Public-access channels slam Charter’s plans
JANESVILLE — An association of Wisconsin public-access channels on Thursday strongly criticized a Charter Communications plan to change its cable TV service.
Charter’s plans would push its customers to buy into digital technology before most are ready for it, said Mary Bennin Cardona, executive director Wisconsin Association of PEG Access Channels.
“We’re really disappointed that they’re trying to push this. We think it’s discriminatory and really harmful to our communities,” Cardona said.
Charter spokesman Tim Vowell defended the company, saying very few customers are likely to be inconvenienced.
The changes were announced in a brochure mailed to customers last month. They included more entertainment channels and moving the public-access channels to the 900s, which are available only to those with digital TVs.
Not just any digital TV will do if customers want to view the digital channels, including the public-access channels. The TVs will need CableCard technology or something called a QAM tuner.
Customers could keep their older, analog TVs, but they would have to rent a digital-conversion box from Charter for $5 a month.
Vowell said very few customers are expected to want the conversion box. He said when Charter made a similar change in a market of 50,000 customers in another state, only 30 asked for conversion boxes in the first 90 days.
But Cardona said at least half of Charter customers don’t have digital TVs, and it’s not known how many of those with digital TVs have the updated technology to handle Charter’s digital signal.
Vowell said at least half and up to 65 percent of customers in some of Charter’s Wisconsin markets already have Charter digital equipment, in addition to those whose TVs have built-in, Charter-ready technology.
Cardona said public-access channels would lose half their audiences. Vowell suggested that very few people who want to watch public-access TV will be inconvenienced.
Vowell noted that the 900s are very close on the channel lineup to the single- and double-digit channels, where the public-access channels now reside.
Cardona said her group has been meeting with Charter officials, who wanted the group’s endorsement of the changes.
“Everything they offered us was just Band-aid fixes that didn’t go near far enough to alleviate the harm,” Cardona said.
Vowell has said that Charter is considering giving the digital-conversion boxes to customers for free for a limited time to ease the transition, something it had done in another market.
Cardona said the changes might violate state and federal laws. She said the association is considering a lawsuit.
Charter’s plans include the addition of Fox Sports Net-Wisconsin, also known as FSN-WI HD; AnimalPlanet-HD; Smithsonian Channel-HD; TBS-HD; In-Demand-HD; and The Movie Channel-HD.
Also, viewers would be able to see not only their own public-access channels but also those of surrounding communities.
FSN-WI HD is now scheduled to be added Wednesday, Aug. 20, but no dates have been set for the other changes, Vowell said.
CHARTER CHANGES
Charter Communications plans to send a postcard to its customers next week, announcing that some of its planned changes will go into effect Aug. 20.
The changes are:
-- FSN-WI in HD will be added on Channel 761. The channel carries Milwaukee Brewers games.
-- WBUW-TV/Madison’s CW moves to Channel 2.
-- SoapNet moves to Channel 82 on the Expanded, digital-only level of service.
-- TV Guide moves to Channel 99 on the Basic digital-only level of service.
The postcard asks customers to expect more channel changes, which will be announced in future mailings.
For more information from Charter, call 1-888-438-2427.
Aug 2, 2008 at 2:16 a.m.
Suggest removal
Oh....NO YOU DIDN'T!! :) lol! :)
.
PARTY ON, Wayne! :)
Aug 1, 2008 at 10:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
Just out of curiosity... Have you ever visited one of Charter's local offices? I have many times and I've been greeted with the most upbeat, sincere and knowledgeable staff. I agree over the phone is next to impossible but to judge the WHOLE CUSTOMER SERVICE of a company is insane! Yes I'm speaking from personal experience as I know someone who puts up with the verbal abuse of 90% of Charter's customers! I understand everyone's frustration and I too as a consumer am equally frustrated... but do you REALLY think the people behind the front desk the front line bottom of the totem pole CSR's are the one's to take your frustrations out on? Have you ever heard the way people talk to those girls! I wouldn't even allow my child to stand in line and wait with me because of the way other customers talk to those representatives. And to think they are ADULTS!!! F-Bombs being thrown around left and right and over what?!? Your package ended??? That you were told was going to end 6 months from the date you signed up and YOU FORGOT!!! but some how or another we fault the CSR for our own negligence in remembering that we were told things would change in 6 months. It's just easier to go in the office and call them names and threaten to harm them. Yes I said it... Because that's the exact statement I heard that day in line. If any of you are the fools that walk into any company and demand customer service by threatening or treating people like garbage then shame on you!!!
