TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Bright House Changes Channels
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: December 11, 2007
Updated: 12/11/2007 09:23 am
TAMPA - Beginning today, more than 1 million subscribers to the Bright House Networks cable systems in the Tampa Bay area will begin seeing changes in their channel lineups.
The changes vary among the Bright House systems within the seven-county area the company serves.
In Hillsborough County, for example, the realignment involves 21 channels. In Pinellas County, 45 channels are being realigned.
Part of the alignment involves the addition of new high definition channels. Beginning Wednesday, Bright House will add Discovery HD, Discovery Science HD, Animal Planet HD, The Learning Channel HD, Food Network HD, HGTV HD, History HD and National Geographic HD to the digital tier.
This channel shuffle has created some controversy because the local county government, public and educational channels are being moved to a higher digital tier.
They will be replaced by networks such as BET, Discovery Health and E!
Subscribers who do not have digital cable boxes can pay $1 more a month for a converter to receive the access channels.
City governments in Tampa and St. Petersburg have filed federal lawsuits contending that the Bright House move violates federal communications law, which requires cable networks to place the channels on the lowest tier available.
Bright House officials are proceeding with the move, which, they say, is an effort to make their channel lineups uniform throughout out the seven-county area.
Kevin Hyman, president of Bright House Networks Tampa Bay Division, said the company is "creating a more seamless and familiar TV experience for customers when they turn on the TV anywhere across Tampa Bay."
But even with the changes, there still are some differences among the various county lineups.
Officials in charge of the access channels are bracing for some confusion. Ann Goldenberg, director of the Tampa-based Education Channel, expects complaints from viewers who can't find or even get live coverage of the Hillsborough County School Board meeting tonight.
"We are moving from Channels 18 and 20 to Channels 614 and 620 so we will be standing by the telephones tonight to help viewers," she said.
Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654 or wbelcher@tampatrib.com.
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)
* Keep it clean
* Respect others
* Don't hate
* Don't use language you wouldn't use with your mom
* Use "Report Inappropriate Comments" link when necessary
* See Member Agreement for details
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
Reader Comments
Posted by ( thatguyfl82 ) on December 11, 2007 at 12:36 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( thatguyfl82 ) on December 11, 2007 at 12:44 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( dzeien ) on December 11, 2007 at 4:37 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( xtremist1969 ) on December 11, 2007 at 5:27 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( PewterPirate55 ) on December 11, 2007 at 6:24 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( meggyg8r ) on December 11, 2007 at 6:46 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( khs1234 ) on December 11, 2007 at 6:53 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( JackNelsonSteward ) on December 11, 2007 at 7:02 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( rghermes ) on December 11, 2007 at 7:33 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Read the article, JMT. The BET network is not going away.
Reading comprehension isn't your strong suit is it?
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( ohboy ) on December 11, 2007 at 7:35 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( cshultz110 ) on December 11, 2007 at 7:47 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Techrider ) on December 11, 2007 at 8:04 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( BCat ) on December 11, 2007 at 8:26 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Frankie_Fla ) on December 11, 2007 at 8:29 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
what ever happened to ala carte?
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( mykalpc ) on December 11, 2007 at 9:22 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( whobdis ) on December 11, 2007 at 9:38 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( solar ) on December 11, 2007 at 10:21 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( icintracom ) on December 11, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
BRIGHTHOUSE STOP BEING GREEDY AND GIVE ME THE NFL NETWORK
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( JailBadJudges ) on December 11, 2007 at 10:45 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Roberto ) on December 11, 2007 at 10:52 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
My thumb hurts.
And my "channel up" button is all worn out.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( solar ) on December 11, 2007 at 11:01 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Jasmine501 ) on December 11, 2007 at 11:09 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( beth ) on December 11, 2007 at 11:10 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Charlie ) on December 11, 2007 at 11:12 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( speezer ) on December 11, 2007 at 12:02 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Vast Wasteland is getting Vaster.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Trish ) on December 11, 2007 at 12:54 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Ole_Salt ) on December 11, 2007 at 12:55 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( coach ) on December 11, 2007 at 2:01 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If Verizon FIOS was available in my area (Pinellas), I would have dropped BH long ago. Several price increases with fewer channels offered than before.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( InMyOpinion ) on December 11, 2007 at 2:02 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( keepingitreal ) on December 11, 2007 at 2:29 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
bay news 9...your news channel...channel 340 on demand baby yeah
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( carl6352 ) on December 11, 2007 at 5:29 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Chances_Are ) on December 11, 2007 at 9:06 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Is it just me or are many of the channels listed not in true HD? It seems they zoom in or make the picture fill the whole screen. It's bogus!!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( TampaBayTom ) on December 11, 2007 at 10:16 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Pink Floyd " Nobody Home" from The Wall
....I Got thirteen channels of s**t on the T.V. to choose from ....
Pink Floyd knew Brighthouse
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( bbdt ) on December 11, 2007 at 11:42 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( dzeien ) on December 12, 2007 at 5:55 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Judoka ) on December 12, 2007 at 8:19 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)