Kalispell renews cable franchise deal

Kalispell will see its Channel 9 government access TV station remain among basic cable offerings for at least three more years.

That’s according to a 10-year cable franchise agreement with Bresnan Communications that the Kalispell City Council approved on Monday.

Under the agreement, Bresnan remains free to move the station from Channel 9 to some other basic-tier channel if it chooses. After three years, Bresnan can move the station from its basic tier of cable service to a higher tier, absent some change in state or federal law.

“There’s no plan to move it, but nothing prevents that,” Kalispell City Clerk Theresa White told council members.

Kalispell uses Channel 9 to broadcast government meetings and events.

That includes regular meetings of the Kalispell City Council, Kalispell Planning Board and the Whitefish City Council. For a second year, the station will air meetings of the Montana Legislature broadcast by Helena Civic Television.

Council member Phil Guiffrida III said the station is a great local asset. “It brings transparency to what government is doing and gives the public a chance to watch us. I hope we can stay on the basic tier,” he said.

Kalispell officials do not intend to make Channel 9 a true public access station, but said they are happy to broadcast meetings of other government entities such as local schools or Columbia Falls City Council, even high school sports, if a way can be found to make it work.

“We are always looking for programming,” White said of the station. “We’ll do it for anybody as long as it fits the requirements of a government access channel.”

The franchise agreement allows the cable company to use and operate in Kalispell’s public rights of way. The last agreement was for five years and expired in September.

Bresnan agreed to continue to pay 4.4 percent of its gross annual revenues to the city. That amounts to about $150,000 a year and is used by the city to buy needed broadcasting equipment and pay part-time media specialist Eric Bruer.

The city of Kalispell and local schools also get free cable service in 18 buildings as part of the agreement.

That includes Russell School, Trinity Lutheran Elementary, Kalispell Middle School, Laser School, Peterson School, Linderman School, Kalispell Montessori, Elrod School, St. Matthew’s School, Flathead and Glacier high schools, Cornelius Hedges School, Edgerton School, Flathead County Library, the Senior Citizens Center, Kalispell City Hall and the police and fire departments.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.