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Council TV show sent to upper dial
By THOMAS MICHALSKI
| Article published on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007 |
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PINELLAS PARK – Sometimes it was dramatic, sometimes it was pure comedy.
At times it became a venue for people irate over issues that included land development, city budgets and even horse manure.
It also was a forum for political candidates who seated themselves just at the right spot for maximum exposure.
On Nov. 20 the city’s television station, Channel 15, covered the City Council for the last time, and no one is very happy about it.
It seems that Bright House Networks has decided to move all government channels 15 through 19 to the upper reaches of the broadcast dial as it readies itself for digital television as mandated by the federal government.
That doesn’t become compulsory until February 2009, but Bright House wants to make the changes for government channels effective Dec. 11.
Not only that, Mayor Bill Mischler pointed out at the recent City Council meeting, but Bright House wants to tag a $1 per month fee for a cable TV box so people can continue viewing government channels at the new channel numbers.
The Bright House plan has angered some cities like St. Petersburg enough to file a lawsuit to halt the channel lineup changes.
Mischler was unsure how many people watch city council and other meetings on public access television. He predicted that citizens would miss the lineup of events that include attractions, meeting schedules and even reruns of the annual Christmas parade.
“They are reconfiguring all the channels,” Mischler said, “and people will not have access to government channels without paying a $1-a-month fee and that’s just not right.”
In other matters, the council approved an ordinance on second and final reading granting permission to change landscaping plans at 3765 62nd Ave. The applicant was granted approval to change the overall green space from 4 to 3.3 percent of the tract. The property will be used for the construction of four industrial buildings.
The council also approved a plan to replace an existing mobile home at 6711 92nd Ave. with another.
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Article published on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007
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