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A MEMORIAL

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR EFFORTS TO MAKE MOUNTAIN WEST

CONFERENCE GAMES AVAILABLE ON BASIC CABLE TELEVISION AND

SATELLITE TELEVISION AND REQUESTING THE APPROPRIATE INTERIM

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE IN THE EVENT THAT A

SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION IS NOT REACHED BY THE SPRING OF 2008.

WHEREAS, the university of New Mexico is a member of the

Mountain West Conference; and

WHEREAS, the Mountain West Conference is on the brink of

breaking into the bowl championship series, which is currently

made up of the top six conferences in the nation, including

the Big 10, PAC 10, Big 12, Big East, Southeastern and

Atlantic Coast Conferences; and

WHEREAS, the Mountain West Conference has an exclusive

long-term contract with a network established by CSTV

Networks, Inc., and Comcast Cable, called "the mtn.", short

for the "Mountain West Sports Network"; and

WHEREAS, the 2006 announcement of this deal stated that

"CSTV will be added to Comcast's digital basic systems in

Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico"; and

WHEREAS, the common understanding of "basic cable" is

that all cable subscribers receive certain programs without

extra charges or without being required to buy a premium

package; and

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WHEREAS, the Mountain West Sports Network is not part of

basic cable service anywhere in New Mexico, is unavailable via

satellite televison providers such as DirecTV and DISH Network

and is not even available as an extra cost option outside the

larger municipalities in the state; and

WHEREAS, cable television companies are granted

monopolies by local governments throughout the state, but they

have not been required to offer the Mountain West Sports

Network as part of basic cable service; and

WHEREAS, as government-endorsed cable television

monopolies, these companies should be required to provide

coverage of local news and sports programs as part of their

basic service package, especially if these programs are made

otherwise unavailable because of deals made by these same

cable companies; and

WHEREAS, United States senators from New Mexico, Utah,

Wyoming and Colorado have all expressed concern about the

inability of cable and satellite companies to come to an

agreement that will allow all subscribers in those states

access to Mountain West Conference games;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that current

efforts to have the Mountain West Sports Network made part of

basic cable service and also for it to be offered on satellite

television networks be supported; and

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if this problem is not

resolved by the spring of 2008, the appropriate interim

legislative committee be requested to investigate the problem

and make recommendations for legislation to address the

problem to the forty-ninth legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the chief executive officers of Comcast Cable

and CSTV Networks, Inc., the commissioners of the Mountain

West Conference, the president of the University of New Mexico

and the New Mexico legislative council.