Monterey Park : TV Dispute Resolved

The Monterey Park City Council has resolved its dispute with Falcon Communications over cable television programming by accepting Falcon’s offer to install a television studio in City Hall to permit telecasts from the council chambers. The studio will be maintained by Falcon for the first six months and by the city thereafter.

The agreement releases Falcon from its commitments to maintain a Monterey Park studio and to construct a system linking the studio, City Hall and East Los Angeles College. The council in September threatened to revoke Falcon’s franchise because it was not meeting its commitments, including a promise to train residents to produce programs for cable telecast. The new agreement requires Falcon to provide a program coordinator for six months to recruit and train volunteers interested in creating television programs.

The agreement also enables the city to tax a larger share of Falcon’s income. City officials said annual franchise revenue, now about $70,000, will be increased by $7,000 to $8,000. Falcon has 6,500 subscribers in Monterey Park.