes cablecasting coverage of City Council meetings and workshops, special events, public service announcements, and other programs. At termination or non-renewal of the contract, all equipment and facilities acquired with funds pursuant to the agreement become the property of the City.
Through the agreement with KOCT, the City of Oceanside provides 93 percent of the City's PEG funding from cable franchisees to KOCT. The City maintains 7 percent of that funding to maintain and periodically upgrade necessary Council Chamber technology equipment such as cameras, lighting, sound, and automated voting system.
As cable use declines through citizens "cable cutting" and opting for streaming media content, the PEG funding also declines, a trend noted for at lea...
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