Hillsborough, Public Access TV Network Settle Suit

Tampa Bay Community Network will continue to broadcast on local cable TV networks, according to a tentative settlement of its lawsuit against the Hillsborough County Commission.

In return, the network, owned by the nonprofit group Speak Up Tampa Bay, has agreed to drop its demand that the commission restore $355,000 in annual funding. The county discontinued the network's funding in 2007 as part of an overall budget reduction package.

The settlement will also allow the network to charge residents in unincorporated areas a sliding scale for using Speak Up's studios to produce programming, said David Snyder, attorney for the channel. Tampa pays the network $540,000 a year, which allows city residents to produce programming free of charge.

"One of the things the county was insisting on in prior negotiations was that we not charge unincorporated area residents to allow them to produce programs on the city's dime," Snyder said. "The county is no longer insisting on that."

The county's attorney, Stephen Todd, could not be reached for comment.

Speak Up Tampa Bay filed the lawsuit in 2007, saying the budget cut represented an effort by the county to stymie the free speech of residents in unincorporated Hillsborough. Speak Up executive director Louise Thompson said without the money, the station could not afford to let residents outside the Tampa city limits produce shows using the network's studios.

U.S. District James Moody in October ordered the parties to appear before a mediator by Jan. 15. Today, mediator Peter J. Grilli notified the court the suit has been tentatively settled, pending approval of network's board of directors and the Hillsborough County Commission.

After the lawsuit was filed, the county responded that a favorable court ruling for public access could result in a spate of lawsuits from agencies that have had their budgets cut.

Snyder said part of the settlement will allow Speak Up Tampa Bay to buy a production vehicle for $10,000, spread out in $2,500 annual payments over four years. The county had valued the large, RV-type vehicle at $55,000. The van was purchased with tax money from cable television.