Township names Comcast its provider for next 15 years.
By: Bill Greenwood
MONROE The Township Council voted unanimously on Monday to renew its franchise agreement with Comcast Cable of Central Jersey after the company agreed to provide a PEG, or Public Education Government, channel to the township.
The new agreement will last 15 years with a 10-year automatic renewal. Township Business Administrator Wayne Hamilton said the length of time is standard because the length of contracts with cable companies has become less important over the years.
"It’s not an exclusive franchise," Mr. Hamilton said. "Other people can come in to the town and offer video services. It may not be cost-effective for somebody to compete directly head-to-head with the exception of somebody like Verizon, but the point is there is competition now starting to develop in the marketplace. So, it makes the length of terms of the existing cable agreements secondary."
Gov. Jon Corzine signed a new law in August that allows companies to provide cable statewide. Previously, companies needed to obtain permission one municipality at a time before providing the service.
Under the new agreement, Comcast will provide the township with a PEG channel, which would be used to broadcast informational announcements as well as school performances, special athletic games and other such events on Channel 3, Mr. Hamilton said.
Comcast will also provide a one-time, $125,000 technology grant to the township to buy some of the equipment necessary to operate a studio for the station. It will also install one "return path" from Monroe Township High School, where the studio will be temporarily located until a new high school in Thompson Park is completed, to the company’s plant to allow the station to broadcast.
Mr. Hamilton said the township’s main focus throughout the negotiation process, which began when the previous franchise agreement expired in March 2003, was to secure a PEG channel. He said its inclusion in Comcast’s offer to the township prompted its acceptance.
"The primary objective was to secure the PEG channel," Mr. Hamilton said. "Ultimately, that was what was achieved."
Comcast also will provide free cable television and cable modem service to each school, police, fire and emergency management facility in the township, as well as the public library.

