Sept. 30, 2008
"Slacker” Does Not Air, Only Comcast Knows Why
Franchise Up, Comcast Wants Out, but…
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – A documentary by Michael Moore did not air Monday night, September 29, as scheduled on Comcast Public Access. In the words of Richard Bartram, who has been coordinating the evening two hour block, “only Comcast knows.”
Bartram stated that he disc of “Slacker Uprising” provided to Comcast “was perfectly within FCC language restrictions (four words were excised), I had a backup disc ready to air in the event there was technical problems with the original.”
This is not the first time Comcast has shown a “slacker” attitude toward the Public Access programming on Channel 20. “It happened on numerous occasions, once when “On the River’s Edge” was scheduled.”
However, Bartram blames Comcast and the city for not dealing affirmatively with Comcast. In his words, and those of Brandi Jacobs-Jones, director of Finance and Administration, in a provided e-mail, “we are under the impression that Comcast is seeking to sell the local franchise.”
City Council members have brought up the cable franchise agreement during Good and Welfare. Various complaints have been made --- ranging from not having Marshall games on a basic tier to service costs and outages. Customer service, from my experience, though, has been very helpful regarding outages and technical (internet) issues.
As the civic leaders postpone cable franchise issues, Bartram pleads that officials may be falling into the shadow of a so-called corporate vulture that will “feed upon Huntington’s naiveté regarding the business.” Bartram stated that Comcast has a “notorious record of allowing franchise agreements to expire in order to renegotiate at the expense of the community. An agreement engineered to favor the cable company would be advantageous to the sale of the franchise.”
Bartram said that he’s been told “the Huntington franchise does not generate the higher income that the corporation is pleased with.” He claims Comcast “intellectually outranks” those attempting to negotiate a franchise. In fact, the previous 0poorly conceived” franchise agreement only “provided for the availability of the access channels. No provision was made to support them. This wisdom was tantamount to a deaf and blind man asking for a widescreen TV.”
Again, the broadcast on the city’s access from council chambers has been discussed before council. The television cable feed has one fixed wide view of the council podium taken from the rear of the chamber. Council members have speculated about improving the broadcast cameras, but the issue has not been formally placed on the agenda. For that matter, neither have any franchise renewal questions.
The email(s) from Bartram indicate that he had a brief five minute “neither productive or encouraging” conversation with City Attorney Scott McClure in January. However, Ms. Jacobs-Jones has said, “I am open to any recommendations that your may have regarding [the public access channel] and will seek to ensure that those recommendations (if feasible ) are carried out.” Her request for a solution would be only temporary--- i.e. during the time frame involving waiting on a sale of the franchise and a renewal/rewrite of the agreement.
Meanwhile, Bartram has posted for community viewing a website addressing his concerns, not simply with the Public Access channel, but the Government (City) channel and the Educational Access channel, as
well.
You can read his concerns about the franchise agreement and public access by clicking: http://cinemystique.home.zoomnet.net/The%20Lowdown%20On%20Huntington%20Public%20Access%20TV.html
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
"Slacker” Does Not Air, Only Comcast Knows Why
Franchise Up, Comcast Wants Out, but…
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – A documentary by Michael Moore did not air Monday night, September 29, as scheduled on Comcast Public Access. In the words of Richard Bartram, who has been coordinating the evening two hour block, “only Comcast knows.”
Bartram stated that he disc of “Slacker Uprising” provided to Comcast “was perfectly within FCC language restrictions (four words were excised), I had a backup disc ready to air in the event there was technical problems with the original.”
This is not the first time Comcast has shown a “slacker” attitude toward the Public Access programming on Channel 20. “It happened on numerous occasions, once when “On the River’s Edge” was scheduled.”
However, Bartram blames Comcast and the city for not dealing affirmatively with Comcast. In his words, and those of Brandi Jacobs-Jones, director of Finance and Administration, in a provided e-mail, “we are under the impression that Comcast is seeking to sell the local franchise.”
City Council members have brought up the cable franchise agreement during Good and Welfare. Various complaints have been made --- ranging from not having Marshall games on a basic tier to service costs and outages. Customer service, from my experience, though, has been very helpful regarding outages and technical (internet) issues.
As the civic leaders postpone cable franchise issues, Bartram pleads that officials may be falling into the shadow of a so-called corporate vulture that will “feed upon Huntington’s naiveté regarding the business.” Bartram stated that Comcast has a “notorious record of allowing franchise agreements to expire in order to renegotiate at the expense of the community. An agreement engineered to favor the cable company would be advantageous to the sale of the franchise.”
Bartram said that he’s been told “the Huntington franchise does not generate the higher income that the corporation is pleased with.” He claims Comcast “intellectually outranks” those attempting to negotiate a franchise. In fact, the previous 0poorly conceived” franchise agreement only “provided for the availability of the access channels. No provision was made to support them. This wisdom was tantamount to a deaf and blind man asking for a widescreen TV.”
Again, the broadcast on the city’s access from council chambers has been discussed before council. The television cable feed has one fixed wide view of the council podium taken from the rear of the chamber. Council members have speculated about improving the broadcast cameras, but the issue has not been formally placed on the agenda. For that matter, neither have any franchise renewal questions.
The email(s) from Bartram indicate that he had a brief five minute “neither productive or encouraging” conversation with City Attorney Scott McClure in January. However, Ms. Jacobs-Jones has said, “I am open to any recommendations that your may have regarding [the public access channel] and will seek to ensure that those recommendations (if feasible ) are carried out.” Her request for a solution would be only temporary--- i.e. during the time frame involving waiting on a sale of the franchise and a renewal/rewrite of the agreement.
Meanwhile, Bartram has posted for community viewing a website addressing his concerns, not simply with the Public Access channel, but the Government (City) channel and the Educational Access channel, as
well.
You can read his concerns about the franchise agreement and public access by clicking: http://cinemystique.home.zoomnet.net/The%20Lowdown%20On%20Huntington%20Public%20Access%20TV.html
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