As for the digital transmission...you have a fabulous point!! I too wish Charter would wait on the channel changes and make them the same time the transmission occurs in Feb. 2009. It would make the transition a lot easier for all involved. On that note: Charter has NOTHING to do with the digital transmission that the GOVERNMENT is mandating!!! Do people understand the reasoning behind it? If not I would suggest you educate yourselves before passing judgment. I tend to think outside the box and it gets me further in life. I've also had to laugh at the criticism regarding the peg channel moves because if I recall the public had an out poring of wanting more competition and by doing so the franchising fees were abolished which pretty much meant Charter could do what it wants now because all of us choose for them to stop being a monopoly and to allow competition...not Realizing along with that the Cities and municipalities can no longer tell them how to run their business
Aug 1, 2008 at 8:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
How do I know if I have the "right" kind of digital TV set? I replaced one TV two years ago knowing I should go "digital" for the future, but no one ever said, "Better be sure to buy a digital TV with CableCard or QAM" - I have no CLUE what either of those are! I sure hope I do not have to work with the world's most unfriendly and unknowledeable people at Charter's customer service to figure it out!I am not a couch potato by any stretch, but I do watch public access for the school board meetings and city council meetings as well as a few other things. How many flipping boxes am I going to need? WHICH box will I need? I do NOT want to "rent" from Charter; they gouge me enough for my non-digital expanded basic. A recent gazette article said something along the lines of not buying a box YET because they aren't all universal, YET...but I need a box BEFORE the mandated conversion... blah blah blah...So SICK OF IT! I checked into satellite/direct TV and it appears my many large trees will all be blocking strong reception, so it wasn't highly recommended to me as I would probably get frequent blips in reception due to big old branches...if I were only going to lose my TV during storms, I would change service in a heart beat!
I wish they would just wait with their changes until the "official" conversion takesplace in February...when everything (ie. boxes) is supposed to be "universal" across the country!!! But oh no, Charter has to do its own thing...I guess because it can. Sorry for the rant, but I am very, very, very frustrated and mad at this situation and company (which has the WORST customer service I have EVER experienced, and I am not usually one to judge and "rip on" a whole group of workers about their jobs! But in this case, I have literally NEVER had a positive experience with this company's customer service personnel; sure would be nice to be surprised and find a kind and well-informed person to speak with)
Aug 1, 2008 at 4:44 p.m.
Suggest removal
gazettefan
TV has ruined America? I'll buy that. It's certainly helped. It's sure enough been a great "vehicle" in which to educate the American people into becoming a self serving, debt infested society! Unfortunately, the TV has become the American culture. All the available media sources in this high tech era we're living in are dangerous tools for people who can't decifer what's right or wrong. Common sense, accountability, and integrity have killed this country!
Aug 1, 2008 at 4:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
gazettefan,
That's just cable TV we're talking about right now. Just think if this country ever got unified and started working together. Imagine the possibilities........ we might have a chance yet!
Aug 1, 2008 at 4:06 p.m.
Suggest removal
Why dont Dishnetwork/DirectTV has Cable Public Accessh in Rock Co.?
File complain on pdf form:
http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/cp/consumer...
Aug 1, 2008 at 3:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
Hey Gazette Reader,
How can people can complain against Charter Communications about their service, package, price and etc...
There should have more package as Dishnet/DirectTV.
There should have two or more cable company in Wisconsin include in Rock Co.
Charter Communication's Webmail is very very terrible. It should be same as hotmail, yahoo and other email service.
Price is outrageous!!!
Aug 1, 2008 at 3:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
TV has ruined America.
But since its never going away, I agree with darius, we should boycott the heck out of those soulless crooks.
Aug 1, 2008 at 3:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
Here's an option. We all band together and tell them, we "aint" buyin' your service unless you do this for us! Strength in numbers. It's the only way to slay the GIANTS in Corporate America. Another solution, get rid of the TV!
Aug 1, 2008 at 2:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
As I said elsewhere....
There are many of us who watch public-access channels to watch our city council and school board meetings to observe how our elected representatives are making decisions and spending our tax money. They also show candidate forums before local elections to help me and others decide for whom to vote. By putting the PEG channels into digital (while maintaing several shopping channels on the analog tier!), they are TAKING AWAY my ability to follow my local governments. Charter's "justification" is that they have done this in other communities and had few complaints. If you object to this move, call the Charter corporate office at 888-438-2427 (free number) and ask to file a complaint. Then file an online complaint with the WI Dept. of Consumer Protection at http://datcp.state.wi.us/cp/consumerinfo......... since recent state legislation (highly lobbied by AT&T) removed local control of cable franchises and moved it to the State.
Aug 1, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
Party On, Garth!
Aug 1, 2008 at 2:07 p.m.
Suggest removal
Cable public access has always been considered the "price" that providers pay for having a local monopoly. It is true that with phone companies and satellite dishes providing television the point may have passed where it is relevant. But it isn't a local decision; it's something that's authorized by federal law.
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/pegfacts.htm...
Aug 1, 2008 at 11:40 a.m.
Suggest removal
Is cable access really even important anymore? With more and more people getting fed up with Charter and moving to Satellite, they don't seem to be missing the community access channels.
I think the people who make community access programming would realize that their medium is dying and the free ride on cable companies is become obvious. They would do well to move their programing to the internet, now that technology and access speeds can support it. An
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.