Earlier this month the cable television provider Cox Communications changed the access to the community and government access channels here in Northwest Arkansas. They sent a letter to customers (click for a PDF), and press releases to the news outlets. They’d say changed the location, but what they did is limit the access.
The show-off point of the channels is democracy in action. If you can’t attend a public hearing, watch it and e-mail your alderman etc. The inner rationale is cable companies nationally offer these channels, as well as some equipment and technical support, to win franchise contracts with area governments. Like much in politics, this is a win-win.
Until now.
Cox Communications has moved these four channels from Basic-Limited cable, such as numbers 14, 16 and 18, to the 200s, which are accessible only for the more expensive digital accounts. Basic-Limited is the lowest-priced tier, with the local network affiliates and a few “free” cable channels, like Home Shopping. This nullifies the democratic, open access argument. Interestingly, the move had little opposition or even comment from the governments that approve the franchises; only local bloggers shouted, “Hey!”
These channels are for the Fayetteville and Springdale city governments, a channel for the University of Arkansas, where students produce their own general interest and sports programs, and Fayetteville’s CAT (Community Access Tv), which has interviews of local people as well as video of local rock concerts. The school districts have access to channels, and are expected to start programming on them in the future.
The more choices the fewer it feels sometimes. That’s what My Beloved and I find with Basic-Extended cable with 60-something channels. We often end up watching Fayetteville City Council meetings. Better than a lot of the commericially made material. Also we like the performances shown on CAT, some of which we’ve attended.
Moving to digital does help a decision we’ll make in the coming year. Shall we stay with Cox or move to AT&T’s U-verse or even satellite TV, which all are digital and also show these channels? Cox lowered its attractiveness, raising that of its competitors.
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Update. Brick reports in this Jan. 10, 2011, post that Cox is giving digital converter boxes to those who request free access to the relocated public access channels. Are there strings attached? Or cables?
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