The Frankfort Plant Board appointed three new members to the Cable Advisory Committee Tuesday night.
The advisory committee is a five-member panel that provides the utility board with recommendations on cable television issues. The advisory board has been inactive for about a year, but at Tuesdays meeting, John Higginbotham, cable superintendent, presented the Plant Board three names. The panel was first created in 1990.
Lawryn Breckel is a junior at Franklin County High School and lives in East Frankfort. Ramona Griffin is a retired elementary school teacher and lives on the east side as well. Jim Goodman works with the Keeneland Association and lives on the west side of town.
"I think they will be great representatives of the community," Higginbotham said.
Goodman, in particular, has been involved with the cable television industry before. He manages the simulcast operations for Keeneland and helped the Plant Board test new technologies, like the digital video recorders and high-definition television.
"From the technical aspect, Mr. Goodman has an excellent background," Higginbotham said. "He was a logical choice."
The first meeting for the advisory committee will be scheduled for the week of Jan. 8, and Higginbotham said it would have to tackle some serious issues. The members will discuss several topics and then vote on them. The Plant Board will take the recommendations under advisement.
"The plant board has the ultimate authority," Higginbotham said.
Renewing the contract with Fox News will be the most important issue discussed at the first meeting of the advisory board. Fox News is asking for a huge rate increase, totaling more than $125,000 the first year alone. The contract must be signed by Jan. 17, and the Plant Board next meets on Jan. 16.
"They will have to decide some critical issues in the first meeting," Higginbotham said.
A number of other important contracts must also be renewed soon. Higginbotham the ABC Family Channel would pose a difficult choice. He has been told the ABC-Disney company wants to push a large rate increase unless the Plant Board agrees to offer the Disney channel as part of the basic cable package.
Another hot topic is the Fox Sports Ohio debate. Higginbotham said an aggressive advertising campaign by the Fox Sports has put the issue on the front burner. A number of customers have called and written to tell him they want to see the Cincinnati Reds and University of Kentucky teams play live on television. The UK games are already available on same-night tape delay.
Higginbotham said the Fox Sports company offers both events on the same channel in other states, but in Kentucky viewers have to subscribe to two separate channels to see them.
"They just arent going to offer that to us in Kentucky," he said.
Higginbotham also said the cable advisory committee will need to decide if it wants to renew the contracts for the Arts and Entertainment and History channels as well.
The committee also might consider the option of adding the Sprout Channel, which carries a number of childrens programs offered by PBS. If approved, the channel would be offered on the digital cable package.
"We are always trying to look for more family-friendly television," he said.
The advisory committee meetings are open to the public.