Save Access

from: WMNF News

Strategizing to save public TV channels
WMNF Evening News Thursday Listen to this entire show: listen to this show

Tags: FL PIRG, TBCN, PEG Channels

A strategy session was held this morning at Tampa Bay Community Network (TBCN) to discuss ways citizens can rally and amend Florida’s Consumer Choice Act of 2007, which threatens Florida’s public access, education and government TV channels, known as PEG channels.

WMNF News

Public Access Channel goes on without county funds
02/05/08 Mitch E. Perry

After attempting to cut funding for years, the Hillsborough County Commission last fall pulled the plug on financing the county’s Public Access Channel.

Forced to reduce the budget dues to mandates from the state Legislature last year, the board also cut in half funding of the county’s Education Channel, and warned station operators that there may not be any funding at all next year. The third channel, the county’s Government channel, also saw its budget cut by more than $200,000 – but it’s entire budget is just a little less than $2-million.

from: Orlando Sentinel

Leaders fight move of government channels to upper end of cable TV dial

David Damron
Sentinel Staff Writer
February 1, 2008

Orange County Commissioner Teresa Jacobs is launching a statewide fight to stop cable companies from pushing government channels to the higher reaches of their digital-channel lineups.

from: MultiChannel News

Bright House Settles Public-Channel Spat

(Multichannel News) _ Opposition to Bright House Networks' decision to shift public, educational and governmental channels in Tampa, Fla., high up into the channel roster has ended.

The Tampa division of the Advance/Newhouse Communications-owned cable company and Hillsborough County have brokered a deal that would end local officials' opposition to putting the channels in the 600 range of numbers.

from: St. Petersburg Times

County sells out to cable provider
A Times Editorial
Published January 4, 2008

State Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Tampa, was the force behind a predatory law last year that enables the pay-TV industry to wring even more from its customers while giving back less in return. Local government and consumer groups opposed the legislation. The cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg are fighting the fallout in court. Hillsborough County Commissioners, though, are more interested in exploiting the law for their own self-promotion than in defending the public interest. Once again, the county distinguishes itself by siding with big business instead of average citizens.

from: Tampa Bay Online

Local Network's Warnings About TV Unheeded

By LOUISE THOMPSON

Published: December 25, 2007

Regarding the Tribune editorial, "Bright House Snubs Public Good" (Our Opinion, Dec. 13):

In this editorial about Bright House Networks moving local government channels to the 600 tier, you neglected to let your readers know that their own local public access channels have also been moved from Bright House channels 19 and 20 to digital channels 949 and 950 or Outer Mongolia on the TV channel lineup.

Note: Missing from this fluff press release is the fact that Verizon is raising cable TV rates 11.5% this year, on top of a 7.5% increase last year - far greater than the increases of competing cable companies. The promise of lower rates that originally led to the Florida state video franchise, simply aren't happening.

from: CNN Money

from: Herald Tribune

Manatee gives up cable TV suit plans
Bright House basic cable subscribers will need upgrade for county channel

By FRANK GLUCK
frank.gluck@heraldtribune.com

MANATEE COUNTY -- When Bright House Networks decided to charge thousands of cable subscribers higher fees to view public access channels, Tampa Bay-area governments promised a legal fight.

from: Hernando Today

Cable Channel Switch Coming to Florida Cities

November 19, 2007
By Michael D. Bates

In three weeks, Bright House Network customers will have to be more creative with their remote control to find their government access channels.

On Dec. 11, the company is relocating channels 14, 19 and 20 from the easily-found lower basic tier to the upper digital channel tier, where some people may have trouble finding them.

Note:A flaw in the Florida State Franchise left PEG channels open to sole carriage on digital channels as opposed to the analog channels that compose basic cable service. A real loss for fixed-income homes and seniors who want access to local civic news and information.

from: The Ledger

Published: Wednesday, November 7, 2007