06-09-14-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

channels on the Comcast line-up, Comcast’s on-screen program guide includes no information about upcoming programs on the CTV channels. 8. Drawing upon Talmey-Drake’s misleading interpretation of its survey results, Comcast proposes to significantly reduce the number of PEG access channels in the NSCC franchise area (saying that this “strengthens” them). Actually, a 44% plurality of Talmey-Drake survey respondents said that Comcast should keep the current number of community access channels (another 3% said to add more) -- as compared to only 26% who said to cut them back at all. Only 12.9% of the Talmey-Drake survey respondents supported a reduction in the number of community access channels as proposed by Comcast.1 9. Talmey-Drake repeatedly asserts that responses to its survey questions show that cable subscribers are not inclined to support local programming financially. However, Talmey-Drake’s questions imply (or state outright) that customers must pay all of Comcast’s PEG access-related costs, since that is allowed by federal law. It should be noted that just because the federal law allows one to do something, this does not mean that it must be done. 10. Talmey-Drake carefully words its description of various types of programming services, as it attempts to “measure” the importance of receiving these services in high-definition (HD). A purposely-vague and boring definition of community access programming is included, stating only one example: “meetings.” The responses lead Talmey-Drake to conclude that having the community access channels offered in HD is the “least important.” A follow-up question regarding the acceptable amount to pay for these channels in HD is also very misleading, since it implies that HD channels are purchased on a per-channel basis. 11. Finally, Talmey-Drake includes similarly biased questions about having community access programming available On Demand, weighing down this option with this loaded wording: “your local government may require the cable company to set aside additional capacity so that you can also watch past meetings of your local city government.…” The bias is compounded with a statement that “Making past city council meetings available On Demand will mean fewer channels will be available for watching other types of regular, non- access cable programming or movies On Demand….” This is simply not true. The Talmey-Drake critique also dismisses the legitimacy of the contributions from those who participated in the other community needs ascertainment activities that TBG conducted (five focus groups, an on-line survey of area residents, and small group interviews with PEG access and I-Net stakeholders). A variety of methods were used to invite the public to participate in these activities, including notices on websites, emails to residents and stakeholders, press releases to area media outlets, flyers posted at locations throughout the franchise area, and newspaper advertisements. Talmey-Drake complained 1 Talmey-Drake only asked a question about the desired number of community access channels, willfully deciding not to ask a question about the desired number of channels dedicated to any other type of programming (e.g., sports programming, which currently occupies 44 channels on Comcast’s line-up). 8