Viewers Want Local Programs Protected With New Cable Contract
by William F. Galvin

            HARWICH -- Residents and local officials spent more than two hours Monday night seeking to shape the content of another 10-year contract for cable television services.

            The message to selectmen was clear during the ascertainment hearing, retain all the benefits the town enjoys, seeking the maximum funding provided through Federal Communications Commission regulations and pursue additional opportunities, such a return of a local cable news station.

            From the outset it was made clear rates and commercial programming are not in the control of the board of selectmen. But retention of the local government and educational channels, the Cape Cod Community Media Center and access to the Cape Cod Community College channel were emphasized. Several residents also urged selectmen to push for retention of the local Comcast service office in West Harwich.

            Barnstable County Commissioner William Doherty also urged selectmen to push for a local news station for Cape Cod. He argued when there was a local news broadcast the kids within communities were better grounded in local activities. He said they learned of community events while waiting to watch their friends on sports reports.

            Doherty cited the Comcast 8 channel, which broadcasts events happenings in Lowell and Lawrence, but has no interest on Cape Cod, as an opportunity to provide the service. Ed Etsten, chairman of the town’s cable advisory committee, said a survey conducted by UMass Dartmouth also indicated strong support for regional programming.

            Brooks library Director Ginny Hewitt said the town has cable and broadband service under the current contract and she spoke with concern of the potential for losing broadband service under a new contract.

            Mary O’Keefe, a director of communication with Comcast, said the Internet is deemed an informational service and cannot be considered as part of the broadcast service.

            But Hewitt said since the library received its broadband connection eight years ago it has allowed use of computers for the public that is separate from staff and its success has increased from 6 to 22 the number of computers available and use by 666 percent. Three years ago the library began offering wireless Internet through broadband which has drawn 7,265 sessions in 2008.

            Foster Banford, the town’s IT director, said the new contract should include a television signal and Internet connection to each of the municipal buildings in town.

            Many of the people using computers in the libraries are working families who cannot afford them, but it allows for job searches, medical and legal research and provides opportunities for children to keep up with kids in homes which have computers, Hewitt said.

            “Harwich should be proud of the job Jill Mason does in directing the government channel,” Channel 18 advisory committee member Al Rosenberg said. “It’s the best on the Cape.”

            He said it would be wonderful if the town’s educational channel was not dark. He recommended the school system take advantage of the educational programs available, instead of leaving it blank.

“The big challenge before you is to keep all the benefits the town enjoys,” Rosenberg said. He said those channels are fully funded now and they should remain that way in the next contract.

School Superintendent Dr. Carolyn Cragin said the schools intend to take advantage of the educational channel and urged selectmen to support its continued use.

“Technology and globalization intersect in education to connect to other parts of the world,” Cragin said. “We’re in the process of uncovering the process to get it (the educational channel) on the air.”

By way of example, she cited high school; Valedictorian Patrick Blute’s experience working with Channel 18 as allowing him to give his speech at graduation from Spain.     

“We’re starting to dig up the bones,” school teacher Tom Underwood said of the early attempts by school staff to set up an educational channel. He said there was no staff training early on and that is why it died. He admitted they are still trying to find the equipment for earlier days.

Greg Masterson of Cape Cod Community College also pushed for retention of that channel citing the diverse and educational programming that can be found on Channel 98. There is concern because that channel was negotiated out of the town of Barnstable agreement. Cragin said they would be willing to work with the college on shared usage of its channel, if the town has to drop the education channel.

Former selectman Allin Thompson said over the years the town’s ability to discuss issues such as fees and programming have disappeared and all there is left to talk about is public access. He took exception with the analog to digital conversion now underway and said “our congressmen failed us” on that one.

Doherty also took issue with plans by Comcast to charge for MSNBC in the future. He said they lure people into programming through “sharp marketing” and once hooked they charge you.  Doherty said he also does not see significant improvements from the company in their facilities and distribution network.

“We’re held hostage,” Craig Wiegand, superintendent of the water department said. “The boards of selectmen throughout the Cape should be talking to other providers, bringing them in to what’s taking place or Comcast will hold all the cards.”

Wiegand recommended selectmen talk with the non-profit group Open Cape to explore what they have to offer. He said Comcast does not have the capacity to haul large amounts of data, which is essential to making the Cape a viable place to do business. 

Part-time resident John Purkert said the town should negotiate a less expensive turn on and off fee for part-time residents. He said it only takes the flick of the switch for Comcast and yet it costs $600 to go on and off when he comes and goes for a month at a time. He reminded selectmen non-resident property owners comprise a substantial number of people in the town.

Richard Larios, a member of the cable advisory committee, challenged Comcast to provide the town with a technology road map that will lay out where the company is going over the next 10 years.  He recommended towns join together as a consortium and invite Comcast engineers to come and provide a presentation on such technology.

Selectmen said they will keep the public comment record open through Sept. 2 and urged the cable advisory committee to develop priority points of negotiation from testimony provided. That committee agreed to meet with selectmen after the comment period has ended. The town’s current contract expires Dec. 10, 2009.            

8/21/08