April 1st press conference with Senator Markey.
Some key information:
- LCTV and all public access TV station's funding comes from a small percentage (up to 5% depending on the contract) of Cable companies revenue from cable packages, not taxpayer dollars or government subsidies.
- Cable companies agreed to provide both channels and funding in exchange for using public property (telephone poles and underground infrastructure, etc.) to run their cable into cities and towns so that they could sell their services to residents.
- The FCC has proposed a change to the rules that violates this agreement by allowing Cable companies to keep a portion of these funds, the size of which is at their own discretion.
- Cable companies currently charge subscribers for what is known as a franchise fee to account for the revenue that goes to public access TV stations. If this new FCC rule goes into effect, subscribers will still pay this fee, but a large portion of it would be kept by the cable company instead of funding stations like LCTV.
-The question is this: Do you want Comcast to increase their profits, or do you want LCTV to continue to provide the services Longmeadow has come to rely on from Select Board and School Committee Meetings, School Concerts, Classic Arts, Classic Movies, local programming and Student television production classes, etc.?
***You can support LCTV and all public access TV by contacting local representatives Eric Lesser and Brian Ashe and asking them to file comments in opposition to this proposed FCC rule.***
LCTV needs volunteers to run camera for School Committee and Select Board Meetings. Volunteer as little or as much time as you have. Training is provided. For more information call 567-9397.
For community members, LCTV offers services such as Video tape to DVD transfers to preserve all those old home movies.