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ARTICLE 7. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH: PROGRAMS, SERVICES and ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 14. TELEVISION CHANNELS

Annotations By: Jacqueline Bejma

Sec. 7-1401. Cable Television Channels

The City of Detroit shall operate and maintain its television channels for the benefit of the citizens of the City of Detroit.

These cable television channels are public assets.

Any ordinances related to the City’s cable television channels shall not be inconsistent with this chapter.

The City of Detroit shall operate and maintain its television channels for the benefit of the citizens of the City of Detroit. These cable television channels are public assets. Any ordinances related to the City’s cable television channels shall not be inconsistent with this chapter.

Sec. 7-1402. Executive Oversight, Operation and Management

The Executive branch shall be responsible for the management, operation and oversight of the City’s television channels.

Sec. 7-1403. Channel Use

At least one channel (Government Channel) shall be dedicated to the broadcast of the official affairs, programs and projects of the branches and units of City government

All official meetings of the City Council shall be broadcast in their entirety, and where feasible in a live format.

At least one channel shall be dedicated to educational, cultural and arts programming, which shall include programming received from the K-12 public school systems within the jurisdiction of the City of Detroit

At least one channel (Government Channel) shall be dedicated to the broadcast of the official affairs, programs and projects of the branches and units of City government, including the Legislative branch, Executive branch and Office of City Clerk. All official meetings of the City Council shall be broadcast in their entirety, and where feasible in a live format.

At least one channel shall be dedicated to educational, cultural and arts programming, which shall include programming received from the K-12 public school systems within the jurisdiction of the City of Detroit and may include programming from not-for profit organizations and public universities, community colleges or other institutions of higher learning, public or private.

Sec. 7-1404. Limitations

The following limitations shall apply relative to television channels:

1. The City of Detroit shall not sell or in any way dispose of any property needed to continue the operation of any television channel, unless approved by a majority of city voters voting on the question at a regular or special election.
2. The City of Detroit shall not grant any franchise for its television channels which is not subject to revocation at the will of the City Council unless the proposition is first approved by three-fifths (3/5) of city voters voting on the question at a regular or special election.

All contracts, franchises, grants, leases or other forms of transfer in violation of this section shall be void and of no effect against the City of Detroit.