Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site terak.UUCP
Path: utzoo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!hao!noao!terak!doug
From: doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee)
Newsgroups: net.video,net.consumers
Subject: Re: Is cable TV worthwhile?
Message-ID: <546@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 13:48:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: terak.546
Posted: Mon May 13 13:48:38 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 15-May-85 01:37:23 EDT
References: <529@terak.UUCP> <573@intelca.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Terak Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 17

> Our cable company is "monitored" by the City Council (What business a
> city has in running a cable company I don't know)

Remember when the cable company dug the trench through your flower
garden to lay their cable?  That's why a city controls the cable TV
company.  The city grants the cable company a "franchise" to use
the city's property, rights-of-way, easements, and eminent domain to
string their cable, in return for which the city retains control over
the cable system.

BTW, the US Supreme Court decided a couple of years ago that cities
do *not* have any immunity from lawsuits which claim that granting a
franchise to just one cable company is a violation of Federal anti-trust
laws.  But I haven't heard of any suits being filed.
-- 
Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{ihnp4,seismo,decvax}!noao!terak!doug
               ^^^^^--- soon to be CalComp