CABLE ADVISORY COUNCIL

P. O. Box 87

Newtown, Connecticut

~ Minutes ~

Minutes of Public Regular Meeting –

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Newtown, CT

There was a regular meeting of the Cable Advisory Council called to order at 7:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, 2009 by Chairperson Carmella Amodeo at the Charter Communications facility, Newtown, Connecticut.

ATTENDEES: Stephanie O’Rourke (Kent), Carmella Amodeo (Newtown), Jim Lang (Trumbull), Carl Braun (Woodbury), George Fletcher (New Milford), Kate Donahue (Trumbull), Paul Katzmark (Southbury).From Charter: Greg Van Antwerp (Community Access), Paula Cecchetelli (Marketing), Tom Horan (Operations) and Tom Cohan (Government Relations).

PUBLIC INPUT:

Anthony Drago of Southbury attended the meeting to understand the Council’s purpose and its relationship to Charter.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Minutes from January 2009 approved with one change. (Lang motion, Braun 2^nd, unanimous)

TREASURER’S REPORT:

Motion to accept the report (Lang motion, Fletcher 2^nd, unanimous). Carl reported all the remaining issues with Jill Zaloski have been resolved. Gregory Davis is still working on some webhosting issues.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS REPORT.

Paula Cecchetelli highlights

· Launching World Fishing Network (322), Sportsman Channel (324) and several local independents (WPXN, WHPX, WCTX and WSAH) and MLB Network (769)

· CBS College Sports Free Preview March 13- April 7 on channel 318

· New HDTV channels – USA Network, Science Channel, Sci-Fi Channel, AMC, Bravo, Cartoon Network, WE, Biography Channel, CNBC and Speed Network

· New digital conversion date is June 12, 2009

· The highest speed for Internet service is now 20 MB

· Even though Charter is launching MLB Network on expanded basic there will still be the same blackout issues with the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets.

· New brochure highlighting all three Charter services (cable, Internet and telephone)

Tom Cohan

• Digital transition postponed until June but many broadcast channels switched in February.
• Since digital broadcast transmissions do not cover the same footprint as analog, some people may need a bigger/more powerful antenna to pick up the signals in addition to a digital box.
• Charter is restructuring its debt ($20b)
• Total debt will be reduced by $8b and another $3b will be invested by bond holders.
• Paul Allen’s stake will be reduced from 92% to about 35%
• They expect to spend about 6 months in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
• The company’s day-to-day operations are healthy, it’s the debt that’s the problem
• Don’t expect any layoffs or rate increases during this time
• No big capital expenditures this year
• Expect they will emerge a healthier company
• Cable is more recession proof than other industries
• Stimulus package is designed to push internet access out further – challenging
• DPUC scorecard and Charter’s “bottom of the barrel” rating
• Tom offered a number of reasons for Charter’s poor showing

Greg Van Antwerp is looking for ideas for their program “White Board on Education”. They have redesigned the internship program to offer more electives. They are concentrating on studio shows and doing fewer truck shoots. They will be rolling the truck to shoot a Cyberbullying presentation.

CORRESPONDENCE:

• A number of audio and video problems customers are having were related. Tom Horan will follow up including audio sync problem on channels 3 and 8.

OLD BUSINESS:

• Grant Program
• Received the follow-up report from Pomperaug for last year’s grant
• Grant letters and applications went out.
• Application window was moved to March 1 – May 1
• Subcommittee created to review submissions: Jim Lang, Carl Braun, Carmella, George Fletcher.
• The subcommittee will meet before the next Council meeting to review applications and make recommendations.
• Carmella/Kate will get a PDF of the letter and application to all Council members so they can distribute too.

NEW BUSINESS: None.

ADJOURNMENT:

The meeting was unanimously adjourned at: 9:08 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Kate
Donahue, Secretary