The case for municipal telecoms
Burlington Telecom is a municipally owned telecom featuring cutting-edge services. It offers a variety of triple play offerings, high def TV, VOD, DVRs and a citywide fiber optic network that’s top notch. It’s also been at the center of a firestorm concerning its decision last month to drop the Al-Jazeera English network, which it’s carried since December 2006.
The manner is which the telecom handled the brouhaha is an example of how smaller providers often can have an edge when it comes to understanding the needs and wants of local subscribers.
This week, two of the city’s telecom oversight committees—after a pair of heavily attended public hearings—voted unanimously that BT should continue to carry the network.
In typical Green Mountain stoic fashion, one Vermonter said: “I cut my teeth on (Sen. Joseph) McCarthy," he said. "I don't like to see those who think the Constitution is only for themselves (to use to) prohibit the rest of us from hearing a full variety of political (views)."
Burlington mayor Bob Kiss said the dominant opinion he heard from the forums was that "if they didn't want to watch it, they could turn it off.” And, by association, if they wanted to watch it, they could.
There’s a little bigger battle going on in my neck of the woods, Michigan, where the issue isn’t free speech or political views, but football. Specifically, Charter Communication’s inability or unwillingness to cut a deal with the Big Ten Network, which carries all the games not on broadcast TV. What’s the big deal? Well, to the folks in the eight state Big Ten footprint whose cable option is Charter, it means looking hard at satellite provider DirectTV, AT&T’s U-verse, or, in rare cases, switching to Comcast—which just made a deal with BTN—if it’s available.
And, trust me on this one, that’s all I’ve been hearing for the past year that BTN hasn’t been available to cable customers. Last fall, there were chainsaws screaming all over this area as homeowners looked to clear a path for that new satellite dish. Big Ten football, especially Michigan football here, is what it’s all about.
If Charter listened to their customers, they might know that. --Jim
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Comments
Posted by Anonymous | June 27, 2008 - 12:22pm
Sure there's a case for more local cable feedback but this one is just about the money. BTN wants more than Charter wants to give. And, even though you're a UM fan, I'll keep reading. Keep up the good work-great reading and info\
Posted by Zackey | June 27, 2008 - 5:40pm
The recommedation by two advisory committees that Al Jazeera news channel should continue to be offered on Burlington Telecom cable is not unusal but in line with how professional bodies elsewhere reflect on the merits and demerits of this news channel serving as an alternate source on global developments.
The Citizens Advisory committee established by the Vermont Public Service Board and the Telecom Advisory Committee created by the Burlington City Council pondered if having Al Jazeera English brings any value to Burlington viewers. The timing of their deliberations coincided with that of the juries at two presigious media awards who recently looked at AJE's professional credentials.
Al Jazeera English has excelled at the 17th Amnesty International UK Media Awards announced in London on 17th June . The awards recognise excellence in human rights reporting and acknowledge journalism's significant contribution to the UK public's awareness and understanding of human rights issues. In the category of International television and radioAl Jazeera English's entry "The lost tribe - Secret army of the CIA" was declared the winner.
The other two contestants short-listed were:
Assignment: Louisiana burning, BBC World Service
Inside Myanmar - the crackdown, Al Jazeera English.
It may be recalled that on 10th June 2008, the award for “Best 24 Hour News Program” at the 48th Monte Carlo Television Festival conferred upon Al Jazeera English is not an aberration, but, one in a series of accomplishments scored by a news channel launched only in November 2006. The award recognized Al Jazeera English’s “extensive international reach and efforts to dig deeper to give its international audience a richer understanding of the events that affect their lives.” Al Jazeera English beat entries from BBC News, Sky News, Lisboa TV and the Phoenix Satellite Television Company to take home the award.
Al Jazeera English's Far East Correspondent Hamish Macdonald won Royal Television Society''s Young Journalist of the Year Award for 2007 while it’s Africa correspondent Haru Mutasa was also among the three nominees.
Al Jazeera English was nominated for news channel of the year in its first year of broadcasting and was up against BBC News 24 and 2006’s winner Sky News.
At the 12th Asian Television 2007 Awards, it won the award for Best Single News/Report (Kylie Grey, Orange) Environment Special, and came runners-up for Best news programme Half Hour Bulletin-from Kula Lumpur.
