CAN TV Standing by for Funding Approval

Chicago Tribune
Published June 19, 2004
By Gary Washburn, Tribune Staff Reporter

A City Council committee on Friday passed a measure that would provide financial assistance to Chicago Access Network Television, but aldermen agreed to delay consideration of the lifeline by the full council to allow time to explore other possible sources of funding.

CAN TV, a not-for-profit public access network, has been under severe financial pressure because of problems with RCN Corp., which provides cable service to about 30 percent of the lakefront area.

Cable operators in Chicago are required to pay annual fees to fund CAN TV, but RCN, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month, has defaulted on two payments and is expected to fall further behind.

Ald. Bernard Stone (50th), co-sponsor of the measure that advanced on Friday, told the council's Finance Committee that CAN TV could be forced to cut its $2.6 million budget this year by near.

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