up
Budget Year / Version:
anchor
anchor

Mission Statement

The Cable Television Communication Plan is a special revenue fund. Revenue is provided by cable franchise agreements and fees from the Transmission Facility Coordinating Group. Funding is passed through for: the operation of the Office of Broadband Program's (OBP); FiberNet programs; Community Technology; Community Engagement; Digital Equity; Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) programming by the Office of Public Information (PIO); the Montgomery County Council; the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC); Montgomery College; Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS); Montgomery Community Media; PEG equipment; and municipal franchises administered by the County. The mission of the Cable Television Communications Plan is to provide effective management of the Fund; the County's cable franchise agreement; quality PEG programming; broadband governance; planning, execution, and operation of FiberNet; the County's communications network; and effective management of the deployment of wireless facilities throughout Montgomery County. Additional funding for OBP is provided and described in the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions' (TEBS) budget. Digital Equity initiatives are supported by the TEBS and Cable Fund budgets.

anchor

Budget Overview

The total recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Broadband Programs is $6,556,970, a decrease of $7,505,043 or 53.37 percent from the FY24 Approved Budget of $14,062,013. Personnel Costs comprise 0.00 percent of the budget for no full-time position(s) and no part-time position(s), and a total of 0.00 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 100.00 percent of the FY25 budget.

The Cable Fund is facing continued pressures from the trend towards cutting the cord. Cable Fund revenue from Franchise Fees and PEG Operating and Capital Grants are projected to fall by over $2.36 million in FY25. This reduction is relative to the FY24 Approved Budget and includes mid-year reductions. Beginning in FY25, the Cable Fund revenue is expected to decrease every year by between seven and twelve percent.


In FY25, the County Executive decided to move critical programs out of the Cable Fund and into the Department of Technology Services and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS), Montgomery County Council, Office of Public Information (PIO), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Office of the County Attorney. These shifts will refocus the core mission of the Cable Fund on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) services.

In addition, this department's Capital Improvements Program (CIP) requires Current Revenue funding.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

  • Thriving Youth and Families
  • A Growing Economy
  • A Greener County
  • Easier Commutes
  • Effective, Sustainable Government

anchor

Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY24 estimates reflect funding based on the FY24 approved budget. The FY25 and FY26 figures are performance targets based on the FY25 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY26.

anchor

Initiatives

  • Simplify and streamline the Cable Fund by shifting programs out of the Cable Fund to refocus on core Public, Education, and Government (PEG) functions to reduce complexity.

  • Develop a strategic innovation plan in partnership with Connect Montgomery Alliance (CoMo) to create a new Connect Montgomery Network focused on serving the information needs of the County's diverse residents.

Program Descriptions

  Media - Montgomery College

Montgomery College Television creates videos for Montgomery College educational cable channels, website, and social media. Funds are used for staff, equipment, operating expenses, and training student interns using hands on, real-life production techniques and facilities. Videos educate, inform, and support student success (i.e. closing the achievement gap, dual enrollment, retention,...

Read More

  Media - Montgomery County Public Schools

Montgomery County Public Schools Television (MCPS-TV) is a full-service television and multimedia facility that produces TV programs for students, staff, parents, and the general community produced in multiple languages to reach the district's growing multicultural community. MCPS-TV regular programming includes live Board of Education meetings, live webstreaming events from schools,...

Read More

  OBP Community Technology

Read More

  Montgomery Community Media

Montgomery County supports community media and digital equity training through a contract with Montgomery Community Television, doing business as Montgomery Community Media (MCM). MCM operates two community media cable television channels, provides media technology training to County residents and community organizations, and produces independent, diverse, and informative cable programming for...

Read More

  OBP Community Engagement

Read More

  Municipal Support

Cable operator franchise fees and PEG support obligations to participating municipalities within Montgomery County are paid by cable operators to the County for administrative efficiency and auditing effectiveness and then redistributed by the County to the City of Rockville, the City of Takoma Park, and the Montgomery County Chapter of...

Read More

  Connect Montgomery Alliance

The Montgomery County Public, Education, and Government (PEG) Governance Board facilitates collaboration among the local PEG stations to promote meaningful and relevant PEG programming and media services to the Montgomery County community using current and emerging technologies. The PEG Governance Board (PGB) collaboratively works to expand community engagement, Spanish language...

