Cable franchise agreement still in the works

Insight Communications’ cable franchise agreement with the City of Peoria expired six months ago, but renewal of the cable operator’s franchise has yet to be signed. I asked City attorney Randy Ray on Monday (10/23) what the status was, and he had this to say:

We have just completed 3 lengthy conference calls. Our attorney is working on a draft. There will be at least one more conference call. We hope to have an agreement in 30 days or less.

It remains to be seen how much longer franchise agreements like these will last. Just this month, California became the latest state to enact statewide cable TV franchises (joining Indiana, Kansas, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia), and lawmakers on Capitol Hill are still contemplating national franchise agreements.