does your local cable operator still offer a public access channel?

[datasuspect]

someone was telling me that recent legislation and regulatory changes give cable companies the power to cancel public access programming from their systems.

i called the local time warner office in my location and they said they don't offer it anymore, but you can still purchase advertising.

oh, but they do commit resources to religious organizations and allow them to broadcast on the VOD channel.


anyone know anything about this?

[Phredicles]

1. Public Access seems to be gone from Time Warner West Hollywood

for about a year now. But hey, we got the Golf Channel.:eyes:

[AndyTiedye]

2. No Public Access Here (for at least the past 15 years)

[bigendian]

3. Cable?

Killed it. What a waste.

[tech3149]

4. I haven't paid for cable in 5 years

but I'd guess that Comcast doesn't provide a public access channel. My parents get cable service from an extremely local provider and they provide 5 channels for public access. My only exposure to cable service is based on that situation. Does that tell you anything? Here's the problem, in spite of having a local provider that dedicates space for local public access, nobody is doing anything to promote or provide programming. Three channels are pretty much local school district events (mostly sports) and the lunch menu. One channel is dedicated to local fund raising events, and the other is a state information channel that only spends 30% of their time covering what goes on in the government.

The big problems are that no profit-based entity will give you anything more than you demand and if you demand the access, be willing to provide the content.

Here's an idea/action alert, If your cable company has a public access channel try to put together a 1/2 hour show. Focus on local issues if you can, but don't hold back from taking on big issues. If they don't have public access, ride their butt until they make it available.

I have a feeling things are going to get a lot tougher whatever we do. The best thing we can do to minimize the pain and increase our influence is by using any and every communication channel available.

[madinmaryland]

5. Comcast - We have three here.

School stuff mostly, and occasionally town events.