County Hosts Focus Groups to Explore Future of Cable TV

db/cable.pr 97-77 Contact: Jane Lawton, (301) 217-7372

COUNTY HOSTS FOCUS GROUPS TO
EXPLORE FUTURE OF CABLE TV FOR RELEASE: March 12, 1997

As Montgomery County proceeds with the cable television franchise
renewal process, it will examine the past performance of the current franchisee, Cable TV
Montgomery, and consider future services that citizens, schools, community groups,
businesses and local government would like to include in a new cable franchise agreement.

As a part of the process of exploring future cable communications needs, the County
is hosting a series of community focus groups from March 24 through April 10, 1997. The
groups will provide opportunities for interested community members to learn about franchise
renewal and to express their opinions regarding future services that could be available through
the cable communication system in Montgomery County.

These focus groups will provide information about: 1) the current cable television
franchise renewal process; 2) how the cable system works and what it could be in the future;
3) local public, educational, and government access channels and their potential for the future;
and 4) the ways that community groups and organizations, schools, businesses, citizens, and
government agencies could use a cable communication system. The groups are designed to
get input from participants through brainstorming and the completion of a questionnaire that
will be distributed during the session. The focus groups will be held on the following dates
and locations:

Government Focus Group -- March 24, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Executive Office Building
Auditorium, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville.

Diversity/Disabled Focus Group -- March 24, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., Executive Office Building
Auditorium, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville.

Health & Human Services Focus Group -- March 25, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Executive Office
Building Auditorium, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville.

East County Community Focus Group -- March 25, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., Eastern
Montgomery Services Center, 13436 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring.

Arts Focus Group -- March 26, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., The Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda.

Mid-County Community Focus Group -- March 26, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., Mid-County Services
Center, 2424 Reedie Drive, Wheaton.

Public Access User Focus Group -- March 27, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., Executive Office Building
Auditorium, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville.

Downcounty Community Focus Group -- April 8, 7:00 pm - 9:00 p.m., Silver Spring
Regional Services Center, Staff Lounge, 8818 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Community Focus Group -- April 9, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.,
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center, Community Meeting Room - 2nd Floor, 4805
Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda.

Education Focus Group -- April 10, 9:30 - 11:30 p.m., Executive Office Building
Auditorium, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville.

Upcounty Community Focus Group -- April 10, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., Regional Services Center,
Meeting Room A, 12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown.

Interested individuals should select the workshop that is most appropriate or
convenient for them and call (301) 217-2850 to register. Individuals who need services to
accommodate special needs (i.e., an interpreter or translator) or who have questions should
call Amy Rowan in the County's Cable Office at (301) 217-1297 or TTY (301) 217-6505.

The focus groups will be conducted by Sue Buske of The Buske Group, a cable
consulting firm that is assisting the County during the franchise renewal process. Ms. Buske
is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of cable policy and community communications.

# # #

Return to Montgomery County Press Releases Page.