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Cable TV Channel Changes Worry Pasco

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: September 11, 2007

DADE CITY, FL - DADE CITY, FL - County Commission members are concerned the picture could go dark on the Pasco government channel for some cable TV subscribers.

Bright House Networks plans to move Channel 19, the government-access channel on its Pasco system, to a much higher slot come December, according to a company letter sent to commissioners.

Realignment will move all public, educational and government access programming to the lowest digital tier of the channel lineup, Ray Graber, Bright House's director of government and public affairs in the area, wrote in the Aug. 9 letter.

Bright House is trying to standardize channel lineups in the seven counties it serves on the Suncoast, according to Graber.

The digital tier under the current Pasco lineup starts at Channel 89.

Commissioners, during their meeting today, were confused if the move would exclude subscribers with standard cable or limited basic cable packages from receiving the Pasco government channel.

"No, that's not the case," Joe Durkin, senior director of corporate communications for Bright House, said in a telephone interview. About six out of 10 Bright House customers already subscribe to digital TV service, he said.

For those few customers who want to stay with standard cable and still get the public, government and educational channels, Bright House will provide a modified converter box that will cost a $1 a month or so, Durkin said.

More people are getting into the habit of viewing county meetings on cable TV, Commissioner Pat Mulieri believes.

In addition, the county uses Channel 19 for emergency bulletins, Chief Assistant County Attorney Barbara Wilhite noted.

Read more on the government cable TV channel issue in the Sept. 15 West Pasco edition of The Suncoast News.

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