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Show Television Problems Are Many, Varied Television, "free," "live," or "closed circuit" is creating creat-ing much interest in Cedar City, Iron County and surrounding sur-rounding areas at the present time, and with this interest has come a tremendous amount of confusion in the minds of people generally because of conflicting reports, lack of complete information and failure to fully understand the problems involved. Trans-Community Television Company, which installed install-ed a closed circuit system in Cedar City last March, has maintained continued service and fulfilled its agreements in every respect The service, however, has not received even reasonable support or been enthusiastically received, the latter apparently because of repeated promises of "free" television in the very near future. In spite of this lack of support the company remains willing to expand its services not to include "free" television but to provide "live" television, providing of course sufficient support would be forthcoming to make it an economically sound venture. This would be provided through micro-waving available avail-able signals, channel five and perhaps channel four from Salt Lake City, into Cedar City and onto the company's com-pany's closed circuit lines. This could not be undertaken, of course, if individuals, groups, companies or municipalities municipal-ities continue to provide the so-called "free" service. John Rowberry and associates have all put in a great deal of effort and hard work, and most of them have put in considerable finances to bring channel five from Salt Lake City into the area on what is termed a "'free" basis, or which can to picked up by set owners who install the proper type of antena. This is definitely "live" television insofar as the Salt Lake channel carries live programs, but it cannot be termed term-ed "free". At the present time it is free to the public, but it is costing the sponsors who have pioneered the project plenty of money, and if the service is continued it must cost someone some money. Either those who have pioneered pioneer-ed the program must continue to play "Santa Claus" to the people of the area in the way of free service, or the city or county must support it with tax dollars. The only other alternative would be for someone to form a company com-pany to finance the installation and operation. This, however, how-ever, is unlikely because there is no means of deriving revenue, and without profit there would be no reason for investing money in the project. . If the citv or county is to support the program fin ancially certain legal and tochn'.cal questions must first be cleared up. Apparently und: present state and county coun-ty laws it would be impossible for the county or city to spend tax money for such a purpose. A detailed study of this legal aspect is now being undertaken before the taxing tax-ing bodies will take action of any kind. It has been suggested sug-gested that legislation could be adopted by the state legislature leg-islature at its 1957 session that would make the action legal. It is also understood that local television boosters will arrange to have such legislation introduced. Only time will tell what action would then be taken by the state lawmakers. There is one obstacle that undoubtedly could nol be overcome even by state legislation, and that is the matter of the city or county spending tax monies on any installation installa-tion for any private business firm no matter what the nature na-ture of that business. If the county, for instance, made television installations for a private firm, it would mean that tax monies could then be used to support or finance any business adventure, which of course is absolutely out It has been suggested that the only alternative to this would be to organize a non-profit corporation to provide pro-vide the service to all people in the area. It has also been suggested that the county could be justified in supporting support-ing such a non-profit corporation as a means of providing recreation for county citizens. In other words television perhaps could be classed as recreation. The law provides a limited levy for recreation purposes to be used equally for all communities on a population basis. Such a levy has been made for the past few year, with the monies prorated pro-rated to the communities on a matching and population basis. Expenditures on such television installation as recreation rec-reation facilities could probably be handled the same way. However, even that presents a number of perplexing problems. prob-lems. First, it is indicated that the proposed television service ser-vice could not be provided for certain areas of the county, which would necessitate some type of community participation partic-ipation or it would result in tax payers from one area financing fin-ancing a service for people of another area . A matching program may place an undue bumen on the revenues from recreation tax levies, since the per-missable per-missable city and town levy produces only small amounts. Expenditure of recreation funds for television also presents pre-sents the problem of diverting the funds to this project to the exclusion of other recreation programs in the county. It is pointed out that the cost for installation would be rather high, particularly since it would be necessary to run an electric power line to the booster tower, and if it becomes necessary to switch to a "translator" service; but that after installation is completed, maintainance and operator cost would be negligible. No one of course is prepared at this time to say definitely what the cost, either eith-er installation or operation, would be. It seems likely that installation costs could use up (Continued on Page Two) TELEVISION PROBLEMS (Continued from Front Page) j practically all recreation funds available for the coming yvar. 1 Another question comes from the uncertainty of the service that can be provided in this manner. At the pre-srnt pre-srnt time, reasonably good reception is available in Cedar! City. However, it cannot be termed entirely satisfactory,! mostly because of the inconsistency of the signal. There is some "snow" nearly all the time, frequently the signal Is entirely unsatisfactory, or even not available at all. No one is complaining about this at the present time, because; most people at least, realize that the service is being brought to Cedar City entirely at the expense and effort of a few enthusiasts. However, it is probable that if taxi money is spent on the service, people will demand a much! more dependable service. Those sponsoring the activity; feci sure that excellent service can be provided but1 whether or not it has been sufficiently proved to justify j expenditure of tax money is at least a debatable question. The signal is now being brought into Cedar City un-j 4er a "booster" system, which has been termed illegal by the Federal Communications Commission. However, a hearing Is now underway in Washington, D.C. to determine deter-mine definite legal status. If boosters are approved then the system could continue. If they are determined to be illegal then it would be necessary to switch to a "translator" "transla-tor" system, which is said to be more satisfactory than booster, but which has not been proved in this locality. Most people are interested in receiving live television, but they should realize the fact that it is not going to be "Tree". They should also realize that the group that has brought' the service to its present status has sacrificed tuuch in the way of expenses, time and effort, and no matter mat-ter what the final solution is these men are entitled to reimbursement re-imbursement at least for the expense they have gone to. |