50 YEARS AGO Cable TV bids considered

Clifton Park pondered the decision about cable television with three franchise bidders targeting the community. The state Legislature approved bills to create a five-member commission to oversee the growing industry but extended the moratorium on additional cablevision growth from June 16 to April 1973. Town officials were generally favorable to granting a franchise, for it means a fee upward of 5 percent of the firm’s gross receipts, giving the town some unexpected revenue. Clifton Park residents had another year to decide if they believed the installation charge, monthly rates and connecting wires were worth the live hockey games from Boston and FM-type programs that could offer everything from constant stock market reports to end-to-end cartoons. “Our position is that there’s no reason for haste in granting a franchise,” said Joseph Martino, town attorney. —Times Union, May 15, 1972

C.J. Lais, Azra Haqqie and Tim Blydenburgh