City council on Tuesday night will consider a $262,000 contract for 2021 with Longmont’s public access channel to continue broadcasting of council and other local government boards and commissions.
Longmont Public Media signed its original contract with the city last year for various services, including a makerspace model for the public to create video or audio content. However, COVID-19 choked the station’s makerspace capabilities and caused revenues to dip, according to a staff report to council.
To help LPM to continue its work during the pandemic, council this year decided to give LPM an additional $117,000 in one-time funds. This was in addition to the estimated city’s franchise fees of $145,000 for 2021, according to the staff report.
LPM was awarded the city’s public access TV contract in September 2019, after city council asked staff to put out a request for proposals. Prior to LPM being awarded the contract, public access TV had been provided by the Longmont Cable Trust for nearly four decades.
Council on Tuesday also is expected to consider leasing the Carnegie Library Building, 409 Fourth Ave., to LPM for use as its headquarters for another year, according to the staff report. The contract leases the building to LPM for $10 through 2021, the report states.
