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Compiled by "Smart Mouth" columnist Amelia Robinson, Seen and Overheard is fueled by juicy tidbits, oddball tales and strange sightings.
Home > Blogs > Seen and Overheard > Archives > 2009 > August > 12 > Entry
ThinkTV and Time Warner at odd over plans to drop public TV channels
UPDATE 4:23 p.m.: Think TV Communications manager Sue Brinson said that a Time Warner Cable official contacted Public Media Connect shortly after this article was posted. No decision has been made about the proposal discussed below.
After getting no response from Time Warner Cable about alternatives to dropping seven local public television channels, ThinkTV is taking its message to the public.
“Because the changes are so imminent we thought it was important to inform our viewers,” said David Fogarty, president of Public Media Connect which operates ThinkTV and CET.
Fogarty said an alternative proposal to the cuts was left with a Time Warner executive July 30. The executive also took notes.
“He said he would get back to us,” Fogarty said.
Michael Pedelty, a Time Warner vice president of communications, said Fogarty’s proposal is not clear.
Under the proposal, Fogarty said everyone in the Cincinnati and Dayton markets would continue to get at the very least the three basic public channels - ThinkTV 14, CET and Think 16 on basic cable.
Digital cable would be consistent throughout the region.
Area viewers will lose significant public television programming if Time Warner Cable drops seven of the 16 public television channels it offers locally on Aug. 25, Fogarty said.
“Folks have been watching theses stations for decades,” said Fogarty said. “We want to make sure they will still be accessible to viewers.”
The video above and a brief explanation of the situation as well as contact information to Time Warner has been posted on ThinkTV’s website.
Public Media Connect manages ThinkTV16/WPTD, ThinkTV14/WPTO and CET in the Dayton and Cincinnati market.
“It is very important to us that everyone get their public television station,” Fogarty said adding that he’d like to work with Time Warner on a solution that meets all needs.
Despite Fogarty’s insistence that a study requested by Time Warner shows that neither ThinkTV nor CET have duplicated programming under rules established by cable providers, Pedelty said the public channels will be removed to reduce programming duplications.
“We are very comfortable with the robust PBS offering we will have after the 25,” Pedelty said.
Time Warner drew heat last late month in both cities after the public learned of cut to public television service.
Read more about the cuts in Dayton here.
Read more about the cuts to Cincinnati here.
What do you think?
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Permalink | Comments (27) | Post your comment | Categories: Business interest
Comments
By watchman
August 12, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this
so folk are paying a cable bill to time-warner for public tv? hmmmm….By Satellite TV rocks!
August 12, 2009 4:57 PM | Link to this
I dropped crappy cable TV over 15 years ago and have been with DIRECTV since and have NO complaints. Their customer service is awesome and the only increase I have ever seen on my satellite bill is if I bought something. Cable TV sucks and they are nothing but a bunch of crooks.By Dixie Lady
August 12, 2009 4:58 PM | Link to this
Dropping Public TV -would be the straw that broke the camel’s back for my retaining TW,even though it is the only available option other than poor dish. Where is the government regulating cable TV? It has gone amuck overcharging and gouging the public. Most nights the only decent TV to watch is Public TV- Might just have to break down and buy a HD TV-By Watcher
August 12, 2009 4:58 PM | Link to this
Aside from losing good PBS programming, TWC is proposing replacing the channels with pay channels and more religious programming. Pathetic swap if you ask me. Where’s BBC HD?By Adios PBS
August 12, 2009 4:59 PM | Link to this
So long PBS. 1 or 2 public broadcasting stations are enough. How much antique roadshows do we need? Let’s get some real channels on TimeWarner and stop clogging up the channels with programing that should have been discontinued 20 years ago.By Gail
August 12, 2009 5:02 PM | Link to this
Public TV is the only reason I have cable. I’ll be looking into options if they actually drop channels.By Carolyn
August 12, 2009 5:35 PM | Link to this
I agree with Gail. Public TV is the reason for my cable. I LOVE my public TV. The music programs make a big difference. And I love British comedy.By Carl
August 12, 2009 5:46 PM | Link to this
I like public TV also, but just how many channels of it do we need. It IS time for Warner to do better with cable TV many things are duplicated. Prices keep going up to the point I’ll have to take Dish.By Bob
August 12, 2009 6:15 PM | Link to this
Time Warner Cable doesn’t care about Public TV, just like they didn’t care about channel 2 (WDTN?) when they dropped it for awhile last year. Hit them where it hurts…drop their services and get a digital converter, new TV or satilite service. I get 5/6 Public stations over the air without cable or dish service.By Tomas
August 12, 2009 6:19 PM | Link to this
I have been emailing TWC about losing WOSU in Clark County with all its OSU sports programming but they could care less. I also demanded a reduction in their monthly extortion as a result, but they blew that off, also. People get used to certain stations and they need to always be there. It is past time for the area to have a second cable provider so we can dump this bad one.By PBSRocks
August 12, 2009 6:30 PM | Link to this
If Public TV goes…so does my Time Warner bill. I will explore other options for TV, phone, and internet.By PBSRocks
August 12, 2009 6:30 PM | Link to this
