By Elizabeth Richards
Spectrum cable television subscribers in Windham and Raymond
will soon notice a change in where public access channels are located.
A Maine law has been upheld by a federal judge, requiring
cable TV providers to relocate these channels to their previous, lower channel
number positions to make them easier for the public to find.
In 2017, Spectrum moved their community channels in Maine to
the 1300s, a move that created a stir among critics. One called these high channel numbers
“digital Siberia” in a Portland Press Herald article in March 2019.
Community channels, often referred to as “PEG” stations
(Public, Education and Government), are negotiated by municipalities in
franchise agreements with local cable providers. These channels provide viewers the opportunity
to watch events such as town meetings, public hearings, school-related
programming, and other community produced programs.
In March 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen
upheld the Maine law that was passed in response to the changes in a lawsuit
filed by NCTA – The Internet and Television Association.
In a statement responding to the decision, NCTA said they
were disappointed with the decision.
“We continue to believe that
Maine’s burdensome network build-out and PEG requirements conflict with federal
law and should be preempted, and that the PEG mandates independently violate
cable operators’ First Amendment rights. We are reviewing the ruling and
considering next steps.”
In her decision, Torresen ruled that the
plaintiff had not met the burden of showing that the State’s PEG provision
infringe on cable operators’ First Amendment rights, saying that the State
wanted to put PEG channels on equal footing with other channels and return them
to channel placements they held previously.
Historically, these channels had been placed
on lower channel numbers near local broadcast channels, making them easier for
people clicking through channels to find.
The law also requires
cable companies to offer service to lower-density areas of the state, broadcast
content produced locally in the same format it is provided and provide
programming information on a channel guide.
“Charter
Communications, locally known as Spectrum, will be making changes to our
channel lineup for customers in the Cumberland County channel lineup,” said
Heidi Vandenbrouck, Senior Communications Manager, New England for Charter
Communications. “On or around July 31,
2020, Public Access channels 1301 will be dual illuminated on channel 2,
channel 1302 will be dual illuminated on channel 3 and Community Access channel
1303 will be dual illuminated on channel 5,” she said.
The
changes apply to cable channel listings in both Windham and Raymond.<
