Andrew Crisp reports the House Business Committee of the Idaho Legislature is considering a bill that would change the relationship between cable providers, television affiliates and local communities. Among other things, House Bill 539 would set up a state-level franchise process for cable providers. According to the public-access organization Treasure Valley Community Television, it would remove their capital funding, forcing their channels to go dark.
“It has passed in 20 states, they have enacted statewide franchising. We’ve seen that municipalities have lost money, that franchises have closed. This promise that it would bring competition and bring prices down, instead rates have increased,” said Alex McNish, TVCTV executive director. “I really don’t see any benefit other than to the corporation, and their bottom line.”
McNish also said that this bill’s provision to remove a special Public-Educational-Governmental fee, or PEG fee, would save cable subscribers only a dime per month, or $1.20 per year. Currently, Cable One customers pay an additional 10 cents as a line item on their monthly bill.
“It’s not the free-market approach to television. Our view is, why can’t they go out and get sponsorships?” asked Erik Makrush of Idaho Freedom Foundation before the committee began a hearing on Feb. 21.
