CC Resolution 1987-033^#5\ RESOLUTION NO. 87-33
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING KCET, CHANNEL 28,
PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.
WHEREAS, KCET, Channel 28, is the only Public Television
Station in the top six national markets that operates in the
Ultra High Frequency Band UHF), and is therefore subject to the
problems associated with UHF broadcasting; and
WHEREAS, Public Television Station KCET, despite such
disadvantages has diligently and meritoriously served the City
of La Quinta and its adjacent areas for the past 23 years; and
WHEREAS, KCET through excellence in programming and quality
of service has risen to the position of a major station and a
true alternative to other forms of broadcasting; and
WHEREAS, KCET in the process of such service has gained the
goodwill and dedicated support from the public, who has helped
it become one of our major cultural resources;
AND WHEREAS, KCET needs a maximum of visibility to continue
its public service, and generate community support.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the
City of La Quinta, on behalf of its citizens, that the Council
express its strongest recommendation to the Cable Owners and
Operators in Los Angeles and Southern California to retain KCET
in the area of most favorable access to the stations operating
in the VHF band, as a gesture of goodwill and civic cooperation
towards one of the City's most valuable cultural resouryes7
APPROVED and ADOPTED this 2nd dawf;e/1*8/47.*
MAYOR
ATTEST A*D AS TO FORM:
I
City Manager/Clerk City Attorney *
BIB]
06-19-1998-U01
09:22:16AM-U01
ADMIN-U01
CCRES-U02
87-U02
33-U02
^#5\ KCET COMMUNITY SERVICES April-May, 1987
Facts About Cable Realignment
* KCET is the only public TV station in a major market
hammerlocked in the UHF band. New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Boston, and even San Francisco's public TV's
are all VHF's.
* UHF is a problematic technology; complicated by the
climate and topography of Southern California.
* Despite problems of signal, geography and limited
budgets, KCET has managed to become the favorite
station, or one of the favorites, of 47% of the nearly
5 million Southern California TV homes.
* KCET is one of the most important and accessible
Southern California community cultural resources. More
significantly, KCET serves minorities, youth, women,
the elderly, and other protected groups as no other
broadcaster or cable franchise does.
* KCET is totally publicly supported by direct contribu-
tions of donors and subscribers, and a Community
Service Grant from the Corporation of Public Broad-
casting.
* For about 23 years, cable systems carried KCET in the
lower-numbered channels, close to the commercial VHF's.
That helped KCET increase and maintain audience. 43%
of all KCET subscribers are also cable users.
* KCET is being replaced by cable services in the lower
tier because services placed in channels 2 through 13
gain 50% higher visibility. KCET will not be just
11realigned" into the upper channels, but also placed in
a vise between two competing cable services made to
look like public TV.
* It is very difficult to break consumers away from their
patterns, created through years of habit. KCET cannot
afford to spend its limited resources in the
advertising campaigns necessary to retrain cable users.
* KCET requests that it be considered as worthy of
protection by the franchising Cities, as educational,
municipal and public access. KCET needs to retain its
place or be returned to the lower-numbered channels
where it belongs, as an alternative to commercial
broadcasting.
BIB]
06-19-1998-U01
09:22:16AM-U01
ADMIN-U01
CCRES-U02
87-U02
33-U02