Re:

["Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kevin Vahey" <k-vahey@attbi.com>
To: <bri@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Friday, January 31, 2003 3:03 PM


>                               Once upon a time when cable companies were
> bidding for the right to wire a town
>                               promises were made. In many cases a SMALL
> portion of the cable bill was set aside for
>                               LOCAL ORIGINATION ( not to be confused with
> public access ) This was supposed to fund
>                               local newscasts.

And that was when cable was a real monopoly.  Today, you have satellite
competition and towns can autorize more than one cable company.  Those deals
were also only good for the length of the contract.  Also, at that time, the
cable companies were providing how many channels?  The economics of the
situation have changed.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine