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Leaders Protest TV Change

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 14, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Leaders of Pasco County's six municipalities have little say in Bright House Network's upcoming shake-up of local government access channels.

That doesn't mean they can't complain about it.

On Dec. 11, the cable provider plans to switch access stations in the Tampa Bay area from an analog to a digital format and move the channels to a higher tier in the lineup.

When that happens, subscribers to the cable provider's lowest-priced basic package will have to pay more to rent a converter box if they want to keep the government channels.

Considering the county's huge elderly population, Pasco officials say they are concerned about restricting access to broadcasts many rely on for details about storm warnings and evacuations.

At a recent meeting of the Municipal Association of Pasco, officials pledged to send letters of protest to Bright House expressing their concerns about the changes.

The move is largely symbolic.

For one, the association, made up of elected officials from St. Leo, San Antonio, Dade City, Port Richey and New Port Richey, wields little political power.

Another is that the contracts between Bright House and Pasco's municipalities, under which the local access channels were established, were invalidated by the Consumer Choice Act of 2007 - legislation that grants cable providers statewide franchises.

"We may not be able to stop this, but we plan to voice our concerns about keeping this kind of local programming," New Port Richey Councilwoman Marilynn deChant said.

The changes come ahead of a new federal communications law, which takes effect in February 2009, requiring broadcasters to switch from analog to digital technology.

In Pasco, the local government and educational programming broadcast on channels 14, 19 and 20 will switch to channels 614, 615 and 622, respectively.

Currently, the cities of New Port Richey and Port Richey broadcast city council meetings on Channel 14, Pasco County on Channel 19 and the school district on Channel 20. Dade City, Zephyrhills, St. Leo and San Antonio do not broadcast their meetings.

Bright House officials have said the switch from analog to digital won't be costly for cable customers and that those who want to keep basic service can purchase a digital converter. Company representatives also say most subscribers don't even watch government access shows.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (727) 815-1082 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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