If Public TV goes…so does my Time Warner bill. I will explore other options for TV, phone, and internet.By Linda
August 12, 2009 7:01 PM | Link to this
Oh, great! Now they’ll have room for even more trashy channels. I only have cable for all the public TV. I will drop my cable TV if they do this. How many lame channels with moronic reality shows, etc do we need? How stupid do they think the public is? Well, I guess they’re helping make the public stupid with all their ignorant channels and programming.By Angie
August 12, 2009 7:12 PM | Link to this
I have a digital converter box and get several public tv channels and all of the local channels. Who needs TW? They are a rip off.By in a pickle
August 12, 2009 7:19 PM | Link to this
I think TW is a rip off as far as their channel selection is concerned. However, I can not tolerate satellite programs because they always lose signal in rain and snow. I think TW should drop ALL BUT ONE PBS station. How man PBS stations do I need to pay for with my money? We do watch PBS at times, but replace the others with channels that would get more viewers. We all know they won’t do that though…that’s why they want us to buy the next level up!By Tony
August 12, 2009 8:27 PM | Link to this
With a digital converter box and hulu, why do I need Time Warner. You suckers are paying for free stuff…By ricardo
August 12, 2009 9:12 PM | Link to this
Time Warner, Direct and Dish better get a clue. As customers/consumers/ stakeholders - we should only pay for what we get (want). PBS, ESPN, History are about all that I need - everything else is a bunch of c**p. When will I get the option to pay per channel? Where is the federal government when you need them?By Joan
August 12, 2009 9:21 PM | Link to this
I broke down and bought an HDTV with a multi-directional indoor antenna. I get PBS channels, the local channels and that is all I need since it’s free and it’s cut out a payment that can be used for paying other bills. If I want to see a movie I’ll buy or rent one. I’ve had TW cable, Dish network and was dissatisfied with both. With no ability to pick and choose what I wanted without buying the entire package I lowered my standards and settled for free instead of greed.By Goodfoodlover
August 12, 2009 9:36 PM | Link to this
We take the money we don’t pay Time Warner for tv, and donate half to Think TV, since we spend a majority of TV viewing time watching Think TV programming. It’s been this way at our house since we moved here over 15 years ago.By chris
August 12, 2009 9:42 PM | Link to this
I just scaled back recently and went to standard. If think tv goes, I might be done. paying for television is one of those things you have to ask yourself…why? My parents didnt do it and i was happy and playing outside. In the spirit of the old days… 2, 7, 22, 16, radio. HBO on day one was KING KONG every 2 hours, that was a hoot.By Tony
August 12, 2009 10:01 PM | Link to this
get rid of all the public TV stations - how many Barack-loving stations do we need?By Wayne
August 12, 2009 10:24 PM | Link to this
What we really need here in the state of Ohio really is another Cable company to give Time Warner a run for their money. I’ve seen Comcast Cable services from friends of mine that subscribes from them. Comcast would put Time Warner to sleep in a jiffy! Comcast needs to come to Ohio as they’re much better and more efficient, and just overall great cable product to have! Time Warner has put me over the edge when they temporarily halted “NBC” last year. That didn’t sit well with me at all. I’ve pleaded to the customer service of TW and only to get blown off by them. TW customer service are bunch of sad embarrassing people who sucks up to its own company and not worry about the concerns or friendly approach by their consumers. Time Warner needs to go for an overhaul on how they run their business as well as the workers needing lots of customer training work as well.By me
August 12, 2009 10:27 PM | Link to this
well i for one got rid of tw bacause of the prices, i have dish now and baybe pay a quarter of the price i was paying tw, dish is the better bet simply because of the prices and well i have had dish for over a year now and well , my programing has gone out one time when we had the wind storm last year , and it was out for maybe 10 min and right back on. so ya while tw may be the way to go for those that have the money to throw away tw is on its way out simply because of the price hike every month and the fact that their customer service is the worst i have ever seen or delt with . their phone service never works and well the internet service lets just say it leaves one thinkin i thought i was paying for high speed internet . as far as public tv goes i think if they actually drop these channels how many people do you think will drop them as well?By Barry
August 12, 2009 11:57 PM | Link to this
I severed ties with tw long ago and could not be happier. they are the artists of the “fee processing handling fee” that came out of nowhere. I got tired of my bill never being the same from month to month (always going up). Watch tv over the airwaves as it ought to be.By Robert Fisher
August 13, 2009 5:50 AM | Link to this
I have had Time Warner for about 7 month’s and had many problems, they have been out for repaires 4 or 5 times. The only reason I keep them is the local public television channels. No local channels (NO) time warner.By merrell wood
August 13, 2009 6:56 AM | Link to this
the public channel will be droped simply because of greed and stockholder dividends.Whenever theirs nothing but crap(which is quite often) on the commercial channels, PBS always delivers with great programming and no commercials! Just what the world needs is another sports channel with 15 minutes of commercials per hour of programin. I’ll cancel TW if they pull this stunt.By JC
August 21, 2009 12:35 PM | Link to this
so go to dish or directv and get your ONE public channel…you will be gaining nothing from it.