Warsaw Customers Quiz Comcast Reps
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Comcast Cable representatives were grilled by attorney Phil Harris, Warsaw city councilman Bill Rhoades and Don Brown about the company's decision to remove Fort Wayne television channels from the local selections at Monday's council meeting.
Local Comcast manager Lori Marsh and Deb Piscola, manager of corporate affairs, began their presentation advising the council that Comcast's changes in January includes digital and high-definition television.
Customers have access to more than 300 channels now and Warsaw will be a national test site for "on-demand" movie subscriptions, too.
Under contract, the city receives a 3 percent franchise fee of the company's gross revenue. In 2004, basic subscriber revenue was more than $1.5 million. The city's cut was $45,265.
In spite of the amendments, customers have registered complaints about Comcast's switch to South Bend for network broadcasting, except for WPTA-21, which airs out of Fort Wayne.
Piscola said this decision was in accordance with the FCC rules for local broadcasters developed in 1972. She said these rules call for network nonduplication and syndicate nonexclusivity in a particular marketing area. Warsaw "belongs" in the South Bend-Elkhart market, according to Nielson Media Ratings. The FOX channel in South Bend supercedes the FOX channel in Fort Wayne.
"For years you were flying under the radar," Piscola said. She explained that Warsaw cable channels were provided by ATT Broadband, and Insight had the rights of management. Comcast purchased ATT. When the Insight contract with ATT expired, Comcast took over management.
Councilman Bill Rhoades said of the 13 houses on his street there are now five satellite dishes, indicating the displeasure of former cable subscribers.
"Local businesses advertised on the Fort Wayne channels," Rhoades said. "Most people here go to Fort Wayne for shopping and entertainment. They don't drive to South Bend. We get two channels out of Chicago, but who goes there for shopping?"
"The FCC has determined that South Bend is your marketing area and South Bend doesn't mind the Chicago stations," Piscola said. "This is our attempt to comply with FCC rules."
Rhoades also asked about the Comcast advertisement offering rates of $9.99 per month for basic channels "with all your local stations. I think you're misrepresenting that."
Harris said he'd been corresponding quite a bit with Comcast, Congressman Mark Souder and the FCC.
Harris said the FCC does not require particular channels be aired over others.
"Well, South Bend requires us. One station notifies us they are going in," Piscola said. "We have a contract with that network station. They don't want the competition."
"I assume that they don't want the competition," Harris said. "But you didn't have the contracts when you made these changes, did you?"
Piscola said none of the Fort Wayne stations sent a notice of exclusivity.
"Isn't it true you decided on your own to exclude Fort Wayne channels?" Harris asked.
Piscola said Comcast made the decisions at the same time they were going to add channels and new services.
Marsh said the channels were going to have new numerical designations and they didn't want to make the changes twice. The South Bend channels indicated verbally that formal requests were forthcoming.
"The regulations only apply to the networks and syndications." Harris said. "There's not reason you can't offer local Fort Wayne programs here."
Piscola said Comcast could block out everything except two to three hours of local broadcasts. "We'll take this back and see what we can do."
Don Brown said the reason "we reason we have South Bend channels is because the of Nielson Media Ratings, not the FCC."
Councilman George Clemens asked why the Fort Wayne ABC station still airs and was advised it is because the South Bend ABC channel broadcasts at "low energy" and doesn't reach this far.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins advised the council and audience the city doesn't have an exclusive agreement with Comcast; another cable company could offer subscriptions to consumers here.
"None have stepped forward with such an interest, though," Wiggins said. [[In-content Ad]]
Comcast Cable representatives were grilled by attorney Phil Harris, Warsaw city councilman Bill Rhoades and Don Brown about the company's decision to remove Fort Wayne television channels from the local selections at Monday's council meeting.
Local Comcast manager Lori Marsh and Deb Piscola, manager of corporate affairs, began their presentation advising the council that Comcast's changes in January includes digital and high-definition television.
Customers have access to more than 300 channels now and Warsaw will be a national test site for "on-demand" movie subscriptions, too.
Under contract, the city receives a 3 percent franchise fee of the company's gross revenue. In 2004, basic subscriber revenue was more than $1.5 million. The city's cut was $45,265.
In spite of the amendments, customers have registered complaints about Comcast's switch to South Bend for network broadcasting, except for WPTA-21, which airs out of Fort Wayne.
Piscola said this decision was in accordance with the FCC rules for local broadcasters developed in 1972. She said these rules call for network nonduplication and syndicate nonexclusivity in a particular marketing area. Warsaw "belongs" in the South Bend-Elkhart market, according to Nielson Media Ratings. The FOX channel in South Bend supercedes the FOX channel in Fort Wayne.
"For years you were flying under the radar," Piscola said. She explained that Warsaw cable channels were provided by ATT Broadband, and Insight had the rights of management. Comcast purchased ATT. When the Insight contract with ATT expired, Comcast took over management.
Councilman Bill Rhoades said of the 13 houses on his street there are now five satellite dishes, indicating the displeasure of former cable subscribers.
"Local businesses advertised on the Fort Wayne channels," Rhoades said. "Most people here go to Fort Wayne for shopping and entertainment. They don't drive to South Bend. We get two channels out of Chicago, but who goes there for shopping?"
"The FCC has determined that South Bend is your marketing area and South Bend doesn't mind the Chicago stations," Piscola said. "This is our attempt to comply with FCC rules."
Rhoades also asked about the Comcast advertisement offering rates of $9.99 per month for basic channels "with all your local stations. I think you're misrepresenting that."
Harris said he'd been corresponding quite a bit with Comcast, Congressman Mark Souder and the FCC.
Harris said the FCC does not require particular channels be aired over others.
"Well, South Bend requires us. One station notifies us they are going in," Piscola said. "We have a contract with that network station. They don't want the competition."
"I assume that they don't want the competition," Harris said. "But you didn't have the contracts when you made these changes, did you?"
Piscola said none of the Fort Wayne stations sent a notice of exclusivity.
"Isn't it true you decided on your own to exclude Fort Wayne channels?" Harris asked.
Piscola said Comcast made the decisions at the same time they were going to add channels and new services.
Marsh said the channels were going to have new numerical designations and they didn't want to make the changes twice. The South Bend channels indicated verbally that formal requests were forthcoming.
"The regulations only apply to the networks and syndications." Harris said. "There's not reason you can't offer local Fort Wayne programs here."
Piscola said Comcast could block out everything except two to three hours of local broadcasts. "We'll take this back and see what we can do."
Don Brown said the reason "we reason we have South Bend channels is because the of Nielson Media Ratings, not the FCC."
Councilman George Clemens asked why the Fort Wayne ABC station still airs and was advised it is because the South Bend ABC channel broadcasts at "low energy" and doesn't reach this far.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins advised the council and audience the city doesn't have an exclusive agreement with Comcast; another cable company could offer subscriptions to consumers here.
"None have stepped forward with such an interest, though," Wiggins said. [[In-content Ad]]