Why do we pay a PEG Fee on our Cable Bill?

Recently, a question was raised on Front Porch Forum in the Old North End by a person on Intervale Avenue who recently called Burlington Telecom to ask about his cable bill:

I questioned the $2.63 monthly franchise fee. Who is the franchisor?
NOBODY KNOWS.
I questioned the $2.63 PEG fee. NOBODY KNOWS.
I suspect the city of Btown is ripping its citizens off.

Meghan O'Rourke, neighborhood resident and Channel 17 staff person, responded:

Thanks for bringing up the question of franchise fees and PEG access fees.  I love the chance to talk about my work.  I have been at Channel 17/ Town Meeting TV since 1992.  The station has existed here in the Old North End since 1990! 

Thanks to the contributions of cable subscribers via the PEG access franchise fees, Channel 17 and 42 other local community television channels provide training, equipment and airtime to people across the state of Vermont.  Federal laws  require that  these channels exist in exchange for the cable companies use of the public "rights of way" to string their cables.  Cable companies are then allowed to pass through a portion of this fee to subscribers--that is what you see under the line entitled PEG access fees.  In the Burlington area  5% + 1.5% of your bill goes to fund and support local access operations and equipment purchase. 

In many communities these channels are the way that folks can find out about local government or school actions, exercise their free speech rights and see their neighbors on TV.  Locally, we air the neighborhood NPA meetings, Burlington City Council, a regular call-in "Live at 5:25" program with politicians and citizens, community events and more. We are REALLY thankful for cable subscribers contributions, but more importantly so are the thousands of community members, local officials from all parties and persuasions, and non-profits that use these access centers to share with the community and learn media tools. 

To see our programming via the web and learn more visit us at www.channel17.org or stop n at 294 North Winooski ave between 9-5. These are your channels and we welcome you!