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from: WBHS9

How will AT&T's Legislation affect Channel 9?

Dear Editor:

Your recent article regarding AT&T’s proposed legislation stirred a response from Paul Stinson, Manager of Regulatory and External Affairs for AT&T. On January 7th, a meeting was held with Mr. Stinson, Mr. Keidel, a concerned parent and me. After the meeting I sat down and composed a list comparing the status quo with what AT&T has proposed for Access channels like WBHS9.

Currently:

Comcast provides a fiber optic line for WBHS9 to send its signal to the Comcast distribution center. It also provides the modulator necessary to send and receive the signal. Comcast also provides a dedicated return line so that WBHS9 can monitor it’s signal to ensure it is being broadcast properly. Should there be an equipment failure or line failure, Comcast repairs or replaces this equipment with no expense to the high school.

AT&T:

WBHS9 would have to purchase new equipment in order to send its signal to AT&T’s distribution center. Mr. Stinson estimated that a “low end” version of the equipment would cost around $20,000 to $25,000. Additional equipment would be necessary and this would also fall to the high school to purchase. In addition, the school would be responsible for paying a monthly delivery fee to AT&T for sending its signal to the distribution center. That fee has not been determined. AT&T’s new cable system, according to Mr. Stinson, is not designed to provide for multi-use buildings and they do not intend to provide service to schools. In short, WBHS9 would have no way of monitoring its actual signal delivery on AT&T’s cable system, unless WBHS9 pays for a cable subscription to AT&T.

Currently:

Comcast provides not only the dedicated return line for WBHS9, but it also provides free cable service to Brentwood High School.

AT&T:

AT&T’s U-Verse system technology is very limited. A single line to a building can only handle two different channels at the same time, only one HD signal at one time.(it should be noted that Stinson claimed the limit was four, but research shows the limit is two) Because of that limited ability, the new legislation is being written so that Cable companies do not have to provide for service to schools. Brentwood High School will soon have to pay a subscription fee for each TV that has cable service.

Currently:

WBHS9 has begun to receive some limited funding from the owner of channel 9, the City of Brentwood. Typically, funds of this type come from the franchise fees collected by the local government agency that negotiates the cable contract.

AT&T:

Funds for channels like WBHS9 would have to be charged above the cable providers fee with the passage and approval of an additional tax passed on to users.

Currently:

WBHS9 is provided a single channel location, just like any other broadcast organization on Comcast. We are currently seen on channel 9 throughout Williamson County. Comcast provides a signal delivery system that makes our signal equal to all other channels.

AT&T:

The U-verse system being touted by AT&T would place all channels like WBHS9 on one channel. Currently in Michigan and California the system works like this. You go to channel 99 or 316. The screen stays black for between 30 and 40 seconds. Then you are offered a list of channels like WBHS9 to choose from. Then you select the one you wish to view. After your selection is made, the station appears on your screen, except it is not full screen. The channel signal would encompass roughly one-quarter of your screen size. You can then make the picture close to full screen, but the picture quality will degenerate, much like when you increase the picture size on your computer. It has been reported that in a demonstration of this system it took seven remote clicks to get to channel 99 and then finally reach your channel selection.

Currently:

Plans have been under way to make WBHS9 a High Definition channel. We have already purchased editing software and are moving to purchase HD cameras. This will make WBHS9 comparable to the other broadcast channels being offered on cable.

AT&T:

Does not have the technology in their system to provide High Definition signal delivery for WBHS9.

Overall, the simple conclusion from my research and meetings with AT&T is as follows:

With local control over cable companies, local people can provide what local consumers want. In our situation, that is local information, local sports, local news, local events. That is a major selling point of cable operations versus satellite providers.

AT&T sees channels such as WBHS9 as unwanted step children that take away from their earning potential. Burying all channels like WBHS9 on one channel, reducing their picture quality, not providing delivery systems, establishing a system that demands huge investments in funds, all point to that philosophy. Specific example, AT&T will certainly provide HD service for all other channels except WBHS9 and why is the AT&T system designed to reduce the picture size of our signal?

From a philosophy side, I struggle to get past the short sightedness of this approach by AT&T. The short term cash result for AT&T may well be more money revenue, but where does this company plan to obtain a skilled work force when it sets itself on a path of destroying the educational programs that currently provide employees? Clearly, AT&T is neither interested nor involved in the education of Tennessee’s children. It has designed a system to make money, and if that means some training programs in Brentwood get eliminated, so what.

Mark Madison