ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 22, 1996 TAG: 9608220010
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Cable television service in Pulaski has Town Council members concerned, but they have found little they can do about it.
Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 for citizens to comment on Adelphia Cable's service and to gauge interest by other cable operators to serve the town.
But Town Attorney Frank Terwilliger told the council Tuesday that federal and state regulations have left localities little power to regulate cable franchises.
The hearing may show whether Pulaski citizens are satisfied with Adelphia's service. "If they're not, what do you do?" asked Vice Mayor W.H. "Rocky" Schrader. "There's nothing we can do."
Council has been taking heat from citizens for not requiring Adelphia to offer more programming such as the Arts and Entertainment channel, the History Channel and C-SPAN even though the governing body has no way to require that.
"They are basically saying right now that they don't have any capacity," Terwilliger said, although there is a possibility of adding C-SPAN.
The town's franchise with Adelphia expires Dec. 31, but, Terwilliger told the council it would have to show extreme cause to cancel the franchise.
Other companies could possibly serve Pulaski, but none has expressed interest.
Adelphia offers Pulaski seven channels for $10.50 per month, and five more premium channels for $11.50 each (or $8.95 for the Disney Channel). In Marion, it provides 11 basic channels for $10.29 and the same premium offerings. A check of surrounding localities found many of them getting more channels for less money.
Adelphia is interested in having its franchises for Dublin and Pulaski County renewed at the same time as in the town of Pulaski, because it helps in planning and financing. The other localities have gone along with that, and the town of Pulaski may join that franchise renewal schedule, too.
LENGTH: Short : 43 linesby CNB