In 1992, the St. Tammany Parish Police Jury took advantage of the Cable Communications Act of 1984 to request a Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) channel, with the commitment to educate and inform the community on local government activities. The request was successfully granted in 1993, marking the establishment of a platform for local programming and civic engagement.
To kick-start the channel, the local cable system played a crucial role by providing essential equipment. In an effort to ensure high-quality productions, the cable system furnished a 3-point lighting kit, an S-VHS camera, and S-VHS playback decks for the two head-ends. This equipment not only laid the foundation for professional-looking broadcasts but also facilitated content that catered to the informational and educational needs of the St. Tammany Parish community.
The startup of the channel not only signaled a collaborative effort between the local government and the cable provider but also demonstrated a commitment to fostering community involvement through the medium of television. As a result, the PEG channel became a valuable resource for residents, promoting transparency, education, and the dissemination of emergency information within St. Tammany Parish.
The state cable franchise plays a pivotal role in supporting local communities by providing essential funding in the form of franchise fees and Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) fees for the use of parish right-of-ways. These fees represent a financial contribution from utility cable providers to the local government for the privilege of operating within the community and accessing public spaces. Franchise fees, typically based on a 5% fee of the cable operator's gross revenue, serve as a revenue stream that can be allocated to various public initiatives and services. Simultaneously, PEG fees are specifically designated to support the production of public, educational, and governmental programming, ensuring that the community benefits from informative and locally relevant content. This financial support from the state cable franchise not only fosters the growth of local media but also contributes to the overall well-being and development of the parish by leveraging the resources derived from the use of public right-of-ways.
The programming and scheduling of the channel is supervised by the department of Public Information director. Programming decisions are the exclusive right of parish government. The government exclusively reserves the right to accept or reject outside programming.