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Politics & Government

Pacifica Community TV: One Step Closer to Operating Station for Half Moon Bay, Coastside

Half Moon Bay and San Mateo County are set to begin negotiations with Pacifica Community Television.

Pacifica Community Television (Channel 26 on Comcast) is one step closer to receiving the right to run the Public, Education, and Governmental Access television station (otherwise known as "public access television") serving Half Moon Bay and the surrounding unincorporated Coastside areas (Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, Princeton, La Honda, and Pescadero), based on a recommendation by the county's public works department that was announced on Thursday.

According to the announcement, Half Moon Bay and the county will begin negotiating with Pacifica Community Television for the contract to operate the station, which the RFP estimated should be finalized by mid-April for an "anticipated" contract start date of Sept. 12 of this year.

The Coastside's public access television station has been operated by Mid-Coast Community Television (MCTV) (Channel 27 on Comcast) since 1985. MCTV is located in El Granada and led by President and Station Manager Constance Malach.

Find out what's happening in Half Moon Baywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In December of last year, Half Moon Bay and San Mateo County circulated a Request for Proposals (RFP) for station operators to bid on the contract to provide public access television station services for Half Moon Bay and the unincorporated county Coastside area.

Thursday's announcement also disclosed that all applications submitted in response to the RFP will be posted at the county's website on Feb. 22, as well as be available for the public to review in person at the Public Works Department office unless an applicant has reason to believe that a portion of the document is confidential.

Find out what's happening in Half Moon Baywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The RFP states that the Public Works Department will accept protests in response to their recommendation until Feb. 25 at 5 p.m.

To read the announcement of the recommendation issued by Half Moon Bay and the county, along with questions submitted about the RFP, click here. To see a copy of the RFP, click on the PDF document in the media box of this article.

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