FCC rule threatens community TV programs in Massachusetts - News - Wicked Local Milford - Milford, MA
FCC rule threatens community TV programs in Massachusetts
Nov 18, 2018 at 12:00 AM Nov 18, 2018 at 9:52 AM
Get ready to say goodbye to some local cable channel broadcasts of government meetings, elections and other town events.
“The loser, if that ends up happening, will be the local taxpayer, the local cable subscriber and the everyday citizens who rely on access to public information that’s provided through these programs,” said Geoffrey C. Beckwith, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
Community access to cable television studios, equipment and air time was a huge incentive when cable was introduced in most cities and towns in the 1980s. Competing cable companies promised to put studios in high schools and provide training to anyone in the community who wanted to produce a program. Companies also promised to provide air time and equipment to broadcast local government meetings, elections and other events. Those benefits were in addition to the cable franchising fees, which pay salaries, rent and equipment costs for local community television groups and which companies pay in exchange for access to customers in specific geographic areas.
"It would likely cripple us," said Barbara Chisholm, executive director of WACA-TV in Ashland. "All this would be lost if cable franchising fees went away. It would be a major loss to all communities."
Access Framingham receives about $750,000 a year in franchising fees, while Milford TV typically receives about $600,000. Milford TV receives a range of $43,000 to $46,000 from Verizon each quarter, while Comcast pays $72,000 to $80,000 during that same period. Funding is based on the number of cable customers in each community.
Several MetroWest and Milford-area public access directors wrote to the FCC and spoke at hearings in opposition of the new rule. The FCC accepted public comment on the rule change until Wednesday. Many, including Rob O'Keefe, executive director of Milford TV, called the proposed rule unfair and said it will put an end to the quality and critical programming that local access channels offer to the community.
"That whole community around the nation is at a standstill," said O'Keefe. "It's nice to see all the cable access centers across the country ban together to fight this. There's no good reason to do it other than (for the cable companies) to make more money."
O'Keefe said the money that major cable companies pay in local franchising fees is "pennies to what they make in a year," but is critical for local access channels to broadcast content - such as town government meetings, local sports, events, weekly news shows and original programming - that viewers can't get anywhere else. O'Keefe noted that Milford TV hosted and broadcasted a telethon the past two years that raised $16,000 for the Milford Youth Center.
"We are a true community media center," he said. "I think it's an important resource. It's a big part of the community. It's very sad it could potentially go away."
Broadcasts of town government meetings and other programing is critical for elderly residents or those who cannot leave their homes to staying up to date on community happenings, said O'Keefe.
"We are covering very important things in our community," he said.
Milford TV has a contract with Comcast that runs through 2021, but O'Keefe said that could be up in the air if the new rule is approved.
"Maybe they'll stay true to it," he said. "We don't know."
Access Framingham Executive Director Scott Mercer called public access television "the last bastion of free speech in television media." Anyone in the community can sign up and broadcast a show voicing their opinions on key issues happening in the community.
Audrey Hall, host of the bi-weekly "Audrey Hall Show" on Access Framingham for the past 18 years, said her show allows viewers to get information straight from the newsmakers - politicians and business and community leaders. She called public access an invaluable form of freedom of speech.
"This is just a way of further silencing the media and taking information away from the public," she said. "(The rule) jeopardizes freedom of speech."
Government, education and public access channels also provide a key learning ground for local high school students to learn the ropes of television production. Mercer said students will be part of the crew that will broadcast the Framingham-Natick football game at Fenway Park during Thanksgiving week. Milford TV offers internships, volunteer opportunities and freelance work to help students prepare for broadcast school or to sharpen their craft.
"These kids are getting an experience most college kids aren't getting," said Mercer. "Those types of jobs and those experiences will go away if (the new rule) is implemented."
Mercer and O'Keefe are concerned that the community will not realize what they've lost until the new rule goes into effect and encouraged residents to support local access channels in their communities.
Mercer agreed, saying he believes the 5 percent fee will still be imposed to cable customers even if the new rule is implemented.
Jeff Malachowski contributed to this report. Eli Sherman is an investigative and in-depth reporter at Wicked Local and GateHouse Media. Email him at esherman@wickedlocal.com, or follow him on Twitter @Eli_Sherman.
