New TV channel proposed for Lynnwood

The city of Lynnwood is considering setting up its own cable TV channel that would televise city programs, meetings and events.

But some City Council members say a proposal to pay for it by taxing cable subscribers is wrong-headed and fear the true costs of the project may be far higher than presented.

“I’m really concerned about the cost of this and that it will just explode,” said council woman Lisa Utter during the council’s Aug. 18 work session.

Council members first heard about the plan June 16.

Under the proposal, the city would get things rolling by first submitting a letter to Comcast, which has a franchise agreement with the city for cable TV. The city would then have six months until the new TV channel is on the air, with a starting goal of April 1, 2009.

Paul Haugan, the city’s chief technology officer, told the council Aug. 18 the new channel — and an audio-visual staging area in council chambers —would cost $30,000 a year over five years with a cable tax of up to 25 cents per subscriber covering the bulk of the expenses.

Lynnwood’s council meetings are televised on Edmonds Community College’s public access channel. Haugan’s proposal means the city would have its own channel, though the community college has told him it’s willing to assist with production on a limited basis. The city would also hire contractors to handle production and editing, he said.

Haugan said the idea is to provide Lynnwood with public access television that defies age-old stereotypes about boring government TV programming. He said the city could start small and build programming.

But Councilman Jim Smith called the six month timeline “very aggressive” and “unrealistic.”

“My biggest concern is the budget and another tax,” he said. “There’s no way that between equipment, manpower, outside production we’re going to do this anywhere near $30,000.”

Council President Loren Simmonds called the proposal “a good idea” and said it’s important that the city record its 50th anniversary events in 2009.

“TV is probably one of the most underrated tools for education in our society,” he said, criticizing the “rivers of flowing pablum” that he said occupy much of the TV landscape today.