Collection consists of materials relating to the city of Portland, Oregon's decision to award a cable communications franchise, and to Cox Cable of Portland's pursuit of the franchise. Materials include a 1973 report, "Cable Communications for the City of Portland," on the feasibility of establishing a cable communications system for Portland and Multnomah County, and a copy of a 1974 Portland ordinance authorizing the city to pursue applications for a cable franchise, with a proposal outlining the terms of the franchise. Other city materials consist of documents relating to regulation of the new cable system, a 1979 draft of the city's request for proposals, and evaluation and analysis of competitors for the franchise. Materials specific to Cox Cable include information about the company, correspondence of Cox Cable board member Elizabeth Crownhart Vaughan, a document outlining a marketing strategy for the company during the proposal process, and Cox Cable's 1980 application for the franchise. The collection also includes clippings and copies of news articles; publications and proposals by Cox Cable and its competitors; and a 1978 report on the use of cable television for instructional programming in Spokane, Washington, public schools.