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The Nashua Cable Television Advisory Board (CTAB) reports to the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen. Pursuant to Nashua Revised Ordinance 2-108, CTAB is charged with the following responsibilities.

    1. Define the mission and objectives of CTAB

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    2. Develop municipal channel and future Nashua access channel policies.

    3. Oversee the performance of the city's franchise agreement(s) for the delivery of cable
        television and any related services.

    4. Review existing and future franchise agreements and provide recommendations to the
        mayor and the board of aldermen.

    5. Examine the subject of municipal regulation of cable television services, Internet service,
        and any related services in New Hampshire and the United States.

    6. Coordinate activities between the City of Nashua and the franchisee.

    7. Explore and cultivate available programming sources.

    8. Monitor and evaluate existing programs and recommend changes to the franchisee
        for technical, programming and fee structure improvements.

    9. Examine relevant emerging technologies and other telecast options for municipal
        meetings, such as Internet broadcasts.

Meetings

CTAB meets the second Friday of each month beginning at 8:30 A.M. in the Aldermanic Chamber on the second floor of Nashua City Hall See Calendar. The chairman may call special meetings. Meetings of the board and its subcommittees adhere to the New Hampshire Right-to-Know law RSA 91-A, and are open to the public. CTAB board meetings are usually broadcast on Government Access Channel 16. CTAB board minutes are transcribed and posted following approval by CTAB. See Minutes and Agendas. Note: The official minutes for CTAB meetings and subcommittee meetings are on record with the Nashua City Clerk's Office. Minutes on-line may not include handouts or other materials presented at the meetings.

Committees and Subcommittees

CTAB has established three standing committees and subcommittees, as follows:

• The Technical Subcommittee, considers all technical issues, including the design and performance of the city’s community access television system and the technical interface to Comcast.

• The Education Committee is chaired by the CTAB liaison to the E-Channel Committee.

• CTAB Federal/State/Industry Watch subcommittee –  The Committee's purpose is to monitor, track and report on national, state and local legislative issues, FCC regulations, legal opinions, trends in franchise agreements, new technologies and services, and policy initiatives that will affect the Nashua market for Cable TV and similar or competitive technologies and services including Broadband, Satellite and IPTV.

 Specific issues get referred to and resolved by and through these subcommittees. The subcommittees meet on an ad hoc basis, and report monthly to CTAB. Subcommittee meetings are subject to the Right-to-Know law, RSA 91-A, and are open to the public.

CTAB Membership

CTAB consist of fourteen (14) members, as follows:

• One (1) member representing the board of aldermen. 
• Corporation counsel or his or her designee.
• The director of the Nashua Public Library or his or her designee.
• The chief of the fire department or his or her designee.
• The chief of the police department or his or her designee.
• The superintendent of the school department or his or her designee.
• The manager of the information technology department or his or her designee.
• One (1) member of the Nashua business community, appointed by the mayor.
• Four (4) members who are Nashua residents, appointed by the mayor.
• The director of the public works division or his or her designee.
• The mayor or his or her designee.

The five (5) members appointed by the mayor serve for three-year terms.

Management and Operations

Daily management and operation of the Community Access Channels is described in the CTAB Policies and Procedures Manual.

Management and contacts are as follows:

PEG Program Manager: Responsible for overall management and daily operation of the Government Access channel.

Education Channel Access Manager: Responsible daily operation of the Education Access Channel

Independent Contractor: Responsible for managing and operating the Public Access Channel

E-Channel Committee

The E-Channel committee will be made up of interested parties from within the Nashua School District and from other private educational institutions within in the city, at their request. These responsibilities include coordinating non-public school programming and public educational programming not directly associated with the public school system. the E-Channel committee is chaired by Stacy Hynes.

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Policies and Procedures Manual
CTAB operates according to a Policies and Procedures Manual, adopted by the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen on 13 June 2006.

Community Access Channels

Community access channels consist of three types of channels, commonly referred to as “PEG” Access Channels. These are video channels which the Franchisee (Comcast) shall make available to the Franchising Authority (City of Nashua), without charge, for the purpose of transmitting non-commercial programming by city departments and agencies, public schools, educational, institutional and similar organizations and members of the public:

• Government Access Channel (Channel 16). A specific channel on the cable system made available by the Franchisee (Comcast) to the City of Nashua to present non-commercial programming and/or information to the public. The “G” channel will be operated by the City of Nashua to show gavel-to-gavel coverage of government meetings. Programs may also be produced about the government and its projects on these channels. Training programs for government emergency services may be shown on this channel. Comcast has assigned Channel 16 as the Government Access Channel.

• Educational Access Channel (Channel 99). A specific channel on the cable system made available by the Franchisee (Comcast) to educational institutions and/or educators wishing to present non-commercial programming and/or information to the public. Both public and private schools can participate on the E channel. Comcast has assigned Channel 99 as the Education Access Channel.

• Public Access Channel (Channel 96). A specific channel on the cable system made available by the Franchisee (Comcast) for the use of Nashua residents and/or organizations wishing to present non-commercial programming and/or information to the public. The “P” channel will be used by community citizens to televise whatever programs they create or sponsor. Comcast has assigned Channel 96 as the Public Access Channel.

Comcast Agreement

Nashua has executed a renewed franchise agreement pursuant to NH State Law RSA 53-C “Franchising And Regulation Of Cable Television Systems By Cities And Towns” with its municipal cable television provider “Comcast of Massachusetts/New Hampshire/Ohio, Inc.” (Comcast) titled, “Cable Television Renewal Franchise” on 1 October 2005. CTAB is funded through franchise fees collected from COMCAST cable subscribers, as described in this agreement.


Additional Information:

--CTAB Policies and Procedures Manual

--Comcast Franchise Agreement

--Meeting Agendas and Minutes

--Government Channel 16 Program Schedule

--FCC Cable Services

--Comcast Home Page

--Comcast OnLine Support

--New Hampshire Coalition for Community Media