Read More

  OBP Digital Equity (Cable Fund)

Read More

  Media - PIO, Council, M-NCPPC

Read More

  OBP Fibernet (CF)

Read More
Budget Trends
anchor
Program Contacts

Contact Leny Bautista of the Department of Technology Services at 240.777.2865 or Seamus McNamara of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2755 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

Related Links
Budget Summary
TitleActual
FY23
Budget
FY24
Estimate
FY24
Recommended
FY25
%Chg
Bud/Rec
CABLE TELEVISION
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages2468417.003146520.00 2713326.00 0.00-100.0
Employee Benefits624118.00744711.00 649626.00 0.00-100.0
Cable Television Personnel Costs3092535.003891231.00 3362952.00 0.00-100.0
Operating Expenses9374080.0010170782.00 10170201.00 6556970.00-35.5
Cable Television Expenditures12466615.0014062013.00 13533153.00 6556970.00-53.4
PERSONNEL
Full-Time19.0014.00 14.00 0.00-100.0
Part-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
FTEs29.5524.34 24.34 0.00-100.0
REVENUES
Franchise Fees13005112.0012704332.00 12409291.00 11586334.00-8.8
Other Charges/Fees1192527.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
PEG Capital Revenue3456033.004484207.00 4621008.00 4326625.00-3.5
PEG Operating Revenue3104601.003138392.00 2824569.00 2625175.00-16.4
Tower Application Fees148000.00250000.00 250000.00 250000.000.0
Miscellaneous Revenues0.001000000.00 1000000.00 1000000.000.0
Investment Income71909.00167490.00 114330.00 117960.00-29.6
Cable Television Revenues20978182.0021744421.00 21219198.00 19906094.00-8.5
 
GRANT FUND - MCG
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Employee Benefits0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Personnel Costs0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Expenditures0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
PERSONNEL
Full-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Part-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
FTEs0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Revenues0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures12466615.0014062013.00 13533153.00 6556970.00-53.4
Total Full-Time Positions19.0014.00 14.00 0.00-100.0
Total Part-Time Positions0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Total FTEs29.5524.34 24.34 0.00-100.0
Total Revenues20978182.0021744421.00 21219198.00 19906094.00-8.5
FY25 Recommended Changes
TitleExpendituresFTEs
CABLE TELEVISION
FY24 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION1406201324.34
Changes (with service impacts)
Reduce: CoMo Reduction for Operating Expenses [Connect Montgomery Alliance]-263560.00
Reduce: MCM Reduction [Montgomery Community Media]-1883780.00
Reduce: CoMo PEG Equipment Reduction [Connect Montgomery Alliance]-3113070.00
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY24 Compensation Increases1677710.00
Increase Cost: FY25 Compensation Adjustment1291670.00
Increase Cost: Three Percent Inflationary Adjustment to Non-Profit Service Provider Contracts [Connect Montgomery Alliance]340680.00
Technical Adj: Annualization of FY24 Personnel Costs0-0.20
Decrease Cost: Printing and Mail-32580.00
Decrease Cost: Retirement Adjustment-89960.00
Shift: DOT Chargeback to General Fund [OBP Fibernet (CF)]-106135-0.75
Shift: County Attorney Community Technology Position to General Fund [OBP Community Technology]-115298-0.50
Decrease Cost: Municipal Reduction [Municipal Support]-2642830.00
Decrease Cost: Cable Operating Reduction-3277910.00
Decrease Cost: Cable Fund Salary Adjustment Reduction [OBP Fibernet (CF)]-3396340.00
Shift: PIO positions to General Fund [Media - PIO, Council, M-NCPPC]-607241-4.09
Shift: Digital Equity from Cable Fund to TEBS General Fund [OBP Digital Equity (Cable Fund)]-711972-1.00
Shift: Council Positions to General Fund [Media - PIO, Council, M-NCPPC]-823230-3.80
Shift: Community Engagement to TEBS General Fund [OBP Community Engagement]-1195306-5.00
Shift: FiberNet Personnel to TEBS General Fund [OBP Fibernet (CF)]-1325698-4.00
Shift: Community Technology to General Fund [OBP Community Technology]-1481166-5.00
FY25 RECOMMENDED65569700.00
Program Summary
Program NameFY24 APPR
Expenditures
FY24 APPR
FTEs
FY25 REC
Expenditures
FY25 REC
FTEs
Media - Montgomery College00.0000.00
Media - Montgomery County Public Schools00.0000.00
Connect Montgomery Alliance10052210.006673490.00
Media - PIO, Council, M-NCPPC14925948.0900.00
Montgomery Community Media30454620.0028570840.00
Municipal Support32968190.0030325370.00
OBP Community Engagement12063675.0000.00
OBP Community Technology16052805.5000.00
OBP Digital Equity (Cable Fund)6974881.0000.00
OBP Fibernet (CF)17127824.7500.00
Total1406201324.3465569700.00
Funding Parameter Items ($000s)
TitleFY25FY26FY27FY28FY29FY30
CABLE TELEVISION
EXPENDITURES
FY25 Recommended6557.0000006557.0000006557.0000006557.0000006557.0000006557.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Subtotal Expenditures6557.0000006557.0000006557.0000006557.0000006557.0000006557.000000