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County, Cities, Worried About Cable Access

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By Christian M. Wade / Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - They're not the most popular shows on cable, by any means.

Much of the programming on local access channels - created in cable television's infancy - consists of mind-numbing, continuous loop message boards and reruns of unscripted city and county government meetings and state legislative sessions.

But those channels do provide an inexpensive way for local governments to reach the public while keeping their meetings open to the largest number of citizens.

Most of that programming is part of basic cable packages that cost customers less than digital services.

But that's about to change.

On Dec. 11, Bright House Networks plans to switch local access stations throughout its seven-county Tampa Bay market from analog to digital.

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

That means subscribers to the cable provider's lowest-priced basic package will have to pay a bit more to rent a converter box if they want to keep tuning in to local governments.

It's a move that has city and county officials in Pasco concerned.

"It's terrible," said New Port Richey Mayor Dan Tipton. "There are many elderly residents in the city who won't be able to afford this and will be deprived of access to information."

In Pasco, the programming on channels 14, 19 and 20 will bump up to channels 614, 615 and 622, respectively.

Currently, the cities of New Port Richey and Port Richey broadcast on Channel 14, the county on Channel 19 and the school district on Channel 20. Dade City, Zephyrhills, St. Leo and San Antonio don't broadcast their meetings.

Bright House spokesman Joe Durkin said that despite local officials' concerns, the switch from analog to digital won't be costly for cable customers.

"First and foremost, nothing is going away," he said. "The government access channels are being moved to an area in the lineup where the majority of subscribers are surfing."

Durkin said those who want to keep basic cable can purchase a digital converter for only $1 more a month.

"In reality, customers will be getting more for their money," he said. "It's a good deal."

It's also a question of demand, Durkin said. Two years ago, Bright House surveyed its subscribers and found that most don't watch government access shows.

But that survey focused only on Hillsborough County, and Pasco officials argue that subscribers in this county, with its huge elderly population, rely on the broadcasts for details about local government, storm warnings and evacuations.

"When we have a hurricane or a tropical storm, citizens rely on those channels for the latest information and updates from the county," said Michael Nurrenbrock, director of the Office of Management and Budget, which oversees Pasco's broadcasts.

County officials have been discussing the issue with Bright House representatives, Nurrenbrock said, but there appears to be little room for negotiation.

"They have basically said, 'This is the way they want it,'" he said.

Schools Superintendent Heather Fiorentino said the district uses basic cable services, not digital; so when the switch is made, the district will have to purchase digital converters for possibly all of its TV in order to see the programs produced by local students.

"As a community leader, I have real concerns with this," she said. "They're planning to charge citizens for public access television. There's something very wrong with that."

ANALOG VS. DIGITAL

"As humans, we perceive the world in analog. Everything we see and hear is a continuous transmission of information to our senses. This continuous stream is what defines analog data. Digital information, on the other hand, estimates analog data using only ones and zeros," according to www.techterms.com.

"For example, a turntable (or record player) is an analog device, while a CD player is digital. This is because a turntable reads bumps and grooves from a record as a continuous signal, while a CD player only reads a series of ones and zeros. Likewise, a VCR is an analog device, while a DVD player is digital. A VCR reads audio and video from a tape as a continuous stream of information, while a DVD player just reads ones and zeros from a disc," the Web site says.

"Since digital devices read only ones and zeros, they can only approximate an audio or video signal. This means analog data is actually more accurate than digital data. However, digital data can be manipulated easier and preserved better than analog data. More importantly, computers can only handle digital data, which is why most information today is stored digitally. But if you want to transfer video from old analog videotapes into your computer so you can edit them, you're not out of luck. You can use a digital to analog converter."

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

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