FCC rule threatens community TV programs in Massachusetts - News - Wicked Local Milford - Milford, MA
FCC rule threatens community TV programs in Massachusetts
Nov 18, 2018 at 12:00 AM Nov 18, 2018 at 9:52 AM
Get ready to say goodbye to some local cable channel broadcasts of government meetings, elections and other town events.
“The loser, if that ends up happening, will be the local taxpayer, the local cable subscriber and the everyday citizens who rely on access to public information that’s provided through these programs,” said Geoffrey C. Beckwith, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
Community access to cable television studios, equipment and air time was a huge incentive when cable was introduced in most cities and towns in the 1980s. Competing cable companies promised to put studios in high schools and provide training to anyone in the community who wanted to produce a program. Companies also promised to provide air time and equipment to broadcast local government meetings, elections and other events. Those benefits were in addition to the cable franchising fees, which pay salaries, rent and equipment costs for local community television groups and which companies pay in exchange for access to customers in specific geographic areas.
"It would likely cripple us," said Barbara Chisholm, executive director of WACA-TV in Ashland. "All this would be lost if cable franchising fees went away. It would be a major loss to all communities."
Access Framingham receives about $750,000 a year in franchising fees, while Milford TV typically receives about $600,000. Milford TV receives a range of $43,000 to $46,000 from Verizon each quarter, while Comcast pays $72,000 to $80,000 during that same period. Funding is based on the number of cable customers in each community.
Several MetroWest and Milford-area public access directors wrote to the FCC and spoke at hearings in opposition of the new rule. The FCC accepted public comment on the rule change until Wednesday. Many, including Rob O'Keefe, executive director of Milford TV, called the proposed rule unfair and said it will put an end to the quality and critical programming that local access channels offer to the community.
"That whole community around the nation is at a standstill," said O'Keefe. "It's nice to see all the cable access centers across the country ban together to fight this. There's no good reason to do it other than (for the cable companies) to make more money."
O'Keefe said the money that major cable companies pay in local franchising fees is "pennies to what they make in a year," but is critical for local access channels to broadcast content - such as town government meetings, local s
ports, events, weekly news shows and original programming - that viewers can't get anywhere else. O'Keefe noted that Milford TV hosted and broadcasted a telethon the past two years that raised $16,000 for the Milford Youth Center.
"We are a true community media center," he said. "I think it's an important resource. It's a big part of the community. It's very sad it could potentially go away."
Broadcasts of town government meetings and other programing is critical for elderly residents or those who cannot leave their homes to staying up to date on community happenings, said O'Keefe.
"We are covering very important things in our community," he said.
Milford TV has a contract with Comcast that runs through 2021, but O'Keefe said that could be up in the air if the new rule is approved.
"Maybe they'll stay true to it," he said. "We don't know."
Access Framingham Executive Director Scott Mercer called public access television "the last bastion of free speech in television media." Anyone in the community can sign up and broadcast a show voicing their opinions on key issues happening in the community.
Audrey Hall, host of the bi-weekly "Audrey Hall Show" on Access Framingham for the past 18 years, said her show allows viewers to get information straight from the newsmakers - politicians and business and community leaders. She called public access an invaluable form of freedom of speech.
"This is just a way of further silencing the media and taking information away from the public," she said. "(The rule) jeopardizes freedom of speech."
Government, education and public access channels also provide a key learning ground for local high school students to learn the ropes of television production. Mercer said students will be part of the crew that will broadcast the Framingham-Natick football game at Fenway Park during Thanksgiving week. Milford TV offers internships, volunteer opportunities and freelance work to help students prepare for broadcast school or to sharpen their craft.
"These kids are getting an experience most college kids aren't getting," said Mercer. "Those types of jobs and those experiences will go away if (the new rule) is implemented."
Mercer and O'Keefe are concerned that the community will not realize what they've lost until the new rule goes into effect and encouraged residents to support local access channels in their communities.
Mercer agreed, saying he believes the 5 percent fee will still be imposed to cable customers even if the new rule is implemented.
Jeff Malachowski contributed to this report. Eli Sherman is an investigative and in-depth reporter at Wicked Local and GateHouse Media. Email him at esherman@wickedlocal.com, or follow him on Twitter @Eli_Sherman.