Letters

Cable access channels are not something that many people give much thought to. Local TV Inc. (LTV) understands that because we are your local public access station with two public access channels.

We are realistic about who we are. Chances are, most people have come across LTV while scrolling through channels. As you quickly scroll by, you might see coverage of a town or village meeting or a locally produced television show.

While government coverage is an important focus for LTV and other stations, some — including LTV — do more than that.

We film, broadcast and archive community events, and allow community members to produce their own shows. We provide event and performance space for community theater, musical events, forums, lectures and other activities. We have an archive of close to 30,000 shows and films, which we have partnered with East Hampton Library to digitize and make available to all. We provide many different services to our community, and we feel good about our progress.

However, there is a major problem facing LTV and stations across the state: funding. We stations rely on franchise fees from cable companies for most, if not all, of our funding. In short, cable subscribers pay a franchise fee to the cable company as part of their cable bill. A portion of those fees then goes to local municipalities to be used to pay for a PEG access station, equipment costs, personnel, etc.

LTV is not part of the local government nor is it a burden to the community. We are not funded by taxpayer dollars. We rely on the franchise fee, grants and the generous donations from the community.

This funding model worked well in years past. Now, though, many customers are canceling their cable subscriptions in favor of online streaming services. As the number of cable subscribers drops, so does the available funding for PEG stations.

This is forcing many stations, across the country, to make tough decisions on what they can and can not provide for the local community. As funding continues to decline, stations may face the choice of either cutting back on coverage or closing their doors for good.

It is a reality that the staff and board at LTV think about constantly. However, there is a possible solution being proposed. If passed, Senate Bill S2581A would impose a fee on streaming services for using public utilities (sidewalks, telephone poles, etc.), much the same way that cable companies have to pay the fee. The money collected would then be distributed to PEG stations and community media centers across the state based on population.

The legislature must act quickly to pass the necessary legislation to keep cable access alive.

Michael D. Clark

Executive Director

Local TV Inc.

Wainscott