Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 815 - Division of Public Utilities and Carriers › Chapter 10 - Telecommunications › Subchapter 05 - Cable Television › Part 1 - Rules Governing Community Antenna Television Systems (815-RICR-10-05-1) › Section 815-RICR-10-05-1.14 - Community Programing Services

Current through June 14, 2024
1.14.1
Number
				  and Designation of Access And Interconnect Channels
A. Every CATV System Operator constructing a
				  Residential Network of the minimum downstream channel capacity specified in
				  §1.7.2(A) of this Part shall specially designate and reserve a minimum of
				  six (6) television channels for access purposes, inclusive of Interconnect
				  channels, as set forth below.
B.
				  Every CATV System Operator shall make available to all Subscribers who receive
				  all or any part of the total services offered on the system at least one access
				  channel in each of the categories in §§1.14.1(B)(1), (2), (3), (4)
				  and (5) of this Part. Additional channels for access purposes shall be
				  apportioned and designated in response to demonstrated community need (as
				  provided for in §1.14.1(D) of this Part). Channels reserved for access
				  purposes shall be designated as one of the following:
1. Public: Public access channels shall be
				  made available for use by members of the general public on a first-come,
				  first-served nondiscriminatory basis.
2. Educational: Educational access channels
				  shall be made available for use by local educational authorities and
				  institutions (including, but not limited to, school departments, colleges and
				  universities but excluding commercial educational enterprises);
3. Government: Government access channels
				  shall be made available for use by municipal and state government;
4. Leased: Leased access channels shall be
				  made available on a first-come, first served non-discriminatory basis;
				  and
5. Interconnect Channels
				  established by §1.7.4(C) of this Part: Interconnect Channels shall be made
				  available on a first come, first served non-discriminatory basis for PEG
				  programming of statewide import.
C. The minimum number of specially designated
				  access channels required by the above paragraph shall be made available
				  immediately upon commencement of Subscriber service.
D. If any of the specially designated access
				  channels required by §§1.14.1(A) and (B) of this Part above are in
				  use eight (8) hours per day for a three-month period, and if there is demand
				  for use of an additional channel for the same purpose, then the CATV System
				  Operator shall provide an additional specially designated access channel within
				  six (6) months of a formal request by the Service Area Citizens' Advisory
				  Committee for that Service Area.
E.
				  However, upon a showing to the Administrator that demand does not warrant
				  activation of all the specially designated access channels required by this
				  section, PEG access and/or Interconnect programming may be combined onto one or
				  more channels.
F. To the extent
				  that time is available therefor, specially designated access channels may be
				  offered for lease or used for other broadcast or non-broadcast services,
				  provided that such services are subject to displacement if there is demand to
				  use the channel for its specially designated purpose.
G. Any fixed studio provided pursuant to this
				  Pat shall be made available without charge to users of the specially designated
				  access channels. Each Electing CATV Operator and RIPTA shall grant such users
				  reasonable access to the studio facilities during normal business hours. In
				  addition, access to the studio facilities shall be granted upon request until
				  9:00 p.m. weekday evenings and at least four hours per day on
				  weekends.