Cable television is on track to arrive in town by next spring as scheduled, with the Cable Television Advisory Committee reporting zero major roadblocks in ongoing negotiations with Adams-Russell Co. Inc., the franchise holder.
“We’re making pretty good progress in the negotiations with the company,” CATV Advisory Chairman Edward F. McKenna told his colleagues last night. Following an executive session described as an “amicable adversary relationship,” McKenna reported that out of 46 contract sections, 38 have already been successfully resolved through rewrites, substitutions, deletions, or remaining unchanged.
With only one or two sessions remaining before provisional licensing details are finalized, key items still on the bargaining table include negotiating utility pole access and rental fees with the municipal light department to adjust existing wires, as well as finalizing required construction and performance bonds. Under the provisional license, Waltham-based Adams-Russell is granted up to one year to secure federal and state permits and utility agreements—a preliminary phase McKenna estimates could take as little as three months before selectmen issue the full 15-year operating license. Barring unforeseen appeals against the selectmen’s June decision awarding the franchise over six competing bids, McKenna predicted that cable installation could begin by January, with subscribers hooked up and the system fully operational by the spring.
The proposed $2.5 million, 52-channel system promises robust local capabilities, including a fixed full-color production studio, a mobile color television studio, 60 public access outlets connected to local schools and the town hall, and a dedicated staff of two full-time and part-time employees. Projecting an initial subscriber base of 4,000 to 5,000 households paying an average monthly base fee of $15, Adams-Russell anticipates generating over $1 million in revenue by its second year—climbing to $1.4 million by the tenth year as premium options expand—with rates frozen for the first two years of operation.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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Norwood Selectmen Oppose Cablevision’s Proposed Rate Hike-August 7, 1986
Faced with a proposed 32 percent rate hike by Adams Russell Cablevision that would boost “Supercable” packages from $7.50 to $14.50 monthly, Norwood selectmen scheduled a public hearing at Junior High South.
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Adams-Russell Cable Co. Plans September Rate Hike-August 16, 1985
Adams-Russell Cable Co. announced a September 1 rate hike from $25 to $32 per month, triggering a contract dispute with town officials over uncompleted municipal cable loops.
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Adams-Russell Cable Services Tells Norwood Selectmen Local Cable System is Completed-August 8, 1984
Company Announces Energizing of Public Institutional Loop as Two-Year Rate Freeze Certification Process Approaches NORWOOD — Representatives from Adams-Russell Cable Services informed town selectmen last night that Norwood’s cable television system is officially complete. The declaration marks a critical milestone for both the Waltham-based company and local subscribers, as certification triggers the start of a…
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Norwood Cable Television Advisory Committee Reports Smooth Progress in Franchise Negotiations-August 11, 1981
With negotiations progressing smoothly, CATV Advisory Chairman Edward F. McKenna announced that Adams-Russell Co. is on schedule to bring a 52-channel cable television system to Norwood by the spring of 1982.
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Norwood Awards CATV; Service In Year-June 24, 1981
Following a extensive year-long review by the CATV advisory panel, developers map out a 100-mile infrastructure network to deliver over 50 channels to local homes.
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Norwood Citizens Overwhelmingly Back Cable TV-August 21, 1980
An informal poll by the Norwood CATV Committee reveals that 80 percent of surveyed residents strongly favor bringing cable television to town. Ten firms are vying for the contract, which will utilize municipal utility poles.
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Norwood CATV Committee Debates Public Outreach Methods for Cable Television-July 31, 1978
The Norwood CATV Committee debated various public outreach strategies—including informational brochures, mail questionnaires, and shopping center booths—to gauge resident interest in cable television.
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